Two buildings in Camden will take on an orange glow Thursday night to promote gun violence awareness.
City Hall at 520 Market St. and the nearby James J. Florio Center for Public Service at 200 Federal St. will be lit up just days after deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. At City Hall on Monday, flags flew at half-staff to mourn the 31 people killed and dozens injured in the two violent attacks this past weekend.
“Until we are willing, as a nation, to identify the problem and call it what it is, we will not end the senseless killings that have claimed so many innocent American lives,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. in a statement. “We have a gun violence epidemic in the United States which is driven by the widespread availability of military-grade, assault-style weapons. These weapons of war have no place in a civilized society, and they should not be available for civilian purchase.”
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There have been more than 250 mass shootings in America this year. Five of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern American history have occurred since 2015. No major federal legislation has been passed to restrict the flow of firearms in America since 1994.
“We are mourning those who died, and keeping their families in our thoughts,” Cappelli said. “We’re using these colors to say enough is enough. It’s time to stand up and do something to protect our families and our neighbors from this horrific violence.”
Orange has helped define gun violence awareness since 2013, when friends of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton wore the color in her honor after she was shot and killed in Chicago. Her friends implored others to speak out against gun violence and wear orange to help raise awareness.