NATIONAL VIGIL HELD ON DECEMBER 6TH TO MARK 11-YEAR REMEMBRANCE OF SANDY HOOK SHOOTING TRAGEDY
For Immediate Release
December 1, 2023
Media Contact:
John Kelley
jkelley@newtownaction.org, 917-679-6475
MEDIA ADVISORY
NATIONAL VIGIL HELD ON DECEMBER 6TH TO MARK 11-YEAR REMEMBRANCE OF
SANDY HOOK SHOOTING TRAGEDY
VIGIL WILL HONOR ALL VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF GUN VIOLENCE
NATIONWIDE VIGILS AND EVENTS TO #EndGunViolence TO BE HELD ACROSS AMERICA
WHAT: December 14, 2023 is the 11-year mark of the Sandy Hook tragedy. Since the tragic shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, more than 1.1 million Americans have been shot; nearly 450,000 Americans have been killed by guns; the number of gun deaths increased by nearly 50%; there have been over 4,900 mass shooting incidents; and guns are now the number one killer of American children and teens.
In an effort to continue to shine a light on the devastating epidemic of gun violence in our nation, the Newtown Action Alliance Foundation (NAAF), the charitable arm of the Newtown Action Alliance (NAA), and 150+ partners and sponsors in the gun violence prevention community, will host the 11th Annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence near the 11th anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting tragedy.
The annual national candlelight vigil service of mourning and loving remembrance for all who have fallen victim to the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in America will be held on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm ET at St Marks Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This service will anchor the Nationwide Vigils & Events to #EndGunViolence during the month of December. The list of Nationwide Vigils & Events to #EndGunViolence can be found on www.newtownactionalliancefoundation.org.
The victims, survivors and the families impacted by gun violence are often forgotten. The gun violence prevention movement will unite to support the families and communities impacted by gun violence, educate, continue to raise awareness, and keep this critical issue front and center throughout our nation. Together, we will renew our vow to #HonorWithAction to #EndGunViolence in America.
WHO:
● 150+ gun violence survivors from 28 states
● Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff
● Steven Dettelbach, Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
● Gabby Giffords, Former Congresswoman and Founder of Giffords
● Greg Jackson, Deputy Director of White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
● Rob Wilcox, Deputy Director of White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
● David Hogg, Cofounder of Leaders We Deserve and March for Our Lives
● Dr. Brian Williams, Congressional candidate, trauma surgeon, veteran, gun violence survivor from Texas
● Emma Ehrens, 17-year-old survivor of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Sandy Hook, Connecticut
● Faith Mata, Sister of 10-year-old Tess Marie Mata - killed in Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas
● Jessica Carrillo, Survivor displaced by gun violence in Mexico
● Happy Marie Gregg, Mother of 4-year-old son Mychal James Moultry Jr. - shot & killed in a driveby shooting in Chicago, Illinois
● Bruce Petillo, Father of 15-year-old son Christian - killed by an unintentional shooting in Gilbert, Arizona
● Tiffany Starr, Daughter of Steve Starr - killed by sister’s domestic abuser in Northern New Jersey
● Sam Saylor, Father of Shane and grandfather of Shane’s daughter S'Ecret - both shot and killed in Hartford, Connecticut
● Reverend Michele Morgan, Rector of St Marks Episocpal Church, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
● Bishop Mariann Budde, Episcopal Diocese of Washington
● Michael Allen Hill Havurah
● Po Murray, Co-founder & Chairwoman, Newtown Action Alliance & Newtown Action Alliance Foundation
● Reverend Michele Morgan, St Marks Episcopal Church
● Kris Brown, President, Brady
● Fred Guttenberg, Father of Jaime who was killed in Parkland, Founder of Orange Ribbons for Jaime
● Korey Salter, Senior Director of National Partnerships & Constituency Engagement, Everytown for Gun Safety
● Natalie Fall, Executive Director, March for Our Lives
● Clayton Spinney, Creative Director, Guns Down America
● Elizabeth Murphy, Vice President, Federal Policy & Partnerships, Sandy Hook Promise
● M. Aurora Vasquez, Vice President, State Policy & Engagement, Sandy Hook Promise
● Christina Delgado, Regional Associate, Community Justice
● Tarria Stanley, Regional Manager, Community Justice
● Doug Hammer, Pianist and Composer
● Chris Housman, Country Music Artist
● Jershika Maple, Singer
● ADAM’s BEAT Choir
WHERE:
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Capitol Hill
301 A St SE, Washington, DC 20003
WHEN: Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at 7:00-9:00 PM ET
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The Newtown Action Alliance Foundation (https://www.newtownactionalliancefoundation.org/) is a charitable arm of the Newtown Action Alliance. It is a Newtown-based; all volunteer organization formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Our mission is “To provide comfort, education, scholarship and other support and resources to people and communities impacted by, and living or growing up among or in the aftermath, of violence in American society; and to help them lead the way toward positive cultural change over the long term.”
Newtown Action Alliance (https://www.newtownactionalliance.org/) is a grassroots national gun violence prevention organization formed after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It works to make America’s children, families, and all citizens safer through legislative and cultural change that will reduce gun violence in our nation.