Gun violence is preventable if you know the signs. These are the words that appear on the front of the nonprofit Sandy Hook foundation site. For years now bullying and violence has increased in the schooling system and has only influenced irrational shootings and suicides.
Recently a video was made by the Sandy Hook foundation that screams to parents and watchers of the reality of how gun violence occurs in the school system.
Violence has caused extreme concern in the last few years for parents who send their children off to school. School violence has risen since 2008 and is not showing any signs of slowing down.
Here are the stats
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549,380 acts of gun violence occur each year.
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314 people are shot every day. Of these, 41 are children and under 18 years of age.
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95 people die every day from gun violence, 6 are under 18 years of age.
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20,308 people commit suicide in a year. Of these, 640 are committed by minors.
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12,506 gun injuries happen to children under 18 per year.
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Most criminal gun violence is due to individuals who lack mental wellness (coping skills, anger management and social emotional skills).
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90% of individuals that die from suicide had a diagnosable mental disorder.
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In 4 out of 5 school shootings, at least one other person had knowledge of the attacker's plan but failed to report it.
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Guns used in about 80% of school incidents were taken from home or from a relative.
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The annual cost of gun violence is roughly $700 per American citizen.
It has now been four years since the Sandy Hook shooting and still mass shootings continue to rise. The Sandy Hook foundation urges parents, friends and community leaders to stay alert and be aware of the signs before an act of violence can take place.
Continual signs of depression or aggressiveness can easily indicate signs of violence or self-harm before they take place. Be aware of those around you and teach your children to show kindness to all. It will not only help in a moralistic perspective but also give you the power to save lives.
