February 15, 2018
Yesterday, in a senseless act of gun violence, at least 17 people lost their lives at a high school in Parkland, Florida – one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history.
As we mourn, we must not forget: gun violence is a public health crisis affecting children nationally. Since 2014, the number of children killed by a gun has been on the rise. And there are these startling statistics:
- Nearly 1300 children die and 5790 are treated for gunshot wounds each year in the United States
- Firearm-related deaths are the third leading cause of death overall among American children aged 1 to 17 years
- 91% of firearm deaths of children aged 0 to 14 years among all high-income countries worldwide occur in the United States
Source: “Childhood Firearm Injuries in the United States” in Pediatrics Jun 2017.
We stand with the families of all those killed in yesterday’s attack, and we urge you to contact your Congressional representatives to enact sensible gun control. You can dial the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.
