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Sandy Hook Promise Statement on Deadly Weekend of Shootings in the U.S.

Newtown, CT — This Easter and Passover weekend, four mass shootings across the nation killed at least three people and injured more than 30 others. Two teens were killed at a party in Pittsburgh, PA, and 11 were injured when 90 rounds were fired. One man died and three minors were injured in Portland, OR. Nine people were wounded, ranging in age from 15-73 when a man with unlawful possession of a gun opened fire at a mall in Columbia, SC, as well as another nine injured at a nightclub shooting in Hampton County, SC

According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 120 people were killed and 294 more were injured by shootings in just the last 72 hours in the U.S. The total number of mass shootings in 2022 is now 149 – averaging more than one per day — with 1,596 youth under age 18 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: 

“Sharing collective grief and wondering why and how shootings keep happening has become a weekly routine. It saddens and infuriates me to see gun violence being talked about as an inevitable part of the American way of life when this is one epidemic in our nation that is entirely preventable.  

“Shootings are not simply statistics to be analyzed – they are born of pain and create endless trauma. Every life taken by gun violence is precious. The physical and emotional scars of surviving a shooting never really heal.  

“We must honor these lives with action, not become apathetic in the wake of ever-increasing body counts. Learn the warning signs of potential violence and be proactive in stopping it. Demand Congress 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 can begin to curb the violence. 

“If we want gun violence to no longer plague our nation, we have to work together. Step up and do your part. ”  

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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.   

Media Contact:  

Aimee Thunberg | [email protected] | 646.761.5579