WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement Friday after a gunman opened fire and killed 5 police officers and wounded many others during a peaceful, anti-violence protest in Dallas:

“I’m mourning the loss of the five brave Dallas police officers who gave their lives protecting marchers’ right to protest safely. Americans are united in our grief over these barbaric murders. I pray we can stay united by a shared desire to prevent more families from knowing the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence.”

“Our children are being murdered. Our neighbors, gunned down. Our police officers, assassinated. And Congress is still silent. I cannot fathom the level of cynicism it must take to look at the drumbeat of murder in our streets and conclude that there is nothing Washington can or should do to try and stop it.”