FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2019
CONTACT:
Joan Vollero, joan@prosecutorsAGV.org
Rob Wilcox, rob@prosecutorsAGV.org
ONE YEAR AFTER PARKLAND, PROSECUTORS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE HELD SUMMIT ON “KIDS AND GUNS” IN HOUSTON
Topics Included Safe Storage, School Safety, Mental Health, and Mobilizing Young People to Advocate for Strong Gun Laws
Prosecutors Against Gun Violence (PAGV) concluded a two-day summit in Houston, Texas, to address America’s gun violence epidemic that has been affecting children disproportionately in the United States. Over 40 PAGV members and staff attended this summit, as well as guest panelists from Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, RAND Corporation, Hartford Communities That Care, and the Arnold Foundation, among others.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said: “I remain grateful for the opportunity to host this year’s conference where we came together from around the country to work side-by-side on ways to better protect young people everywhere from gun violence.”
Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, co-chair of PAGV, said: “As we mark the one-year anniversary of the Parkland massacre, this week prosecutors from throughout the nation convened to focus on making schools safer, intervening when kids are exposed to gun violence, assuring guns are stored safely, and much more. Thanks to this Summit, we’re equipped with a new round of strategies to reduce gun violence in our schools, neighborhoods, and homes.”
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., co-chair of PAGV, said: “We need meaningful action to keep our children safe – action that addresses what we know about gun violence and prevents it from occurring in the first place. It’s time to put the strategies we learned from this Summit into play. We must enforce safe storage, pass red flag laws, ban assault weapons, and require background checks on all gun sales.”
Dr. Rocio Chang-Angulo, Mental Health Expert, University of Connecticut, said: “Gun violence has the potential to affect the normal development of children’s brains and bodies, which are originally wired to protect them from danger, but due to the ongoing exposure of gun violence they are no longer equipped to distinguish between a dangerous vs. non-dangerous situation. I left the PAGV summit fully re-charged and inspired. I realized that we are not alone; I met the most brilliant prosecutors who are committed to making big differences in many people’s lives.”
Michael-Sean Spence, Director of Policy and Implementation, Everytown for Gun Safety, said: “Everytown for Gun Safety is grateful to Prosecutors Against Gun Violence for its work to address how gun violence affects children. Everytown values its continued relationship with PAGV in the fight against gun violence.”
Judge Judy Warne said: “As a retired family law judge and 35-year victim’s advocate against family violence presenting at the conference, I was impressed and amazed at the level of involvement and concern exemplified by the participants and their offices. There is tremendous work being done around the country to curb and eventually wipe out the epidemic of gun violence our families live with and this group is leading the charge.”
Andrew Woods, Executive Director of Harford Communities That Care, said: “Kudos to Prosecutors Against Gun Violence for their leadership and advocacy in and out of the courts. As a victim’s advocate and service provider, I support PAGV in their commitment to making the changes they’d like to see in communities across America.”
PAGV is an independent, non-partisan coalition of prosecutors from across the country that identifies and promotes prosecutorial, legislative, and policy solutions to end gun violence.
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