MDCEP Statement in Response to Recent Mass Shootings

Maryland Center on Economic Policy President and CEO Benjamin Orr issued the following statement in response to recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York.

“The tragic and senseless murder of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, reported to be the 27th school shooting this year, has once more highlighted the ways current policies are failing our communities. Broad prosperity is only possible when we feel safe: when we can send our kids to school, go to the grocery store, attend a religious service, and simply walk around our neighborhood without fear of violence.

We mourn with the dozens of families in Uvalde and Buffalo who now join the community of those grieving children, parents, grandparents and other loved ones who were lost too soon because of gun violence. Here in Maryland, 85 people lost their lives or were injured during mass shootings in 2020 alone, from Cambridge to Baltimore to Waldorf. We must come together and call on our elected leaders to take action.

Addressing the root causes of gun violence means more than restricting access to deadly weapons — although that is important. It means dismantling policies that uphold white supremacy and rejecting incendiary, racist, and misogynistic rhetoric that fuels violent acts. And it means ensuring that all families and communities have the resources they need to thrive. As we grieve the latest tragedies and dread the next one, we must come together around policies that support safe, flourishing communities and equity for everyone.”