During this pandemic, fear has driven record numbers of Pennsylvanians who may never have owned a gun to purchase their first gun.
What most people don’t realize is that nearly two-thirds of firearm deaths in the US are suicides, averaging 63 deaths per day.[1] Men are 8 times more likely to commit suicide using a gun, and women are 35 times more likely, according to a new study from the New England Journal of Medicine.[2]
Families, loved ones and friends usually know first when something is wrong and can spot warning signs in a loved one’s behavior, but there is little they can do to remove the danger. Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO) would create a process to temporarily remove access to guns if someone is at risk of harm to themselves or others. But they don’t exist in Pennsylvania.
Go to https://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5415/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=27115 to send this message to your legislator: I want my loved ones and all Pennsylvanians protected. Pass ERPO now.
House Bill 1075 creates a civil court process family members and law enforcement can use to temporarily bar access to firearms by a family member at risk of self-harm or harming others. It has worked to save lives in 19 states[3], including suicides, and likely homicides and mass shootings. ERPO is another tool families can use to make sure their loved ones can stay safe at times of crisis. (See the infographic below)
After the shooting in Parkland, a Republican Governor and Democratic General Assembly joined together to establish this protection. In the first three months, judges ordered law enforcement to remove guns in 148 cases. As Montgomery County Sheriff Darren Popkin said, “Orders are not only being issued appropriately, but are also saving lives.”[4]
As people of faith, we value life and are called to take actions to ensure the safety of our loved ones and neighbors.
Urge your state Representative and Senator to support ERPO and save lives in Pennsylvania.
[1] Everytown for Gun Safety, Firearm Suicide in the United States, August 30, 2019. [2] Benedict Carey, “First-Time Gun Owners at Risk for Suicide, Major Study Confirms”, New York Times, June 3, 2013. [3] Giffords Law Center [4] Natalie Jones, “Maryland’s ‘red flag’ law prompts more than 300 court orders”, Capital Gazette, Jan. 15, 2019
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