Day after day, numbers increase drastically with no solution to the problem. When will it stop? When will the guns be put down? Parents are losing their children to this horrific act of violence. Caleb Smith, Antione Brown, Jurnee Thompson, Kennedi Powell and Peyton John Evans are the names of victims due to gun violence. Gun violence is violence committed with the use of firearms according to amnesty.org.

More than 500 people die every day from gun violence. Gunshot injuries are the most profound injuries because of the life-changing impact it has on the victims mental and physical health. The toll that gun violence has on victims, family members and the medical services has resulted in a chronic public health crisis with remarkably little government response. These shooters are not only out here killing people, but leaving a traumatizing impact on their life based on the report of amnesty.org. Imagine getting shot and the same image is being played over and over again in your head. 

In New York, Shanice Young, a 31-year-old mother-to-be, was fatally shot in the head in front of her older daughter. Now not only is her mother not with her anymore but the act of such violence is repeated over and over again in her head. “Shanice was nine months pregnant… she was nine months pregnant,” said Young’s grieving sister Metania. She has lost her sister and can only repeat she was nine months pregnant because she is at a loss for words. Losing someone is a lifelong hurt that doesn’t go away. 

On August 24 another victim was taken eight-year-old Peyton John Evans, a boy who loved football and had dreams of being in the NFL. The mother of the victim Tiffani Evans expresses her feelings to NBC Washington’s Shomari Stone. “He’s all I had, he’s all I lived for…” said Evans.

 “I sacrificed so much in my life for that little boy and now my son is gone to some cowards dudes that wanted to do some coward things instead of being a man”. Prince Geogreś police have said Payton Evans was not targeted in the shooting. Even though he wasn’t targeted, he still ended up being a victim of gun violence. Now, this 8-year-old boy will not get to live his dream of being in the NFL.

 In the USA, nearly 134,000 people were shot and injured by firearms in 2017 according to amnesty.org. The United States government is prioritizing gun ownership over basic human rights, which is why the problem is not getting solved and is continuing to get worse each day that passes by. There is a lack of federal regulations that could have saved millions of lives that get taken away from us so soon. March for Our Lives is a student-led demonstration in support of gun control legislation. By donating to March For Our Lives, they are able to take your contributions and use them for organizing in our communities, taking on the gun lobby supporting sensible gun reform policies, and more.