I still remember the echo of what sounded like a speaker, amp or heavy piece of equipment falling to the ground, coming from the side of the Plaza Live in Orlando.

It was about 10:24 p.m. on Friday, June 10, 2016, and I was outside the back of the venue with a bunch of other people waiting to say hello to the band we had just seen in concert.

A few of us glanced over toward the side door where a couple of people stood, but nothing seemed out of place. I shrugged and began talking to my friends again.

Then, security ran at us, screaming. “Run! Run! There’s a shooter!”

My feet stayed glued to the ground for a few seconds as I processed what was happening. Was this a sick joke to get us to leave so the band could walk out in peace? Maybe, but most likely not--who would joke about that?

So I ran. I ran for cover somewhere, anywhere, in the empty parking lot. And as I ran, I realized that I hadn’t heard a piece of equipment falling: I had heard the gun shots that fatally injured Christina Grimmie.

Ever since that night, the sound haunts me. The images of people I love crying, our shaking arms reaching out for the comfort of a hug as we buried our tear-stained faces into each other’s shoulders will forever be burned in the back of my mind.

I’ve never liked guns. But it was that night that solidified my personal opinion and outlook on guns: I hate them.

I don’t ever want to hold a gun myself anymore. In fact, I would love it if guns just didn’t exist. I’ve considered every argument, researched both sides of the spectrum and experienced gun violence firsthand. My mind is made up. Call me irrational, but don’t discount my opinion if you weren’t in my shoes that night.

Because of that night’s events--and the shooting that followed just more than 24 hours later at Pulse Nightclub not too far away--I’ve dealt with mild post-traumatic stress. I can’t imagine what others who were actually close with Christina have dealt with.

But what I know is that, regardless of what your opinion or my opinion on the matter is, we as a country need to do a better job of reducing gun violence.

National Gun Violence Awareness Day is June 2, and since this topic has been close to my heart for a while now, I decided to do my research and explain my evidence-based position on the matter of gun violence.

If you’re a fan of guns or just plain disagree with further restricting gun laws, that’s fine, but please don’t shut down right here and resist my words. You don’t have to agree with me, but I’d love it if you would at least hear me out.

Statistics don’t lie.

As of May 24, the total number of gun-violence incidents reported throughout the country sits at 24,191. From those incidents, there have been 11,626 injuries and 5,921 deaths. And 131 of them were mass shootings--defined by the FBI as “four or more people killed and/or injured during a single shooting incident.” (Statistics from the Gun Violence Archive website. Note that these figures exclude suicide.)

Translation: Each day, that’s about 170 total gun-related incidents, nearly 83 injuries, about 42 deaths, and close to one mass shooting. Each. Day.

The United States, with less than 5% of the world’s population, has about 35 to 50% percent of the world’s civilian-owned guns, according to a 2007 report by the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey. It ranks number one in firearms per capita--nearly 89 firearms per every 100 people. The U.S. also has the highest homicide-by-firearm rate among the world’s most developed nations.

Then, according to the BBC, the number of gun murders per capita in the U.S. in 2012--the most recent year for comparable statistics--was nearly 30 times that in the U.K. Of all the murders in the U.S. in 2012, 60% were by firearm. Compare this with 31% in Canada, 18.2% in Australia and just 10% in the U.K.

Now, before you throw the classic “We need guns to be able to defend ourselves!” argument, check out this fact: Only 790 of these incidents--or about 3.4%--occurred for defensive use. And only 789 occurred unintentionally.

Also, take this into account. Marcus Grimmie, Christina’s older brother, was completely unarmed when he tackled her shooter--who, by the way, was armed with two handguns, two full magazines and a tactical knife. The shooter, probably taken by surprise, backed up against a wall and shot himself. Not all situations would end like this, of course, but it’s proof that you don’t necessarily need a gun for self defense.

Here's another thought: If "guns don't kill people, people kill people," then why do you really need a gun? And the belief that laws designed to restrain gun ownership and carrying will only serve to protect criminals isn’t entirely accurate.

With some estimates suggesting that as many as one million or more guns are stolen each year, putting more guns in the hands of the law-abiding population means that, inevitably, more guns will end up in the hands of criminals.

