Tampa Bay Rays, NY Yankees post about gun violence instead of baseball game updates
The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees Twitter feeds did not update fans about their Major League Baseball game Thursday night.
Instead, the teams' feeds were filled with information on gun violence two days after 21 people — including 19 children — were killed by a shooter at a Texas elementary school.
The Rays' and Yankees' Twitter accounts both posted the same message shortly before first pitch in St. Petersburg, Florida.
"In lieu of game coverage and in collaboration with @Yankees, we will use our channels to offer facts about the impacts of gun violence. The devastating events that took place in Uvalde, Buffalo and countless other communities across our nation are tragedies that are intolerable," read the post on the Rays' account.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 26, 2022
The latest on the Texas school shooting: As questions mount over response time, officer says police moved quickly
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The shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, came 10 days after a man shot and killed 10 people at a grocery store in Buffalo.
Rays' pinned post includes message of support for victims
In addition to the shared posts, the Rays' Twitter page pinned a message announced the team had committed $50,000 to Everytown for Gun Safety's Support Fund.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 26, 2022
The team's banner is an orange background with "End gun violence" in white letters. Orange is a color used by gun violence prevention activists.
Yankees and Rays highlight gun violence statistics
The threads from both teams included links to sources for the information, including from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Firearms were the leading cause of death for American children and teens in 2020.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 26, 2022
Twitter posts highlight veteran suicide and increased gun violence against minorities
58 percent of American adults or someone they care for have experienced gun violence.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 26, 2022
Each year, more than 4,100 Latinx people die from gun violence in the U.S. and 13,300 are shot and wounded.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 26, 2022
An average of 4,500 veterans die by firearm suicide every year - about 12 veterans each day.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 26, 2022
Rays Instagram also includes gun violence posts
The campaign reached across social media platforms, as Tampa's Instagram feed also included gun violence statistcs.
Rays pitcher Brooks Raley is from Uvalde, Texas
Tuesday's shooting hit close to home for the Tampa Bay clubhouse. Pitcher Brooks Raley is from Uvalde.
“I did go to that school. I walked those halls, so I can imagine what they experience each day, and I’m feeling for that community,” Raley said to ABC News. “It’s small and a close-knit community, so it’s obviously tough. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do. It’s going to take time.”
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Yankees, Rays Twitter posts gun stats after Texas school shooting
