Back to School: Two School Shootings Today Only Hours Apart Should Be Call to Action from Political Leaders
9.30.2014
Two school shootings at high schools in North Carolina and Kentucky today – only hours apart – are the 85th and 86th school shootings since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School nearly two years ago. Following the shooting in Albemarle, in which it is reported at least one student was injured, and the shooting in Louisville, in which one student is also reportedly injured, Everytown and Moms Demand Action updated its list of school shootings and made the following statements.
Last week the FBI released a new report on the increasing number of ‘active shooter incidents.’ The FBI report looked specifically at events where “individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in populated areas.” Everytown’s school shooting list includes incidents when a firearm was discharged inside a school building or on school or campus grounds.
STATEMENT FROM SHANNON WATTS, FOUNDER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“My heart goes out to those affected by these shootings in North Carolina and Kentucky. Last year we started counting shootings in American schools. The list hit 36 in 2013 and so far it stands at 50 in 2014. We should all be asking our leaders to do everything they can to prevent the next tragedy – the NRA’s solution to arm teachers and students isn’t an answer.”
STATEMENT FROM KAAREN HALDEMAN, MOMS DEMAND ACTION – NORTH CAROLINA:
“Today we are keeping the Albemarle students, faculty, parents, first responders and community in our thoughts and prayers. When we send our children to school, we expect to pick them up at the end of each day. We refuse to let shootings like the one at Albemarle High to become the new normal in our communities and across our country.”
STATEMENT FROM TRACEY GOODLETT, MOMS DEMAND ACTION – KENTUCKY:
“Any time a gun goes off at a school, you immediately think of the students and the faculty and anyone else inside the school – and you hope no one is hurt. Sadly we’ve witnessed 50 shootings in K-12 schools and colleges in 2014 alone. We owe our students and our educators a world where we don’t have to live by lockdown.”