Newtown, CT — Yesterday, eight people were killed in a shooting spree across three spas in Atlanta, Georgia. While the investigation continues and the motive is still not confirmed, six of the eight victims were women of Asian descent, fueling increased fear and pain in Asian communities nationwide. The Asian community in the U.S. has recently been the target of increased hate crimes and violence.
In response to this tragedy, 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, issued the following statement:
“We stand with the grieving families and Asian community in America, devastated by the atrocious shooting spree across Atlanta. Fear-based anger and prejudice drives violence. To create safer communities for our children, we must unite in condemnation of hate, racism, misogyny, and bigotry and reject racism, xenophobia, and nativism in all their forms.
“While we work together to make our local communities more inclusive, we must also demand that Congress take immediate action to address the record levels of gun violence we’re experiencing. Mass shootings are appallingly common and we must put a stop to this epidemic.
“According to the FBI, our nation has seen more hate crimes in recent years than we have in a decade. And with millions more guns in U.S. homes than ever before, we must take meaningful steps to prevent further violence. Together, we can fight fear and hatred with our commitment to look out for one another and speak up to get help when we see potential violence and injustice in any form — just like Sandy Hook Promise’s Know the Signs programs are teaching millions of children to do.”
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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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