AHA Statement on the Mass Shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio

Rick Pollack

President and CEO

August 5, 2019

Our nation is once again mourning innocent lives lost to the tragedy of mass violence. We grieve with the families of the victims and express our condolences to the communities of El Paso and Dayton.

Hate and violence have no place in our society. And respect for diversity must be a core value for our nation and viewed as a strength for our society. While we are devastated by this weekend’s events, we can be encouraged by the number of our fellow citizens who came together to help one another in El Paso and Dayton.

The role of hospitals and health systems in times of tragedy is clear: respond, care and be a force for good. We thank all the law enforcement community, and other first responders, caregivers, physicians and nurses for their efforts to save and protect lives. In the middle of chaos and during tragic times, they stand as beacons of hope and an inspiration to all – always ready to respond, care and help their communities heal.

Like our nation, hospitals and health systems are increasingly looking for new ways to address the wave of violence that we are seeing. As with any other public health challenge, we will remain an engaged partner in both caring for and keeping our communities safe.

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Contact:      

Marie Johnson (202) 626-2351 mjohnson@aha.org

Colin Milligan (202) 638-5491 cmilligan@aha.org