Demand Action: 3 Days and Too Many Incidents of Gun Violence (Jan.)
- Alissar Dalloul
- Jan 25, 2023
- 3 min read
"Monterey Park toll grows to 11 dead" "7 dead, 1 critically injured after shootings at 2 farms in Half Moon Bay" "1 killed and 7 injured in shooting in Oakland, California" "2 students killed and leader of Des Moines education center hospitalized in shooting" "Baton Rouge nightclub shooting injures 12"
These have been the titles of national news articles —from the Washington Post to CNN— in the past THREE days. PHC—every day since January 21 —has had a post ready to send to our public health community, but... then another incident occurred... and then another... and then another... in only three days. And these are only 5 of the gun violence incidents that have made the national headlines. Every day, more than 110 people are shot and killed and more than 200 people are shot and wounded.
On January 21, a gunman murdered 11 people and wounded 9 others following a celebration of the Lunar New Year—one of the most important and joyful holidays in many Asian communities. The mass shooting occurred at Star Ballroom Dance Studio, after an earlier all-day Lunar New Year Festival was held on a nearby street in Monterey Park, California, United States. This area is a predominantly Asian American community with thousands of people there celebrating the Lunar New Year.
On January 23, 2023, a spree killer opened fire at two nearby farms in Half Moon Bay, California, killing seven people and critically injuring an eighth person. California Gov. Gavin Newsom described mass shootings as "a phenomenon that is so inherently American."
Then, on January 23's evening, the Oakland shooting was California’s third mass shooting within three days, where 1 individual was killed and 7 were injured.
In Des Moines, on January 23, three people were shot at a downtown education center —two of which were students who died after the Monday afternoon shooting.
On January 22, 12 people were injured —3 sustaining life-threatening injuries— when several people reportedly pulled out a gun at a nightclub amidst a fight.
Still, I must remind you all that these are just the shootings that have made the headlines. Every day, more than 110 people are shot and killed and more than 200 people are shot and wounded. On January 22, on Staten Island, PHC's home roots, a masked man entered a Great Kills smoke shop Sunday night and fired multiple shots at the establishment during an attempted robbery. Less than 24 hours ago, an overnight shooting in Yakima Washington left three dead.
"Three weeks and 39 mass shootings. This is America in 2023."
Schools. Supermarkets. Movie Theaters. Festivals. Neighborhood Streets. Spas. Places of Worship. Offices. And now, dance studios. Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, said in a statement to NBC News, "these senseless, preventable shooting tragedies are emblematic of America's ongoing gun violence crisis."
Our hearts are with the victims, survivors, their loved ones and the entire community —everyone, both those in the media headlines and those not. What should be joyous celebrations, quality times at education centers, a day at work, a new morning, or a time at a nightclub ended in gunfire. Remember the statement consistently made by Everytown that remains to ring true: "We do not have to live and die like this. Everyone deserves to feel safe and not fear gun violence." We cannot allow ourselves to become desensitized to these utterly gut-wrenching incidents. We must demand action.
Check out Everytown, Students Demand Action, and Moms Demand Action for more resources and information in addition to PHC's.
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