NEWTOWN, Conn. – Three people were killed and six injured in a mass shooting at a bar in Southern California this week. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 465 mass shootings this year.
This is the second mass shooting at a public place in Orange County since an attack in May 2022 on parishioners at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, which killed one person and injured five.
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:
“In the wake of the tragic events at Cook’s Corner, our hearts are heavy with grief. Yet again, we share your anger, disbelief, and immense pain. To the families of the victims and survivors – we will never stop fighting for change so that no one ever has to feel the magnitude of such a loss again.”
“Time and time again, we see that domestic violence can have fatal consequences when it involves weapons. On average, our caring crisis counselors receive at least one tip every day related to intimate partner violence. It’s imperative that we learn the warning signs of domestic violence and the actions that you, a friend, or a loved one can take if help is needed.”
According to the Educational Fund To Stop Gun Violence, over half of all intimate partner homicides are committed with guns. And tragically, a woman is five times more likely to be murdered when her partner has access to a gun.
“While mass shootings in the media often appear as random public assaults by strangers, the truth remains that Americans are still most likely to be shot by someone they know.”
“Gun violence is preventable. Clear research demonstrates that recognizing warning signs and implementing straightforward policies like universal background checks, secure storage, magazine limits, and temporary transfer orders have a proven track record of saving lives.”
“We must honor every victim by working to stop gun violence. We need to reject the notion that gun violence is an unavoidable fate in America and act by implementing policies and initiatives to curb these shocking realities.”
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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