05-23-22 - Revised Proclamation - National Gun Violence Awareness Day roctannatton of the
City of tttanttc 3eo.cij
in Recognition of
Declaring the First Friday in June
National Gun Violence Awareness Day
WHEREAS, every day, more than 110 Americans are killed by gun violence, alongside more than 200 who are
shot and wounded,and on average there are nearly 16,000 gun homicides every year; and
WHEREAS, Americans are 26 times more likely to die by gun homicide than people in other high-income
countries;and
WHEREAS, in Florida has 2,849 gun deaths every year,with a rate of 12.9 deaths per 100,000 people. Florida has
the 27th highest rate of gun deaths in the United States;and
WHEREAS, gun homicides and assaults are concentrated in cities, with more than half of all firearm related gun
deaths in the nation occurring in 127 cities; and
WHEREAS, we know gun violence hits hard in Jacksonville, but it also hits close to home. Maurice Hobbs was
one victim of gun violence with connections to Atlantic Beach. He was killed in Jacksonville in January 2017,
days after his 18th birthday. He grew up in Atlantic Beach,spending countless hours at the beach with his toes in
the sand, building castles, and jumping waves, and he is deeply missed by his loving family and friends. Those
affected by gun violence, like Maurice's mother Latasha,will not be silenced, and it is fitting that we acknowledge
their human losses and take action to make our communities safer; and
WHEREAS, cities across the nation, including in Atlantic Beach, are working to end the senseless violence with
evidence-based solutions; and
WHEREAS,protecting public safety in the communities they serve is mayors' highest responsibility; and
WHEREAS, support for the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens goes hand-in-hand with keeping
guns away from people with dangerous histories;and
WHEREAS, mayors and law enforcement officers know their communities best, are the most familiar with local
criminal activity and how to address it,and are best positioned to understand how to keep their citizens safe; and
WHEREAS, gun violence prevention is more important than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to
exacerbate gun violence after more than two years of increased gun sales, increased calls to suicide and domestic
violence hotlines,and an increase in city gun violence;
WHEREAS, in January 2013, Hadiya Pendleton was tragically shot and killed at age 15; and on June 3, 2022 to
recognize the 25th birthday of Hadiya Pendleton (born: June 2, 1997), people across the United States will
recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day and wear orange in tribute to (1) Hadiya Pendleton and other
victims of gun violence; and (2)the loved ones of those victims; and
WHEREAS, the idea was inspired by a group of Hadiya's friends, who asked their classmates to commemorate
her life by wearing orange; they chose this color because hunters wear orange to announce themselves to other
hunters when out in the woods and orange is a color that symbolizes the value of human life; and
WHEREAS, anyone can join this campaign by pledging to wear orange on June 3, 2022, the first Friday in June,
to help raise awareness about gun violence and honor the lives of gun violence victims and survivors;and
WHEREAS, we renew our commitment to reduce gun violence and pledge to do all we can to keep firearms out
of the wrong hands, and encourage responsible gun ownership to help keep our children safe.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that I, Mayor Ellen Glasser, Mayor of the City of Atlantic Beach,
declares the first Friday in June 2022,June 3,to be
National Gun Violence Awareness Day
in the City of Atlantic Beach. Further, I encourage all citizens to support efforts to prevent the tragic effects of gun
violence and to honor and value human lives.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand
and caused the Official Seal of the City of
Atlantic Beach to be affixed this 23`x' day of May
2022.
•
Ellen Glasser, Mayor