Chilling PSA Shows Importance of Reporting Gun Violence Warning Signs
A new PSA from Sandy Hook Promise plays on familiar post-tragedy news reporting to show that gun violence can be prevented if people speak up about seeing the warning signs.
- By Jessica Davis
- December 12, 2017
A new PSA from Sandy Hook Promise plays on familiar post-tragedy news reporting to show that gun violence can be prevented if people speak up about seeing the warning signs. The video comes about a year after their last PSA, “Evan,” which distracted the viewers with one young man’s love story while showing the warning signs of violence in a background teen.
“Tomorrow’s News,” which is embedded above, follows a news broadcast about “tomorrow’s shooting, where a 15-year-old will kill four children, two adults, and then turn the gun on himself.” The reporter at the scene of the upcoming incident interviews future witnesses of the shooting.
Most of the witnesses describe signs of gun violence that they say they will later wish they’d reported to someone.
One student says the killer had mentioned his father’s gun and using it on his bullies, who then say they’ll feel guilty after the incident about picking on him. A teacher says something seemed off with the student, and the police say they’ll be told after the shooting about violent threats the shooter made on social media.
The video ends on a chilling note, as the reporter interviews a mom about how she’ll explain the tragedy to her daughter.
“Actually, I won’t get to explain it to her, because she won’t make it,” the woman says, looking at her child.
“You can stop tomorrow’s shootings if you recognize the warning signs today,” the text at the video’s end reads. The goal of “Tomorrow’s News” is to encourage people who witness the signs of upcoming gun violence—threats, bullying, isolation, violent posts online—to report it before it happens.
Sandy Hook Promise reports that research has shown that in 7 out of 10 acts of gun violence, at least one person was told that an act of violence would be committed or may take place. They say that taking action with this and similar warning signs by reporting them to a trusted adult, adviser or police officers could help stop these acts of violence before they begin.
The Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting occurred five years ago, on December 14, 2012. Sandy Hook Promise, founded and led by several family members of the victims, hopes to protect and prevent gun-related deaths. Their website offers multiple downloadable guides with further detail on how to know the signs of gun violence and report them.
About the Author
Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.