I heard that it was the shooting incident on the LIRR that really changed her. The incumbent Republican, Dan Frisa, was staunchly pro-gun. She became staunchly anti-gun after the shootings and ran and won on that issue in 1996.
If only someone with a gun had stopped the killer. The ba$tard actually had time to reload his gun and continue on shooting.
Be nice if someone had shot him dead after he pulled his gun.