Attorney General discusses impacts of gun violence with students

Madonna Mantione
·2 min read
7

HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY — Gun violence and its impact on mental health taking center stage in NEPA. Pennsylvania’s Attorney General spoke to students in Luzerne County about the problem.

Firearm injuries were the leading cause of death among children and teens in 2020 and 2021, according to the CDC.

Additionally, the gun violence archive reports there have been more than 600 mass shootings so far this year.

Attorney General Michelle Henry sat down with students at Hazleton Area High School.

She invited teens to talk freely about their experiences, feelings, and emotions associated with gun violence.

“We’ve come to realize that gun violence is a reality, and these students grapple with it every single day, and the trauma that’s associated with it. and our goal today is really to hear from them,” said Attorney General Michelle Henry.

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Attorney Henry says she’s working with the students to create a report with recommendations on ways in which her office and other policymakers can improve the mental health of young people.

“I’m pretty interested. it’s a sensitive topic for sure, but it’s something that needs to be talked about,” said Jeric Pena a senior at Hazleton Area High School.

28/22 News was not allowed to listen to the discussion because the attorney general wanted students to feel comfortable speaking out.

The school district participates in the “Safe2Say Something” program, which is an anonymous tool for students to report their concerns.

“We’ve had some tragedies here in the district that we are very saddened by, because of gun violence, so it’s good to get that message out to the students,” said Brian Uplinger the superintendent at Hazleton Area School District.

“When we’re here, we shouldn’t be feeling scared. we should be feeling comfortable learning with our friends and all that so I think it’s really important that we feel safe,” added Charles Marchetti a senior at Hazleton Area High School.

Thursday marks the 11th anniversary of one of the deadliest school shootings in American history Sandy Hook.

To learn more about the Safe2Say Something program visit their website.

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