Newtown, CT — This weekend, at least seven people were killed and 28 people injured by mass shooting attacks in three states. A fight in Sacramento, CA was followed by gunfire killing three women and three men, and injuring another 12 people. Gunfire erupted after a concert in Dallas, TX, killing one 26-year-old man and injuring 11 others, including three youth under 18. Four men and one woman, ranging in age from 17 to 33, were injured in a shooting on a rural road in Colleton County, SC.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, these mass shootings account for a small fraction of the 91 lives taken and the 246 injured by guns just in the last 72 hours in the U.S. The total number of mass shootings in 2022 is now 121 – averaging more than one mass shooting per day – with 250+ children killed or injured by gunfire.
In response to the tragedies of the weekend, 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:
“Body counts, terror, mourning, and grief followed by statements of ‘thoughts and prayers’ have become a weekly routine in the U.S. This tragic pattern makes it easy to think that gun violence is an inevitable part of the American way of life. But this is one epidemic in our nation that is entirely preventable.
“We must move beyond collective outrage and take action. Learn the warning signs of potential violence and get help. Demand Congress to do more right now to protect our communities. Simple actions like background checks for all gun sales, magazine limits for firearms, and secure storage of weapons are proven to save lives and are waiting for passage now.
“We all have a role to play in prevention. Step up and do your part. Stop waiting for someone else to fix the problem. Now is not the time to be apathetic – keep taking and demanding action until mass shootings no longer plague our nation.”
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About Sandy Hook Promise: 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. Learn more at www.sandyhookpromise.org.
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