Today, U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health emergency.
According to Murthy, gun violence is now considered the leading cause of death for kids and teens.
“Gun violence is a public health crisis that requires a public health solution,” says Murthy.
From Washington D.C. to Washington state, concerns continue over gun violence.
“In Tacoma, they’ve had the greatest rates of homicides that they have ever. Same thing with Seattle. Pierce County’s not immune to that,” says Sgt. Darren Moss with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
Sgt. Moss sees firsthand the impact on the community from guns.
“It’s not necessarily that owning a gun is a problem. The problem is we have a lot of people that are using guns to resolve conflict. And that’s not okay,” says Sgt. Moss.
Just this month, a teenager was shot and killed outside of Seattle’s Garfield High School.
Sgt. Moss says despite the recent examples of violence, he was surprised by the Surgeon General’s announcement Tuesday.
Bonney Lake firearm dealer Melissa Denny agrees that there’s a crisis.
“I’m a mom and a grandma. But I also want to be a responsible firearms dealer. This is my livelihood,” says Denny.
Denny tells KIRO 7 she does take issue with why the Surgeon General is the one stepping into the gun debate.
“There’s a lot we can do. There’s community violence intervention programs, safe storage education programs that we can expand. There are firearm risk reduction strategies like background checks,” says Murthy.
But Denny believes the real solution is much simpler.
“There have to be consequences. Law and order,” says Denny. She says there aren’t enough consequences for violent offenders.
As for the impact of Tuesday’s advisory, the Surgeon General is asking for more research and education. But it would be up to lawmakers to act.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
