Everytown Veterans Advisory Council Founding Member Available for Interviews
On Wednesday, an active-duty United States sailor shot and killed two Department of Defense civilians and wounded one more at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, before fatally shooting himself. The shooting took place just three days before the 78-year mark of the attack on the United States Naval Base in Pearl Harbor.
As you cover the shooting, here are a few resources to support your reporting:
- An average of 4,200 veterans die by gun suicide each year. A report by Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund on firearm suicide among veterans draws on an analysis of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data to shed light on this public health crisis. The report details that the veteran suicide rate in the United States has increased 33 percent for veterans from 2005 to 2017. The report also recommends ways that people inside and outside the veteran community can help keep guns out of the hands of veterans who are experiencing a crisis. Read the full report here.
- Hawaii’s red flag law takes effect Jan. 1, 2020. In June, Gov. David Ige signed into law a Gun Violence Protective Order bill making Hawaii the 17th state, along with Washington D.C., to enact this life-saving red flag law, also known as an Extreme Risk law. Hawaii’s red flag law will create a process for petitioning the court for a Gun Violence Protective Order, enabling people such as family members and law enforcement to seek a court order temporarily removing guns from a person in crisis. Red Flag laws can help save lives by creating a way to act before warning signs escalate into tragedies. Extreme Risk laws, also known as red flag laws, have been shown to be an effective tool in reducing the risk of firearm suicide.
- Information about gun violence in Hawaii: According to Everytown’s analysis, 48 people die by guns in an average year and 72 percent of gun deaths in Hawaii are suicides. Explore EveryStat, a one-stop-shop for gun violence statistics on the local, state, and national levels, here.
If you have any questions or would like to speak with a founding member of the Everytown Veterans Advisory Council, Capt. Chris Marvin, U.S. Army, retired, please don’t hesitate to reach out.