HAGERSTOWN, Md. – The Maryland chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statement after Washington County judge, Andrew Wilkinson, was found shot and killed in his Hagerstown home Thursday night. According to reports, the suspect remains at-large.
“We’re heartbroken for all those impacted by this senseless tragedy,” said Alison Rodner, a volunteer with the Maryland chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Our country is trapped in a deadly cycle where very few places are safe from gun violence. We wait every day for our loved ones to return home safely, but in America, even the places we consider sacred are not immune to this crisis. We will continue to fight together to put an end to gun violence as we know it.”
In an average year in Maryland, 796 people die by guns and 1,363 people are wounded. Gun violence costs Maryland $10.5 billion each year. Firearm injuries are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Maryland. More information on gun violence in Maryland is available here.