“We’re living in the middle of a crisis,” said Dave Ackert, a father of two from Newtown who helped organize the group, which included others from the state. “Many, many people want to take action. Newtown wants to be remembered as a tipping point for positive change to reduce gun violence.”

Advocates said they hope that the March on Washington for Gun Control will be the first of several such events to push for tougher laws when public opinion on the issue seems to be shifting.