WHEREAS, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 39,000 firearm-related deaths occurred in the United States in 2019; six out of 10 of these deaths were suicides; and
WHEREAS, North Carolina averages more than 1,300 gun deaths each year and has the 23rd highest rate of gun deaths in the nation; and
WHEREAS, for every one person killed with a firearm, approximately two more are injured; and
WHEREAS, gun violence is the leading cause of death for women in instances of domestic violence in the United States each year; and
WHEREAS, to honor the many Americans whose lives are cut short and the countless survivors who are injured by shootings every day, a national coalition of organizations has designated June 4, 2021, as the 7th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day; and
WHEREAS, this event was inspired by Hadiya Pendleton who would have celebrated her 24th birthday on this date, but was tragically shot and killed as a teenager; her friends asked their classmates to commemorate her life by wearing orange, a symbol of the value of human life, and a reference to hunters who wear orange for safety to prevent accidental shootings; and
WHEREAS, anyone can join this campaign by pledging to Wear Orange on June 4th to help raise awareness of gun violence and honor the lives of those we have lost; and
WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina is committed to reducing gun violence, limiting access to those who are unqualified to carry firearms, and encouraging responsible gun ownership in order to keep our communities safe;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim June 4, 2021, as “GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.