Central Coast Congressman Salud Carbajal responds to Texas elementary school shooting
CENTRAL COAST, Calif. – Central Coast Congressman Salud Carbajal issued a statement on Tuesday following a deadly mass shooting that left 14 students and one teacher dead at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
"I am horrified and heartbroken at the news coming out of Uvalde today.
This unspeakable act of senseless violence adds Robb Elementary School to the too-long of a list of schools scarred by America’s gun violence epidemic–one that includes Sandy Hook, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Columbine, and our own UCSB.
Eight years ago, it was Santa Barbara. Today, it is Uvalde. Tomorrow, it could be kids in another classroom anywhere in America. Indeed, this was already our 27th school shooting this year. How many more children have to die before those who have failed to stand on the side of commonsense gun violence prevention realize that these deaths are not just tragic because of their horrendous nature? They are tragic because, for too long, these violent acts have happened while additional steps to prevent them have languished in Congress and our legislatures.
Yesterday, we marked eight years since Santa Barbara last felt the terror that comes with a mass shooting at one of our schools–the pit in a parent’s stomach not knowing if their child is safe or the decades of trauma it brings to our students and teachers.
I pray it does not take another eight years to bring those who claim to be on the side of reducing crime and protecting our communities to their senses.”
