Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Respond to Shooting in Washington, D.C. That Left One Person Dead and At Least 20 Wounded

The Washington, D.C. chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both a part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, today released the following statement in response to reports of a shooting in Southeast Washington, D.C. early Sunday morning that left one person dead and wounded at least 20 more, including nine who are in critical condition. According to The Washington Post, more than 115 people have been killed in Washington, D.C. this year, marking a 17 percent increase from the same period last year. The District experienced the highest number of homicides in a decade in 2019.  

“My heart aches for everyone affected by this horrific shooting,” said Caia Delavergne, a fellow with the Everytown Survivor Network and volunteer leader with Washington, D.C. Moms Demand Action. “We are a nation of survivors. In the U.S., 58% of American adults or someone they care for have experienced gun violence, and in Washington, D.C. that violence disproportionately affects Black communities. We will continue to fight tirelessly for common-sense gun safety policies that can help prevent these shootings that continue to devastate our families and our communities.” 

As noted in the Post’s coverage of the shooting, Chief Newsham “has said criminal suspects freed from jail because of the coronavirus pandemic are contributing to the violence” — a contention that ignores the systemic failures of economic justice, racism, and public safety. Information on how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing circumstances that contribute to America’s alarming rates of gun violence, particularly in Black and brown communities in American cities, is available here, and an Op-Ed on the need for proper funding for violence intervention — as well as long-term investments to address inequities in areas like housing, food insecurity, and unemployment — is available here.  

Every day in the U.S. on average, more than 100 people are killed with guns, and hundreds more are wounded. In Washington, D.C., an average of 108 people die by guns every year, and 91 percent of those deaths are by gun homicide. Washington D.C. has the highest rate of gun homicides in the country and Black people in The District are 19 times as likely to die by guns than white people.  

More information on gun violence in Washington D.C. is available here, and more information on gun violence in the U.S. is available here.