FRANKFORT, Ky. — Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024 was the first time Priscilla Sandifer visited the state Capitol. With her, she brought a poster of her daughter Amaya Victoria Taylor Sandifer, who was killed in May 2022.

What You Need To Know

  • Gun law reform advocates gathered at the state Capitol Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024

  • Most were from the group Moms Demand Action

  • Priscilla Sandifer, of Lexington, was there in honor of her daughter, who was killed in 2022 

  • The person who killed her has not be found 

“She was taken from me through gun violence, a senseless act, and they still have not caught the people that are responsible for taking her life,” Sandifer said.

Her daughter was 20 years old and was going to school to become a nurse. Her mother says there’s not a day when she doesn’t think about her daughter. 

“We’re losing too many innocent lives to senseless gun violence and I will be my daughter’s voice until I take my last breath,” Sandifer said.

Since then, Sandifer has begun a mission to prevent tragedies like this from happening to others. It’s what brought her to the capitol. Joined by members of the group Moms Demand Action, she spent the day talking with lawmakers, as did many who attended Thursday’s rally.

“We need to change these laws,” Sandifer stated.

Among the speakers in the Capitol Rotunda was Devine Carama, director of ONE Lexington, an organization working to reduce violence among young people. 

“We have mothers who have lost children to gun violence. We have young people who are stepping up and using hip-hop as a way to speak against gun violence. Our village is doing their job,” Carama said. “My question is, Frankfort, will you get to work with us?”

Sandifer hopes some kind of action will be taken by lawmakers.

“I miss my daughter greatly. Of course, she’s not coming back. There is nothing that I can do on this earth that will replace her or take the pain of, you know, the loneliness and the anger that I feel since this incident has happened,” Sandifer said.

Those who attended the rally support a bill filed this year by Republican State Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Fruit Hill. It would allow a person’s firearms to be temporarily taken away who’s experiencing a mental health crisis. The bill has not moved forward since its filing.

Along with this bill, Democrats have filed several that address gun violence. However, it’s unlikely these will be passed by the Republican-majority legislature. 

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