NEWTOWN, Conn. – Sixty people have been wounded and eight were killed in separate mass shootings over the past week in Baltimore, Chicago, Indiana County Pennsylvania, Reno, Nevada and elsewhere throughout the United States. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 540 mass shootings in 2023 where four or more were killed or injured (excluding the shooter), continuing the pace of making 2023 the deadliest year of gun violence ever recorded.
The trauma and stress that these shootings cause on their surrounding communities is enormous. An analysis by The Trace published last week found that more than 15 million Americans have had a mass shooting in their immediate neighborhood in the last 10 years.
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 break knowing the pain that will engulf the families and communities affected by this week’s mass shootings. We hold these communities in our hearts, helping drive our commitment to end gun violence.”
“It’s important that we don’t lose hope in the face of unrelenting mass shootings. We must be willing to speak up when we see warning signs of potential violence. And we must continue to stand together in demanding lawmakers take action to enact sensible gun policy reforms that are proven to save lives.”
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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.
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Ali Tadayon | [email protected] | 203-304-9780 ext. 279