PALERMO, Cal. — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots network, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, released the following statements following a shooting yesterday at Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists in Palermo, California, which resulted in a five year old and six year old being shot and injured.
“Our hearts are broken by the news of two children- just 5 and 6 years old -shot in a place that should feel safe and secure. We are praying with their families,” said Kasey Zahner, leader with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action. Zahner is a school teacher and a mom to elementary age children. “It’s my worst nightmare for any child to be gunned down at school, let alone kindergarteners. We must continue to demand meaningful action on gun safety from lawmakers at every level of government.”
“Two kindergarteners are literally fighting for their lives right now because a dangerous person got a gun and chose to shoot up their school,” said Penelope Oliver, a Students Demand Action volunteer from California and member of the Students Demand Action National Organizing Board. “We’ve spent our entire childhoods knowing exactly how and where to hide from a shooter. We’ve spent hours on school shooting drills. We’ve seen countless headlines on shooting at just another place where our lives are now unsafe. We know we have the power to change this, we know we cannot accept the unthinkable. It’s time for action”
“Our hearts are heavy with the devastating news of the shooting at the Feather River Adventist School near Palermo, CA,” said Pastor Gilford T. Monrose, National Convener, Clergy for Safe Cities. “Innocent children, who had left their homes that morning to learn and play in a safe environment, were tragically affected by this senseless act of violence. Gun violence is the enemy of life and we need to rid ourselves of it. Together, we must explore ways to create safer, more compassionate communities.”
Firearms are the leading cause of death for children, teens and young adults (ages 1 to 25) in the United States. Children, teens and young adults in the U.S. are impacted by gun violence in all its forms. Exposure to gun violence has an impact on the psychological and mental well-being of young people and affects their school performance, among other factors.
According to an analysis by Everytown, gun violence on school grounds rose by 31 percent last year, the second-highest number of incidents since Everytown began tracking gun violence at schools more than a decade ago.
In an average year, 3,332 people die and 9,787 are wounded by guns in California. Guns are the second leading cause of death among children and teens in California. In California an average of 272 children and teens die by guns every year. More information about gun violence in California is available here.