North Park Elementary School Shooting is the 12th School Shooting in 2017; 220th School Shooting Since 2013
Research Shows that Women in the U.S. are 16 Times More Likely to be Killed With a Gun Than Women in Other High-Income Countries
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The California chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, responded to a shooting today at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. While details are still unfolding, reports indicate a man shot and killed a female teacher, and shot and injured two students, before fatally shooting himself. The school district has reportedly characterized the incident as “a case of domestic violence.” The injured students are reportedly in critical condition.
According to Everytown research, this was at least the 12th school shooting nationwide in 2017, and the 220th since January 2013. Everytown and Moms Demand Action have kept an index of school shootings in America since 2013 – recording anytime a firearm is discharged inside a school building or on a school campus or grounds.
Research also confirms that there is a deadly link between guns and domestic violence. Women in the U.S. are 16 times more likely to be shot and killed than are women in other developed nations, making this country the most dangerous in the developed world when it comes to gun violence against women.
STATEMENT FROM SHANNON WATTS, FOUNDER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“Today, yet another elementary school community was shaken by gun violence. Our thoughts are with the students, faculty and families affected by the shooting. Educators should not have to fear being shot at work. Parents should not have to fear their children not returning home from school. And, in the most dangerous country in the developed world when it comes to gun violence against women, no one should have to live in fear of armed domestic abusers. Today’s tragedy highlights two issues of gun violence in America: that there is a fatal link between domestic violence and guns and that the United States is the only country where we routinely see our elementary school students on lockdown. There have been more than 200 school shootings in less than five years, and lockdown drills have become part of standard safety practice. There are solutions out there – too often we rely on thoughts and prayers to do the work our politicians refuse to do. Our volunteers and gun violence survivors will not rest until our leaders put our children’s safety first and we change the culture of gun violence in this country.”
TINA MEINS, A MEMBER OF THE EVERYTOWN SURVIVOR NETWORK WHOSE FATHER, DAMIAN MEINS, WAS SHOT AND KILLED ON DECEMBER 2, 2015, AT THE INLAND REGIONAL CENTER IN SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA:
“I know the feelings of helplessness and tragedy brought by gun violence in San Bernardino all too well, and I’m horrified that today, more families in my state suffer similar unimaginable pain. My father should have been safe at work. This teacher should have been safe – safe with her students in their classroom. That’s why my family and I are dedicated to reducing gun violence – so that our father’s and others’ lives are not lost in vain. As Americans and Californians, we must do everything we can to protect children, women, families and neighbors by adopting common sense measures to reduce gun violence. We must strive for a world where today’s tragedy is not repeated.”
STATEMENT FROM SHERRI DELMAN, VOLUNTEER WITH THE CALIFORNIA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“Today’s shooting at North Park Elementary School is every parent’s worst nightmare. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. As parents, when we send our children to school our first priority is that they are safe. But thoughts and prayers aren’t enough, which is why the California chapter of Moms Demand Action is working with lawmakers in Sacramento on legislation to keep guns out of our children’s classrooms. A devastating gun tragedy in a school only takes one mistake. It is important that today’s horrific shooting is not lost in the 24-hour news cycle, and that we continue to focus on how to keep our communities safe from gun violence.”