To: City Council and City Leadership

We, the undersigned, are members of the community, youth, families, and organizations who care about the safety and well-being of our people. We call on the city to implement a formal response plan when a life is lost to gun violence to ensure transparency, support, and accountability.

We ask the city to:

  1.Direct Family Notification

Before social media, rumors, or news reports spread information, the city ensures:

-Families receive direct, respectful, and compassionate notification
-Notification is done in person whenever possible, by trained individuals
-Families are treated with dignity, patience, and humanity
-No information is released publicly before families are informed

2.Family Care & Support

After notification, trained city officials or response team members will:

-Provide face-to-face, empathetic presence
-Offer genuine condolences
-Share clear referrals for support
-Provide ongoing follow-up, not just one visit

3.Transparent, Responsible Public Communication

When appropriate, the city will:

-Release official public statements and press releases
-Share verified, respectful updates

Communicate with care that:

-Avoids sensationalizing
-Protects family dignity
-Reduces rumors and panic

Provide public updates as appropriate to:

-Maintain transparency
-Offer reassurance

This builds trust, truth, and community stability.

Goal:

Ensure the city responds with empathy, unity, and actionable support for youth, families, and the community.

In the context of gun violence, sensationalizing can look like:

Using overly dramatic language or headlines
Repeating graphic details unnecessarily
Turning tragedy into political talking points
Focusing more on attention, blame, or controversy than on victims and solutions
Treating incidents like spectacle instead of responding with care and responsibility
A non-sensationalized response stays respectful, factual, compassionate, and focused on community support and safety.

A city response to gun violence should not focus on statistics about violence being down, placing blame on parents or others, or explaining why the situation is not the city’s fault. In moments of tragedy, the priority should be the people and families affected.

A strong response should be simple, compassionate, and community-centered. It should:

Offer sincere condolences to the victims, families, and neighborhood impacted
Reassure the community about the actions law enforcement and city officials are taking to address safety concerns
Provide clear information about available support services, resources, and connections for those directly affected by violence
Emphasize unity, healing, and commitment to community safety
The focus should be on empathy, accountability, and support — not defensiveness or shifting responsibility.