Newtown, CT — Yesterday, ten people were shot and killed in a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado. While the investigation continues and all the details are not yet clear, it has been confirmed that several children were present during the shooting. The youngest victim was 20 years old. This latest incident marks the second mass shooting in less than a week, following the deadly rampage across Atlanta and underscoring a deadly trend of increasing gun violence sweeping the nation.
In response to this tragedy, 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, issued the following statement:
“I am mourning with the Boulder community today, as I continue to grieve for Atlanta. My heart shatters for these 18 lives ripped from their families. We cannot allow for a return to ‘normal’ life to mean a return to mass shootings and nowhere being safe from gun violence — not even a grocery store. There’s no excuse for ignoring this public health crisis. What we’ve been doing is not enough. We need bold and decisive action by Congress now.”
Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled, “Constitutional and Common Sense Steps to Reduce Gun Violence” that included written testimony from Mark Barden, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise and father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. In response to that hearing, Barden issued the following statement:
“Today’s hearing was a critical first Senate action to address gun violence prevention. Beyond the recent events in Boulder and Atlanta that have made the national news, gun violence rages on in local communities on a daily basis. We need to acknowledge the relentless pain that we’re experiencing and honor the lives taken from us with swift legislative action to prevent more tragedy.”
The Senate Judiciary Hearing comes as gun violence and mass shootings continue to rise nationwide, along with record-breaking gun sales. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, gun deaths have hit historic levels and more than 300,000 guns have been purchased without a background check.
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About Sandy Hook Promise: 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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