TEAM ENOUGH RESPONDS TO SHOOTING IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

Five people are dead and two others are wounded after shooter terrorizes Raleigh community

October 14, 2022, Washington, DC — Today, Team ENOUGH calls for state and national leaders to take action to address the epidemic of gun violence in the U.S. following the 532nd mass shooting of the year. Five people were killed and two others were wounded when a shooter terrorized a Raleigh, North Carolina community Thursday evening.

Team ENOUGH Executive Council Member Jasir Rahman shared:

“The mass shooting in Raleigh, North Carolina serves as a reminder that we are under constant threat from gun violence. People can’t even be in their own neighborhoods without fear of losing their life. As Governor Roy Cooper said, ‘No neighborhood, no parent, no child, no grandparent, no one should feel this fear in their communities — no one.’ While we are all shocked by this senseless act of violence, we must recognize that this is not an outlier. This is an everyday reality. There have been over 500 mass shootings this year alone. Gun violence remains the leading cause of death among young people. We must demand action from our elected officials and pass common-sense gun laws to keep our communities safe.”

Gun Violence in North Carolina

• Every year, 1,470 people are killed by gun violence in North Carolina.

• Each year, 571 people are victims of firearm homicide in North Carolina.

• On average, 832 people in North Carolina take their own life with a firearm each year.

• On average, 36 people in North Carolina die from injuries related to an unintentional shooting each year.

• Since 2014, there have been at least 112 mass shootings in North Carolina – including this one.

• This shooting – which killed 5 people – is the deadliest of the 17 shootings in North Carolina so far this year.

Team ENOUGH Applauds U.S. House for Passing Break the Cycle of Violence Act With Bipartisan Support

The Break the Cycle of Violence Act establishes community violence as a public health issue and invests in evidence-based programs that are proven to break the cycles of gun violence and save lives. 

Washington, D.C., September 22, 2022 – Today, Team ENOUGH applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, H.R. 4118, with bipartisan support. This legislation would launch a nationwide strategy to invest in evidence-based, community violence reduction initiatives.  We urge the Senate to now quickly take up and pass this bill.  Team ENOUGH and Brady have been advocating for this bill since it was first introduced in 2019 by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV). 

Team ENOUGH Executive Council member Zeeshan Ali says: 

"Team ENOUGH is working to shed light on the gun violence experienced in Black and Brown communities, and amplifying the voices of young people of color. Gun violence is killing us. It’s that simple. Allocating resources to our communities is necessary to create safer, healthier neighborhoods, and by doing so, we can confront other social injustices that are magnified because of gun violence. We’re thankful that elected officials have taken action to invest in our communities and provide the resources we need to stop simply surviving and start thriving.” 

About HR 4118: Break the Cycle of Violence Act

The Break the Cycle of Violence Act would establish federal grant programs to support violence intervention initiatives in communities disproportionately impacted by homicides and community violence — that is, communities that experience 20 or more homicides per year and have a homicide rate at least twice the national average, or communities that demonstrate a unique need for additional resources to intervene in gun and group-related violence.

The grants would be used to implement hospital-based violence intervention programs, evidence-based street outreach programs, and group violence intervention strategies.

The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an Office of Community Violence Intervention to administer programs and activities related to violence intervention, a Community Violence Intervention Advisory Committee to advise and assist HHS, and a National Community Violence Response Center to provide training and technical assistance, coordinate research, and develop data collection policies. The bill also directs the Department of Labor to award grants for job training and workforce programs in these communities to connect young people to in-demand occupations.

CDC data has shown that 80% of gun homicides take place in urban environments, and they disproportionately impact young people of color. Young Black children and teens are 14 times more likely and Hispanic children and teens are three times more likely to be shot to death than their white peers. Violence intervention and strengthening gun laws are both critical to addressing this devastating reality. Research shows that being shot, shot at, or witnessing a shooting doubles the probability that a young person will commit violence within two years.

Beyond the staggering human toll of gun violence, communities that experience higher levels of violence also face enormous financial burdens through depopulation, reduced commercial activity, lower property values, and fewer jobs. Moreover, a single gun homicide costs on average over $440,000 in medical and criminal justice expenses – often paid with tax dollars - which account for $229 billion to cover the annual cost of gun violence in America.

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TEAM ENOUGH AND BRADY RESPOND TO SHOOTING AT UVALDE MEMORIAL PARK

Incident comes only months after shooting at Robb Elementary School claimed 21 lives and wounded 17 others

Washington, D.C., September 8, 2022 — The community of Uvalde, Texas, has once again been rocked by gun violence as two young people were injured in a shooting at Uvalde Memorial Park Thursday. The incident comes only two days after students returned to school, and less than four months since the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School that killed 19 students and two teachers and wounded 17 others.

Team ENOUGH Executive Council’s Jasir Rahman shared:

“Young people all across the country are already on edge about returning to school. Every time another shooting happens, it serves as a reminder that there is nowhere for us to truly be safe from gun violence. The shooting in Uvalde has undoubtedly retraumatized the community and shattered any sense of security that may have been regained since May.  Inaction by public officials has entrenched communities such as Uvalde in tragedy. Children losing their lives in the streets should not be normal. And while we’re constantly under threat from gun violence, we’re supposed to continue focusing on school and going about our daily lives like everything is okay. Everything is not okay. We need our leaders to step up, take action, and pass stronger gun laws that will keep us safe.” 

Brady President Kris Brown shared:

“Children in Uvalde are already traumatized from the devastation that shook their community a few months ago and now, less than a week back to school, once again young people are being gunned down. This is unacceptable and as a parent, I am outraged. How are we supposed to let our kids walk outside, play on the playground, or get the education they deserve in a country where bullets are indiscriminately taking out children? How are we supposed to look our kids in the eyes and tell them they are safe? While the details of this incident are still developing, one thing is clear — we need to do better. We desperately need sensible gun laws to create the safer country our children deserve.”