FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 14, 2022
“Today is the 10-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook massacre, a profoundly dark moment in our nation’s history. On December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, 20 children, ages six and seven, and six educators were killed when a young man armed with an AR-15 rifle and other weapons unleashed more than 150 rounds inside the school.
“Our hearts are heavy today as we remember the victims, survivors, and their families. Losing a child is an unimaginable pain, and we send our prayers to the families who lost their children at such a young age and in such a cruel way. Today we honor the strength of the victims’ loved ones. These parents took the worst moment of their lives and created a nation-wide anti-gun violence movement. They work so hard to make sure no other parent goes through what they went through, and to protect the memory of the victims.
“We also celebrate the resilience of the children who witnessed the carnage and suffered such trauma. They are in high school, carrying on the spirit of their young classmates taken so early.
“Unfortunately, there is still much work to be done to eradicate the gun violence that we see time and time again in this country. Since the Sandy Hook massacre, we’ve seen other school shootings, including the Robb Elementary School shooting this year in Uvalde, Texas in which 19 children and two teachers were killed, and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018, where 17 people were killed.
“We implore legislators to do more to keep guns from the wrong hands. Assault weapons that are used in the military have no place in our streets and should be banned. We need to reinforce background checks and focus on red flags, and address the connection between mental health and gun violence.
“We must act now. American children should have the right to go to school without fear.”
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PAGV is an independent coalition of approximately 70 prosecutors from diverse jurisdictions throughout the United States, working toward solutions to end gun violence. The group is co-chaired by Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley, and brings together prosecutors to discuss policies, legislation, and strategies to help prevent and confront gun violence in their jurisdictions.
To stay up to date with PAGV’s progress, join the mailing list at ProsecutorsAGV.org, and follow PAGV on Facebook and Twitter.
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