Newtown, CT — Yesterday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an emergency declaration on gun violence, targeting it as a public health crisis. New York is the first state in the country to issue an emergency declaration to address gun violence and has announced a $138-million investment in this effort. This move comes as the nation faces what experts predict will be a dangerous and deadly summer. This past holiday weekend, there were already more than 500 shootings across the country, killing nearly 200 and injuring 550 people.
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 in response:
“We applaud Gov. Cuomo for calling gun violence exactly what it is — a public health crisis — and taking bold action to reduce it. This approach – funding for community based violence intervention, for jobs, and investment in mental wellness resources – is a good step toward increasing the safety of students in their schools, homes, or communities.
“As New York and our entire nation suffer the devastation from increasing gun violence, we must demand that our elected leaders at the state level adopt similar actions and that Congress act immediately to pass federal legislation to stop gun violence, including expanded background checks.
“This is an emergency and we need action, before even one more loved one is lost to gun violence.”
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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. Learn more at www.sandyhookpromise.org
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