Two Averted School Shootings in a Week Emphasizes the Importance of Knowing the Signs
Newtown, CT — Authorities in Florida said a 16-year-old student was arrested this week for threatening a mass shooting at East Lee County High School. The threat came days after a 14-year-old student was arrested for making similar threats at Island Coast High School.
“News like this underscores just how critical it is for students to know the warning signs of violence and when and how to report their concerns to a trusted adult,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise, and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. “We’re grateful that students were able to report these threats and no one was harmed. Far too many students today are dying from gun violence. It’s time for all students to be trained to become ‘upstanders,’ instead of bystanders.”
To date, more than 12 million people nationwide have participated 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 these no-cost programs, Sandy Hook Promise has averted countless school shooting plots, teen suicides, and 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 create a culture engaged in preventing shootings, violence, and other harmful acts in schools. Through its proven Know the Signs programs, SHP educates and empowers youth and adults to recognize, intervene, and get help for individuals who may be socially isolated and/or at risk of hurting themselves or others. 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.
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Aimee Thunberg | [email protected] | 646-761-5579