NEWTOWN, Conn. — This week, one woman was killed and four women were injured in a mass shooting at a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia — the latest in a spree of shootings at schools, businesses, streets, and homes across the country. Since the start of May, there have already been five mass shootings. According to the Gun Violence Archive there have been 192 mass shootings in 2023 – more mass shootings than days in this year.
In response, 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 families and loved ones of those who were killed and injured during the mass shooting in Atlanta. The victims went to the hospital to seek care or to provide care, not to enter a battlefield. And this is just one tragedy in one American city this week, part of the countless communities traumatized by gun violence every day.
“There is no place in this country that is immune to this epidemic. Hospitals, gas stations, malls, prom parties, homes, street corners — mass shootings happen everywhere and they are, on average, happening every day. Mass shootings are so pervasive that we, as a nation, have become inured to the death and destruction, barely taking notice other than to worry if our community will be next. We must not let the pain and immensity numb us into complacency and resignation.
“We all have a role to play. Learn the warning signs. Get help when you see someone who may be in crisis and considering harming themselves or others. Advocate for state and federal policies that are proven to prevent gun violence. Don’t wait for someone else to ‘fix’ this growing problem. Take action in delivering the solutions to stop this epidemic.”
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to end school shootings and create a culture change that prevents violence and other harmful acts that hurt children. Through its life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention 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. Through nonpartisan policy and partnerships, SHP advances gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education at the state and federal levels that protect all children from gun violence in their schools, homes, and communities. 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