Seven-thousand pairs of shoes are placed on the U.S. Capitol lawn Tuesday to memorialize the children in the United States who have lost their lives to gun violence since December 2012. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Seven-thousand pairs of shoes are placed on the U.S. Capitol lawn Tuesday to memorialize the children in the United States who have lost their lives to gun violence since December 2012. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah, hugs Kyle Kashuv, who survived the Major Strongman Douglas school shooting as fellow shooting survivor Patrick Petty stands by, during a news conference to discuss the Stop School Violence Act outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., joined by lawmakers and gun violence survivors, speaks during a news conference to discuss the Stop School Violence Act outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. The act is designed to help schools and communities stop violence before it happens by providing resources focused on early intervention and school safety infrastructure. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Seven-thousand pairs of shoes are placed on the U.S. Capitol lawn Tuesday to memorialize the children in the United States who have lost their lives to gun violence since December 2012. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Ryan Petty, whose 14-year-old daughter Alaina was killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, joined by lawmakers and fellow gun violence survivors, speaks during a news conference to discuss the Stop School Violence Act outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Kyle Kashuv (C), Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivor, joined by lawmakers and fellow shooting survivors, speaks at a news conference to discuss the Stop School Violence Act outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Seven-thousand pairs of shoes are placed on the U.S. Capitol lawn Tuesday to memorialize the children in the United States who have lost their lives to gun violence since December 2012. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Seven-thousand pairs of shoes are placed on the U.S. Capitol lawn Tuesday to memorialize the children in the United States who have lost their lives to gun violence since December 2012. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Seven-thousand pairs of shoes are placed on the U.S. Capitol lawn Tuesday to memorialize the children in the United States who have lost their lives to gun violence since December 2012. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
March 13 (UPI) -- Nearly 15,000 empty shoes were laid on the grass outside of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday -- a memorial for all the children who've died by gun violence in the United States in the last five years.
The memorial, named "Monument For Our Kids," included a pair of shoes for each child killed by gun violence in the United States. The 7,000 pairs represent all child victims since 20 kindergartners and first-graders died at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012.
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"What we're saying is killing has to stop," Emma Ruby-Sachs, deputy director of Avaaz, told FOX 5-TV. "Culture is changing in America right now. The majority of Americans want gun control. The majority of gun owners want gun control and we're putting lives of these children at the feet of Congress and saying, 'Catch up, act now, let's end this.'"
The silent protest is intended to spur lawmakers to take action on gun reforms. Other protests have occurred in Florida and Washington since 14 students and three educators died at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
The shoes will be on display from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday on the southeast lawn of the U.S. Capitol across from the Library of Congress.
"We want to represent everyone who's been lost," Andrew Nazdin, who helped create the memorial, said. "We want to bring the tragedy that's been felt in communities across the country right to Congress' doorstep."
Organizers of the memorial said the Parkland shooting was the catalyst for creating the memorial.
This week, President Donald Trump said strengthening background checks for gun purchases would be "fully backed" by the White House, as well as other provisions. No assault rifle ban, though, is expected to pass in Congress.