I love how author Robert Muggah worded the sentiments I share in his column for Huffington Post: “Strong gun laws are not equivalent to taking guns away from citizens. To the contrary, they consist of transparent rules and procedures designed to manage the possession, storage and carrying of firearms in order to limit access to legitimate users alone.”

Pulse shooter Omar Mateen had been investigated and interrogated by the FBI three times in the last three years before his death on suspicion he might have been a radicalized Islamic terrorist. Even if his rights prevented him from being arrested simply due to speculation, why was he allowed to obtain a firearm when he had been investigated by the FBI three times?

Mateen worked as a security guard, had a concealed firearms license and purchased his weapons legally. But shouldn’t his FBI investigation history have caused some red flags when buying weapons or maintaining his license?

Here is where I stand.

The sole reason why I will NOT advocate for eradicating gun ownership rights altogether? Because Amendment II to the United States Constitution states that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

And if a time came where that right was infringed on and we all decided to void the Second Amendment, it would set a dangerous precedent for the sanctity of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. If we could eradicate the Second Amendment and take away gun rights, we could just as easily abolish any other amendment, including the First Amendment--which secures our rights to freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly and fair trial.

I also get that for some people, guns are a hobby. Hunting, leisure shooting, etc. And that's fine, because I also have hobbies. Maybe I don't care for your hobbies--just as you probably don't care for One Direction, like I do--but long as you're not hurting people, there isn't an issue there.

Realistically, even if we could ban guns completely, it wouldn’t stop criminals from getting a hold of them. Rule breakers will always break the rules. There will always be sick people out there who let evil intentions dictate their lives. There are other weapons that can be used for destruction. And yes, it’s often the people behind the trigger who are the real problem here.

However, we cannot sit here passively and think, “Well, we’re never gonna stop the criminals anyway, so what’s the point?”

I would love to be able to wake up one day and not receive any local or national news alerts about a mass shooting, school shooting, or really any shooting. How many more Newtowns, San Bernardinos, Columbines, Virginia Techs and Orlandos will it take before we realize that something needs to change?

If you’re pro-gun, that’s fine. But if you believe that there’s nothing wrong with our current system and you’re completely opposed to any changes in legislation, enforcement, education or programs for mental health awareness and assistance--simply because you’re clinging so tightly to your right to own a firearm--I encourage you to re-evaluate your perspective, or at least just open your mind and see it from my point of view for a minute. See it from the perspectives of the mothers of the 20 innocent children murdered in Newtown. See it from the perspectives of the families of the 49 people killed at Pulse. See it from the perspectives of the Grimmie family, Christina’s bandmates, her fans.

The United States government has made it clear that despite tragedy after tragedy, mass shooting after mass shooting, our gun rights aren’t going anywhere, so don’t you worry. And I agree: Banning guns is not the solution, anyway. But something here has got to give. Something has to change--and not just the name of the city in this week’s “Pray for ___” trending hashtag on Twitter.

What can we as a nation do?

Ensure the states are providing complete criminal history records and criminal dispositions, information on persons disqualified for mental health reasons, and qualifying crimes of domestic violence.

Clarify that it doesn’t matter where you conduct your business: If you’re selling firearms, you must get a license and conduct background checks. The government needs to ensure that there are criminal penalties for vendors who fail to comply.

Rally for tighter security at concert venues, sporting events and more. Half of the reason why Christina Grimmie is no longer here with us is because of a complete lack of proper security measures at the venue. I would know: I was there. I wasn’t allowed to bring in a water bottle or a granola bar. There were no metal detectors or scanning wands. Security literally poked at a couple of items in my bag for all of five seconds before sending me through. Christina’s killer probably walked right on in--and with two guns, two magazines and a knife on his person. Imagine how easily that could have been caught had there been metal detectors and/or scanning wands; most likely, Christina would still be here.

Dedicate more funds and programs toward educating and treating mental illnesses. many states continue to report little information about individuals who are prohibited by federal law from possessing or receiving a gun for specific mental health reasons. While some wonder if this infringes upon privacy, I say it’s completely necessary to protect the well-being of both the gun owner and society as a whole.

Take action and write letters or make phone calls to your local, state and federal representatives. Keep them accountable and make your voice heard. Speak up for the victims in Newtown, in San Bernardino, in Orlando. Be their voice and help fight for justice.