On Sunday, Aug. 26, tragedy struck Jacksonsville, Florida, when an armed shooter opened fire in a Florida shopping complex. According to Politico, two people were killed and over 10 people were shot. This is yet another mass shooting that's happened in Florida in 2018, so here's how to help the victims of the Jacksonville shooting, because we should all do our part.
The shooting occurred during a Madden 19 gaming tournament at Jacksonville Landing on Aug. 26, which was being live-streamed until viewers reportedly heard multiple gunshots on the feed. Following the gunshots, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office took to Twitter to share consistent updates of the shooting and urged civilians and media to stay far away from the area. Later that afternoon, the sheriff's office declared the area secure, but confirmed that multiple people had been shot and the suspected shooter had died on the scene. On Monday, Aug. 27, Politico reported that three fatalities had been confirmed, including the gunman, from the mass shooting.
This instance of violence is yet another tragedy for the people of Florida this year alone. On Feb. 14, a gunman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, opened fire on campus and killed 17 people. Since the shooting in Parkland, Florida, the topic of gun violence has been on everyone's minds. Clearly, change has to occur in order to stop these tragedies from continuing. So, here's how you can do your part to help the victims, and families, of those impacted by the Jacksonville, Florida shooting.
Perhaps the quickest and most efficient way to help victims of the Jacksonville shooting is to donate blood. According to Google Maps, there's a number of blood donation locations in the Jacksonville area. In addition, a number of local hospitals offer blood donation services that are easy to access.
In cases such as these, the quicker you act, the better.
Gun violence has been a problem within the United States for decades, but recently, the fight for stricter gun legislation has become a top priority battle for some. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas survivors helped organize March For Our Lives, a nationwide event that brought together millions of people fighting for gun control. Sadly, Congress hasn't made many strides in regards to tightening gun legislation, but that doesn't have to stop individuals from continuing to speak up.
There's a number of ways concerned citizens can join the fight for gun control. For one, contacting local government officials to air concerns can create a huge impact.
Then, if nothing else, make sure you vote for those who are genuinely passionate about taking gun control legislation to Congress.
As more people start to address gun control, the more local anti-gun violence organizations can do to help make change happen. The Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence is an organization that advocates for stricter gun control laws in Florida. Through their mission, the coalition aims to ban semiautomatic weapons, emphasize thorough background checks for records, fight open carry and campus carry legislation, and provide safety to domestic violence victims by promoting firearm legislation.
The coalition is also partners with over 100 other organizations that are dedicated to similar causes for the safety of Florida residents.
Those killed in the Jacksonville shooting serve as a devastating reminder that change needs to happen. So, it's up to all of us to do our part and help however we can.
