Township Committee Declared June 5th National Gun Violence Awareness Day

At the May 26th meeting, the Township Committee declared June 5, 2020, to be National Gun Violence Awareness Day.  “We encourage all citizens to support their local communities’ efforts to prevent the tragic effects of gun violence and to honor and value human lives,” said Mayor Doug Tomson. 

Every day, 100 Americans are killed by gun violence and on average there are nearly 13,000 gun homicides every year. Americans are 25 times more likely to be killed with guns than people in other high-income countries. Protecting public safety in the communities they serve is a mayors’ highest responsibility.  

A national coalition of organizations has designated June 5, 2020, the first Friday in June as the 6th National Gun Violence Awareness Day. By wearing orange, a color that symbolizes the value of human life, Americans can raise awareness about gun violence and honor the lives of gun violence victims and survivors.

Mayors and law enforcement officers know their communities best, are the most familiar with local criminal activity and how to address it, and are best positioned to understand how to keep their citizens safe.  Support for the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens goes hand-in-hand with keeping guns away from people with dangerous histories. 

“The Township Committee renews our commitment to reduce gun violence and pledge to do all we can to keep firearms out of the wrong hands, and encourage responsible gun ownership to help keep our children safe,” added Mayor Tomson.