End the gun violence

As I am sitting here writing this letter to the editor, I am disheartened by the fact that we are only three weeks into 2024 and we have had a mass shooting as well as two shootings in Cape Girardeau. We have to hold people accountable for their actions.

From Jan. 22 to Jan. 26, we will honor the sixth annual National Gun Violence Survivors Week. During the week, we take stock of the human toll of Americans who have been killed by gun violence. Every day more than 120 Americans are killed with guns. The gun homicide rate in the United States is 26 times higher than that of other developed countries.

Research shows that common sense public safety laws can reduce gun violence and save lives. Fifty-nine percent of adults or someone they know or care about have been impacted by gun violence; 71% of African Americans have been impacted by gun violence; and 60% of LatinX individuals or someone they know have experienced gun violence in their lifetime.

Gun violence in any form has an indelible impact on not only the victims, their families and friends, but the communities in which they live. That's why we use the term survivor as inclusive of anyone who has experienced gun violence personally, whether you have witnessed an act of gun violence, been threatened or wounded with a gun, this includes but not limited to domestic violence with a firearm, unintentional shootings and gun suicide.

Hold people accountable.

LESLIE ANNE WASHINGTON, Cape Girardeau