Statement by the Salem Board of Health Regarding Gun Violence
The Salem Board of Health stands in solidarity with the victims and survivors of gun violence throughout the United States, and especially in Buffalo and Uvalde, where nineteen children and twelve adults were shot and killed last month.
Gun violence continues to plague many American communities and remains a pressing public health issue. The United States continues to be a global outlier when it comes to firearm-related injury and death. More than one hundred Americans are killed with guns every day, and more than 200 are shot and wounded. In 2020, firearms surpassed motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of death among children in the United States. In addition to children, guns disproportionately affect young adults, men, and black and Latinx communities. Gun violence is not only a public health problem, but a health equity issue as well.
The Board of Health acknowledges that gun violence is an American epidemic that is preventable by recognizing it as a danger to public health and taking meaningful steps to mitigate it. Communities throughout the United States must be empowered to track gun-related injuries and deaths, identify risk factors that influence gun violence, and implement common sense strategies to address the problem. Massachusetts’ gun laws are among the strongest in the nation, with background checks, age limits, licensing, and regulatory practices in place. We encourage federal lawmakers to pass similar legislation, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, that would help protect all communities.
All community members should be able to shop, work, learn, and play without the fear of being shot and killed by someone with easy access to guns. We encourage people to advocate for regulatory gun laws that will protect our communities from the threat of gun violence, and especially our most vulnerable communities where gun violence has become a regular occurrence. For more information and ways to get involved, please visit Everytown for Gun Safety at www.everytown.org.