NEWTOWN, Conn. — Yesterday, three people were killed (including the shooter) and seven injured in a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis, Missouri. To date, there have been 39 school shootings in the U.S., the highest number since tracking began according to Education Week. According to the Gun Violence Archive, the U.S. is averaging nearly two mass shootings per day, more than 300 so far this year.
In response to the latest tragedy, Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, issued the following statement:
“Our hearts ache for the parents, families, and friends of the victims of the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School shooting. Once again, what should have been a normal day for students, educators, and school staff turned into tragedy and unspeakable pain with more lives shattered by gun violence.
“Each time there is a school shooting, our country expresses sympathy, grief, and outrage. Then we move on, knowing full well that there will be another tragedy. The seemingly unending pattern of school shootings makes it easy to think that gun violence is inevitable, when, in fact, it is preventable when we know the signs of someone who is at risk of harming themselves or others and we take measures to stop them.
“We must turn our outrage and grief into action. Learn the warning signs of potential violence and get help. Demand that our public officials do more to protect our communities. Simple actions like background checks for all gun sales, safe storage, magazine limits and extreme risk protection orders are proven to save lives and are remedies legislators should pass now.
“From my own experience, I know that the best way to honor the victims of gun violence is to take action to spare other families this horrific pain. Please join me in taking and demanding action until mass shootings no longer plague our nation — and our children are safe at school, in their communities, and at home.”
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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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Aimee Thunberg | [email protected] | 646-761-5579