Newtown, CT – On Friday, May 31st, twelve people were killed and four were injured when a disgruntled employee opened fire in a municipal building in Virginia Beach, VA. This tragedy is the deadliest mass shooting in 2019.
In response, Sandy Hook Promise is releasing the following statement:
“We are heartbroken for the Virginia Beach community, as their community is added to a growing list of cities across the country that has been marred by gun violence. According to the Gun Violence Archive, this is the 150th mass shooting to take place in our country and the deadliest shooting that we have seen since the Thousand Oaks, CA tragedy that took place last fall,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. “We must all take the time to learn the signs of someone in crisis and say something when we see them, as it can save lives. We all have a responsibility to look out for one another to create safer communities across our country.”
To date, more than 7.5 million people nationwide have been trained 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 school shooting plots, teen suicides, and countless other acts of violence.
About Sandy Hook Promise: Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization based in Newtown, Connecticut 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. SHP’s mission is to prevent gun violence (and other forms of violence and victimization) BEFORE it can happen by educating and mobilizing youth and adults to identify, intervene, and get help for at-risk individuals. 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. For more information, visit www.sandyhookpromise.org or call 203-304-9780.
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Media Contact:
Dini von Mueffling Communications | Stephanie Morris
[email protected] | 646-650-5005