Gun control crusader and former US Rep. Carolyn McCarthy dead at 81

Former U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, who successfully ran for Congress successful 1996 arsenic a crusader for weapon power aft a wide shooting connected a New York commuter bid near her hubby dormant and her lad severely wounded, has died. She was 81.

News of her decease was shared Thursday by respective elected officials connected her autochthonal Long Island and by Jay Jacobs, seat of the New York State Democratic Committee. Details astir her decease were not instantly available.

McCarthy went from governmental novice to 1 of the nation’s starring advocates for weapon power authorities successful the aftermath of the 1993 Long Island Rail Road massacre. However, the suburban New York Democrat recovered constricted occurrence against the National Rifle Association and different Second Amendment advocates.

McCarthy announced successful June 2013 that she was undergoing attraction for lung cancer. She announced her status successful January 2014.

“Mom dedicated her beingness to transforming idiosyncratic calamity into a almighty ngo of nationalist service,” her son, Kevin McCarthy, who survived the shooting, told Newsday. “As a tireless advocate, devoted mother, arrogant grandma and courageous leader, she changed countless lives for the better. Her bequest of compassion, spot and intent volition ne'er beryllium forgotten.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul directed flags connected each authorities authorities buildings to beryllium flown astatine half-staff successful grant of the congresswoman connected Friday.

“Representative Carolyn McCarthy was a beardown advocator for weapon power and an adjacent much fierce leader,” Hochul said.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi said the federation has “lost a fierce champion.”

“Carolyn channeled her grief and nonaccomplishment into advocacy for change, becoming 1 of the astir dedicated weapon unit prevention advocates,” Suozzi said connected X.

She became a go-to impermanent connected nationalist TV quality shows aft each ensuing weapon massacre, whether it was astatine Columbine High School oregon Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Known arsenic the “gun lady” connected Capitol Hill, McCarthy said she couldn’t halt crying aft learning that her erstwhile colleague, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, had been earnestly wounded successful a January 2011 shooting successful Arizona.

“It’s similar a crab successful our society,” she said of weapon violence. “And if we support doing thing to halt it, it’s lone going to spread.”

During 1 peculiarly rancorous statement implicit weapon amusement loopholes successful 1999, McCarthy was brought to tears astatine 1 a.m. connected the House floor.

“I americium Irish and I americium not expected to outcry successful beforehand of anyone. But I made a committedness a agelong clip ago. I made a committedness to my lad and to my husband. If determination was thing that I could bash to forestall 1 household from going done what I person gone done past I person done my job,” she said.

“Let maine spell home. Let maine spell home,” she pleaded.

McCarthy was calved successful Brooklyn and grew up connected Long Island. She became a caregiver and aboriginal joined Dennis McCarthy aft gathering connected a Long Island beach. They had 1 son, Kevin, during a tumultuous matrimony successful which they divorced but reconciled and remarried.

McCarthy was a Republican when, connected Dec. 7, 1993, a gunman opened occurrence on a bid car leaving New York City. By the clip passengers tackled the shooter, six radical were dormant and 19 wounded.

She jumped into authorities aft her GOP congressman voted to repeal an battle weapons ban.

Her astonishment triumph inspired a made-for-television movie produced by Barbra Streisand. Since that archetypal triumph successful 1996, McCarthy was ne'er earnestly challenged for reelection successful a heavy Republican territory conscionable eastbound of New York City.

Some critics described McCarthy arsenic a one-issue lawmaker, a contention she bristled about, pointing to interests successful improving wellness attraction and education. But she was realistic astir her bequest connected weapon control, erstwhile telling an interviewer:

“I’ve travel to bid with the information that volition beryllium successful my obituary.”