NEWTOWN, Conn. — Today, four people were killed and at least nine were injured, including two police officers in a mass shooting in Louisville, Kentucky. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 146 mass shootings in 2023. And we are only 95 days into the year.
In response, Mark Barden, co-founder and CEO of the Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund and father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, issued the following statement:
“Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of the victims of the Old National Bank shooting – and with the wider Louisville community impacted by this tragedy. We are frustrated and angry that gun violence continues seemingly unabated.
“We know how to stop mass shootings. Undisputed research proves that gun violence is preventable when we know the warning signs and take action to get help. Simple policy actions like background checks for all gun sales, secure storage, magazine limits for firearms and Crisis Aversion and Rights Retention Orders are proven to save lives and are remedies legislators can and must pass immediately. We are outraged by the refusal of public officials to pass and implement these policies.
“We must honor every victim by taking action to help end gun violence. We must use our voices to demand that America treat its most deadly epidemic — gun violence — now.”
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The Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund (SHPAF) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization committed to protecting all children from gun violence in schools, homes, and communities. The SHP Action Fund advances a holistic policy platform that promotes gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education. The organization works at the state and federal level to pass nonpartisan legislation through inclusive partnerships, diverse grassroots education, and community mobilization. It is part of Sandy Hook Promise, founded and 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