NEWTOWN, Conn. – On the morning of the 13th Remembrance of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, the United States awakens to reckon with the horror of a campus attack in Rhode Island. Two students were killed and at least nine others were wounded when a gunman dressed in black opened fire during final exams at Brown University on Saturday.
The individuals who were shot are students, according to university officials, and an additional person was wounded by bullet fragments. The shooter is believed to have used a handgun in the attack. A 30-year-old person of interest is currently in custody in connection with the shooting and the investigation is ongoing.
The fact that these college students were elementary school students in 2012 underscores the sobering truth: an entire generation of youth in America has grown up with threats of being shot in a classroom.
In response, Lauren Levin, chief advocacy officer of Sandy Hook Promise, issued the following statement:
“Thirteen years ago today, 26 precious lives were stolen at Sandy Hook Elementary. It was an attack that could have been prevented if the warning signs had been taken seriously. Now, the Brown University community has been shaken by this same kind of nightmare, students shot and killed in their classroom.
“We at Sandy Hook Promise stand with each of the victims, their loved ones, and the entire Brown University community in demanding further investigation and swift action. While nothing can bring these precious lives back, we can and must do more to support these families, protect our schools, and prevent school shootings.
“A young person in the U.S. is more likely to die by a gun than a disease or an accident. We have to shake ourselves awake from the apathy — reject this being seen as normal — because our children deserve better.
“When we come together to take action, we can stop school shootings and we can save lives. It starts by recognizing the warning signs and stepping up to help. And that responsibility and commitment to looking out for one another must be supported by our leaders at all levels with policy to help prevent the misuse of firearms.”
For more information about how to prevent gun violence, resources for communities healing from tragedy, and ways to support life-saving firearm access policies, please visit sandyhookpromise.org.
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
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