Newtown, CT — On the evening of February 5, President Trump held his second State of the Union address. The President called for unity and creating a safer America, however, he glaringly avoided the topic of gun violence prevention and ways to keep American students safe in their schools and communities.
In response, Sandy Hook Promise released the following statement:
“I am disappointed that President Trump did not discuss solutions for gun violence prevention, especially after he honored two brave survivors who were impacted by the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue last year, Pittsburgh SWAT officer Timothy Matson and Judah Samet,” said Mark Barden, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise, and father of Daniel who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting. “There are common sense, bipartisan measures including background checks and extreme risk laws that can be passed immediately to prevent further shootings and save lives.”
“President Trump highlighted the importance of expanding funding for researching childhood cancer, and while this cause is also extremely important, more children are dying from gun violence than cancer each year, according to the New England Journal of Medicine,” Barden continued. “Gun violence has become the second leading cause of death for youth and teens in America. This is intolerable, and our Congress must come together with the President to pass real solutions to ensure that these same children are safe from gun violence at school and in their communities.”
2018 was the worst on record for violence in schools, as there were 94 incidents of gun violence at schools across the country, including the tragedies at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and Santa Fe High School. The epidemic of gun violence is on the rise and we are seeing more than double the number of incidents in any given year.
These staggering statistics are appalling, and Sandy Hook Promise will continue to push for common-sense gun violence prevention legislation and will continue its mission of training youth and adults to “Know the Signs” of gun violence and how to prevent it. More than 5.5 million people have been trained in Sandy Hook Promise’s proven Know the Signs programs that focus on prevention to help end the epidemic of gun violence by training youth and adults how to identify at-risk behavior and intervene to get help before a tragedy can occur. Through thee no-cost signature programs, Sandy Hook Promise has averted multiple school shooting plots, several teen suicides, and countless other acts of violence.
About Sandy Hook Promise: Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization based in Newtown, Connecticut. 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. SHP’s mission is to prevent gun violence and other forms of violence and victimization BEFORE they happen by creating a culture of engaged youth and adults committed to identifying, intervening, and getting help for individuals who might be at risk of hurting themselves or others.
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SHP is a moderate, above-the-politics organization that supports sensible program and policy solutions that address the “human-side” of gun violence by preventing individuals from ever getting to the point of picking up a firearm to hurt themselves or others. Our words, actions and impact nationwide are intended to honor all victims of gun violence by turning our tragedy into a moment of transformation. For more information, visit www.sandyhookpromise.org or call 203-304-9780.