John,

Our hearts are with the city of Raleigh today, especially the family and friends of the five people who lost their lives yesterday, including a 16-year-old; for the two people who were injured; and for the community that was traumatized and forever changed last night. This is close to home for some of you - we mourn with you today. 

It is unimaginable that we allow this to be our norm. It does not have to be this way. In most of the world, it is not.

Below is a statement from Becky Ceartas, NCGV Action Fund’s Executive Director:

“We continue to keep the community of Raleigh in our thoughts and prayers as they begin to heal from yesterday’s shooting. This latest tragedy displays the need for resources to de-escalate and prevent volatile situations from happening. It also points to the need to understand and address where weapons such as the one used in the shooting came from. It is our job to work together to prevent other communities from sharing the same pain. While we wait for more information on the details of this tragedy, we continue to stand with victims, families, and communities across our state who demand an end to the gun violence epidemic.”

We at NCGV Action Fund will continue to work together for a state that is free from violence. We will continue to advocate for Community Violence Intervention program funding. We will fight for state and federal laws that keep us safe from gun violence, like Extreme Risk Protection Orders. Right now, we are working to elect leaders to the General Assembly who will keep us safer from gun violence. If you want to be part of this work, please be in touch with Sara or reply to this email. We hope you will join us.

In solidarity,
Becky & Sara