Dear Neighbors,
I continue to grieve alongside the families, teachers, and community of Annunciation Catholic School.
Children and educators should be enjoying their first week of school- laughing, learning in a place where they feel safe, and they have been stolen from us. Our kids and families must now carry the trauma following yet another incident of senseless gun violence.
I know that many in our community in Richfield and South Minneapolis have deep connections to the Annunciation family. I coached Annunciation students on my son’s 4th grade basketball team and the stories of bravery and horror they endured while praying at mass is both gutting and infuriating. Nobody should have to face this fear in their day-to-day lives, whether at school, a place of worship, or anywhere in our neighborhoods.
But grief alone is not sufficient. If we just bow our heads and move on, we surrender to the notion that mass gun violence is inevitable. The true way to show our compassion and support to our Annunciation family is to both wrap our arms around them, but also commit to real action to stop the senseless cycle of gun violence.
Gun violence is not inevitable – it is a policy choice. To that end, I joined colleagues and community yesterday to call for both state and federal action to ban weapons of war like the assault rifles and high capacity magazines, whose sole purpose is to inflict mass harm to as many people as possible. We have taken action in Minnesota in recent years to pass red flag laws and universal background checks, but clearly this is not enough. We will keep listening to our neighbors – with the voices of survivors at the center – about how to address the causes of this violence, including easy access to types of weapons designed to inflict mass harm and other ways to keep our kids and communities safe.
In this time of trauma, it is important that you care for your neighbors and also yourself. I wanted to share these resources that available for members of our community:
- 211 United Way offers free, confidential information about mental and physical health care and other emergency services. Call 2-1-1 any time, or visit findhelp.org.
- Mental Health Minnesota provides anonymous, confidential peer support, and the Minnesota Warmline is available seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 651-288-0400, or you can text “Support” to 85511.
- For immediate crisis support, the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24/7/365. Call 9-8-8, text 9-8-8, or click here to access an online chat feature to connect with a crisis counselor.
- Everytown Survivor Network: Text “SURVIVOR” to 644-33 to join a nationwide network of gun violence survivors. The Survivor Network offers peer support, trauma-informed programs, advocacy opportunities, and resources to help survivors heal and make their voices heard.
- Information and resources for talking to children about gun violence are available here for parents and for educators.
- This incident also highlights the importance of giving blood if you’re able. Information is available from Memorial Blood Centers and the American Red Cross.
When there are warning signs of a threat, it’s important to take them seriously; intervention can prevent tragedy. Most mass shooters share their plans in advance, especially young people and those planning shootings in schools. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has a “See It Say It Send It” app available to report tips anonymously, including threats to schools or places of worship. You can also call the BCA’s tipline at 1-877-996-6222 or email bca.tips@state.mn?.us.
Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), also known as “red flag laws,” are an effective way to prevent tragedy. Under an ERPO, a petition can be filed to temporarily restrict access to firearms for someone who may pose a threat to themselves or others. More information on this process is available here.
We continue to hold space for the victims, their families, and everyone whose lives were shattered by this week’s events and keep them close to our hearts. Even as we grieve, we must move forward with a commitment to taking action. Our children, families, and communities deserve to be free from violence, and we will continue to listen, learn, and work together to keep our communities safe.
Sincerely,
Michael Howard