The Michigan chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement after authorities reported that three students were shot and killed and six individuals, including a teacher, were shot and wounded at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan this afternoon. The suspected shooter is 15 years old. Details are still developing.
“No one should experience what my cousin did today while he was in school. Our hearts are with all of those harmed, traumatized or impacted by today’s tragic shooting,” said Aria Segura, a volunteer with Students Demand Action in Michigan whose cousin attends Oxford High School. “We should not have to live in a world with gun violence in our schools, or in our communities, but for far too many of us, this is our reality. We need real action to protect all students and communities from gun violence.”
“Our hearts break for yet another community forever scarred by gun violence in our schools,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “We don’t have to keep living this way, and our children and educators most certainly don’t have to keep dying this way. Ending gun violence demands action and we won’t stop fighting for commonsense solutions to protect our communities and keep our kids safe.”
In October, Everytown released recommendations on school safety shared with the Biden-Harris Administration in response to a historic increase in gunfire on school grounds. Between August and September this year, there were 56 instances of gunfire on school grounds, killing 8 and wounding 35 – more incidents, injuries, and fatalities in that two-month period since Everytown started tracking gunfire on school grounds in 2013.
Firearms are the second leading cause of death among children and teens in Michigan. In an average year, 1,212 people die and 3,507 people are wounded by guns in Michigan. Gun violence costs Michigan $9.1 billion each year, of which $422.6 million is paid by taxpayers.
