Reflections on Recent Tragedies: The Impact of Gun Violence

Dear PTBi Community and Partners,

I am trying to find the right words to describe my feelings in light of the shootings in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton. It’s clear that we cannot retreat into business as usual given the impact of these devastating events.

These back-to-back tragedies are shocking, and many of us feel anger about the lives that were lost. My heart goes out to all of the families directly impacted by the shootings. We stand in solidarity in condemnation of these attacks and the surge of hatred, racism and divisiveness that is spreading across our country.

As a physician and researcher dedicated to healing, I am deeply saddened that gun violence continues to rapidly progress as a public health epidemic. We know all too well that the trauma that victims experience can have dangerous health impacts that can ripple across generations.

I can only hope that the work we all do to raise awareness of the importance of trauma-informed care and community-grounded research will make a difference in the future.

I am so grateful to all of you for being a voice for families impacted by racism and violence. I hope you’ll continue to raise your voices to ensure we are heard by lawmakers and other powers that be, and that together we can work towards a place of healing.

Sincerely,

Larry Rand
Principal Investigator, PTBi California