“Are we saving lives or the gun industry?” PHI Statement on Mass Shooting in Florida

Statement from Mary A. Pittman, CEO and President, Public Health Institute

“Mass shootings in America are tragic and they are preventable. We’re devastated. We’re exhausted. And we’re scared that it’s not going to change. But it must.

“Public Health Institute has produced research and analysis, written statement after statement after statement, and advocated for data collection and research on gun violence so that we can find, fund and implement common sense solutions, including gun control regulations and mental health screening and interventions. We know what works. America knows what works.

“It is not coincidence or bad luck that the number of mass shootings and the number of deaths in the United States is accelerating. As with any public health crisis, contagion spreads without adequate intervention.

“Inaction on this issue is not a neutral stance; it is contributing to the problem. It is time for all of our leaders to decide whether they are in the business of saving lives or saving the gun industry. It is time to stop the bullets.”