San Diego Joins National Vigil Honoring Those Lost by Gunfire
Jeff Raya stood up from a Mission Hills church pew Saturday and said the name of his late aunt, Wendy Raya, who was fatally shot in Los Angeles 20 years ago, he said.
A bell rang out in her honor and then sounded a dozen more times to commemorate all victims of gun violence.
(Her death) could have been prevented, said Raya, a San Diego resident among 100 others who gathered at the Mission Hills United Methodist Church for the 11th annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence.
Since 2013, the Newton Action Alliance Foundation has held the annual event on or near the anniversary of the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newton, Connecticut. The vigils typically bring together survivors of gun violence, victims’ family members, activists, and elected officials to honor lives lost and bring awareness to reducing gun violence in the U.S.
Locally, Team ENOUGH San Diego and San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention partnered with the Mission Hills church to host a late afternoon vigil.
Those who spoke during the event included the Rev. Michelle Andrews, Rep. Sara Jacobs, Assemblymember Chris Ward, and students Beckham Arias from San Diego High School and Pashe Crisp from Scripps Ranch High School.
Though communities have gathered for years to prevent gun violence, speakers said Saturday that it is more important than ever to spotlight the lasting impacts of said violence and to keep the issue in the forefront until gun-related deaths and injuries decrease.
Gun violence has altered the way that we navigate our daily lives, said Arias, who called on those of voting age to vote for policies that prioritize our safety for a future where the innocence of childhood isn’t shattered by gun violence.
Since the Sandy Hook mass shooting that left 20 children and six adults dead, more than 1 million people in the country have died or have been wounded by guns, the Newton Action Alliance Foundation said on its website.
Stephen Baker, a Team ENOUGH San Diego member and gun violence prevention activist, said 3 million children experience gun violence every year.
Students deserve to feel safe in schools, concerts, shopping centers, and their neighborhoods, he said. Instead, our country is raising a generation of scarred and scared young people. More and more of us are speaking out and working toward changes because we don’t believe it has to be this way.
According to a Pew Research Center analysis, the number of gun deaths among children and teenagers in the U.S. increased 50 percent between 2019 and 2021. The jump in related deaths, the report said, is part of an overall increase in gun-related deaths among Americans. These fatalities include homicides, suicides, accidents, and categories where firearms were the underlying cause of death.
This year’s vigil commemorated the victims of school shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 students and two teachers were slain, and Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, where three students, including the suspect, died.
After some singing and a candlelit moment of silence, attendees helped stitch together a quilt that had the names and photos of the victims of the school shooting in Uvalde.
Gun violence remains a pressing issue in the United States, with devastating consequences for communities and families across the nation. It was a sentiment echoed by those who attended the 11th annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence in San Diego.
The event, organized by the Newton Action Alliance Foundation in partnership with Team ENOUGH San Diego and San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention, brought together survivors, families of victims, and elected officials to honor the lives lost and shed light on the urgent need for reducing gun violence.
One attendee, Jeff Raya, shared the tragic story of his late aunt Wendy Raya, who was fatally shot in Los Angeles 20 years ago. As he stood up during the vigil and uttered her name, a bell rang out, followed by a dozen more tolls symbolizing all victims of gun violence.
Raya emphasized that his aunt’s death could have been prevented, underscoring the need for action to address the persistent issue of gun violence in our society.
The event featured several speakers, including Rev. Michelle Andrews, Rep. Sara Jacobs, Assemblymember Chris Ward, and local high school students Beckham Arias and Pashe Crisp. They emphasized the profound impact of gun violence on individuals’ daily lives and the importance of prioritizing policies that ensure everyone’s safety, especially young people who should be able to enjoy their childhood free from the fear of gun violence.
Since the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, more than 1 million people in the United States have lost their lives or suffered injuries due to gun violence. This alarming statistic, shared by the Newton Action Alliance Foundation, illustrates the urgency of addressing this national crisis.
Stephen Baker, a member of Team ENOUGH San Diego and a passionate advocate for gun violence prevention, highlighted that an astonishing 3 million children experience gun violence each year. He called for a collective effort to create a safer environment for students, where schools, concerts, shopping centers, and neighborhoods can be free from the threat of firearms.
Disturbingly, a recent analysis by the Pew Research Center revealed a 50 percent increase in gun deaths among children and teenagers in the U.S. between 2019 and 2021. This rise in fatalities reflects a broader trend of increasing gun-related deaths across the nation, encompassing homicides, suicides, accidents, and other incidents where firearms were the underlying cause of death.
During the vigil, the attendees also paid tribute to the victims of various school shootings, including those at Sandy Hook Elementary, Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, and Saugus High School in Santa Clarita. Mourners participated in stitching together a quilt adorned with the names and photos of the Uvalde shooting victims, a poignant reminder of the devastating impact of gun violence.
As the vigil came to a close, the resounding message was clear: the fight against gun violence continues, and it is the responsibility of lawmakers, activists, and society as a whole to prioritize the safety of all individuals, especially the most vulnerable among us.
The 11th annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence served as a powerful reminder that gun violence has no place in our society, and concerted efforts are needed to create a future where lives are no longer shattered by unnecessary tragedy.
