Honoring Lives Lost and Reaffirming Our Commitment to Safety

While national data shows that gun violence rates are trending toward pre-pandemic levels, this past summer has been a sobering reminder that even with progress, tragedies are still happening.

In recent months, communities across the U.S. have been shaken by incidents such as the University of New Mexico dorm shooting, the attack outside NFL headquarters in Manhattan, the mass shooting at a Walmart in Michigan, and the gunfire outside the CDC headquarters in Atlanta. There were also acts of targeted violence in downtown Cincinnati and in the parking lot of Reno’s Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, each leaving victims, witnesses, and first responders to grapple with the aftermath.

The Lasting Impact

For each statistic, there are faces and stories— people whose lives were changed forever in an instant. Families grieve loved ones while their surrounding communities navigate fear and uncertainty, all searching for a sense of safety again.

Even when an incident is over in minutes, the trauma lasts much longer. Memories of the event and the feeling of vulnerability can resurface for a lifetime. That’s why reflection is not just about remembering what happened, but about reaffirming a commitment to preventing future tragedies.

Learning from Patterns

While each event has its own circumstances, this summer revealed recurring themes:

• Safety challenges in big cities: Many attacks took place in major metropolitan areas, where large crowds and constant activity can make incidents harder to predict or contain.

• Public access: Violence often unfolded in public or semi-public spaces, from college dorms and corporate offices to retail and hospitality venues where bystanders could quickly become victims.

• Response speed: In some cases, there are questions about how quickly alerts were sent or whether existing surveillance tools could have detected a threat sooner.

Moving Forward with Purpose

Honoring those we’ve lost means more than reflection— it means turning grief into action. By building safer environments and strengthening preparedness, we can ensure everyone has the peace of mind they deserve.

That requires:

• Strengthening communication systems to alert people as soon as possible.
• Leveraging surveillance technology to detect threats early.
• Reassessing safety protocols in high-traffic, public spaces.
• Expanding training and drills that prepare responders and community members.

Our Continuing Commitment

Every name, face, and story from these tragedies is a reminder that safety isn’t just a policy or a program. It’s a commitment we make to one another. Honoring those lost means continuing to push for stronger prevention and smarter response strategies. It means working toward a future where communities are defined not by tragedies, but by their resilience.