New Analysis Breaks Down 44 School Shootings Since Sandy Hook Tragedy; Moms Ask Congress To Heal Their Broken Hearts And Urge Action On Safer Gun Laws

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Moms Demand Action and Mayors Against Illegal Guns released an analysis of school shootings in America since Newtown. The analysis can be found here. Since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, there have been at least 44 other school shootings on K-12 school or college campuses, including assaults, homicides, suicides, and unintentional shootings — on average more than three a month and 13 in the first six weeks of 2014 alone.

In the fourteen months since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, Congress has failed to pass measures proven to save lives and keep communities safe – like background checks on all gun sales. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, the hearts of mothers continue to break around the nation. Today, moms, elected officials and educational leaders joined in Washington, D.C. to call attention to the countless broken hearts that have resulted from Congress' failure to take action to prevent gun violence.

"Parents in communities across the country live in fear. An estimated 90 percent of school districts have tightened security since Newtown – installing metal detectors, surveillance cameras, and bullet-proof glass," said Shannon Watts, Founder of Moms Demand Gun Sense in America. "Schools now routinely have lockdown drills reminiscent of Cold War air raid drills."

"We're only six weeks into 2014, but already 13 schools have been forced to lock down under the threat of gun violence," said Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT). "No parent should have to fear for the life of their child when they drop them off at school. We can do more to prevent these tragedies, and it's time for Congress to wake up and do the right thing."

"The numbers are clear: we are not doing enough to keep our children safe at school," said Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY). "We don't have to choose between protecting the Second Amendment and installing some sensible safety measures that keep guns out of the wrong hands."

As these shootings unfolded, several themes have emerged. Many involve minors who took unsecured guns from home. In others — in more than a third of all incidents — at least one person was shot after a schoolyard argument or confrontation escalated and a gun was at hand. Analysis results included:

• In the fourteen months since the mass shooting in Newtown, CT, there have been at least 44 school shootings including fatal and nonfatal assaults, suicides, and unintentional shootings — an average of more than three a month.[1] In the first six weeks of 2014 alone, there were 13 school shootings including one eight-day period in which there were four shootings in K-12 schools.
• These school shootings resulted in 28 deaths and 37 non-fatal gunshot injuries. In 49 percent of these incidents at least one person died.
• Of the K-12 school shootings in which the shooter's age was known, 70 percent (20 of 28 incidents) were perpetrated by minors. Among those shootings where it was possible to determine the source of the firearm, three-quarters of the shooters obtained their guns from home.
• In 16 cases — more than a third of all incidents — at least one person was shot after a schoolyard argument or confrontation escalated and a gun was at hand.
• The shooters ranged from 5 to 53 years of age.

About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Much like Mothers Against Drunk Driving was created to change laws regarding drunk driving, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America was created to build support for common-sense gun reforms. The nonpartisan grassroots movement of American mothers is demanding new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. In just one year, the organization has more than 140,000 members with a chapter in every state in the country. The group recently announced it is joining forces with Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter @MomsDemand

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns|
Since its creation in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 mayors of major American cities to more than 1.5 million grassroots supporters – making us the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country.  The bipartisan coalition, founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united mayors, gun violence survivors and everyday Americans around these common goals: protecting communities by holding gun offenders accountable; demanding access to crime gun trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other dangerous people to get guns.  The group recently joined forces with Moms Demand Action, the leading grassroots movement of American mothers working to prevent gun violence. Learn more at www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org or on Twitter @DemandAction

[1] Incidents were classified as school shootings when a firearm was discharged inside a school building or on school or campus grounds, as documented in publicly reported news accounts. This includes assaults, homicides, suicides, and accidental shootings. Incidents in which guns were brought into schools but not fired, or were fired off school grounds after having been possessed in schools, were not included.

CONTACT: Stacey Radnor: [email protected] or 202-870-6668

SOURCE Mayors Against Illegal Guns