Drafter
Clerk 05/12/2021
Title
A RESOLUTION recognizing June 4 as Regional Community Safety and Wellbeing Day in King County, as part of national Gun Violence Awareness Day.
Body
WHEREAS, on September 21, 2017, the King County Board of Health adopted Resolution 17-09 calling on lawmakers to take meaningful action to address firearm tragedy, and
WHEREAS, on June 18, 2020, the King County Board of Health adopted Resolution 20-08 declaring racism a public health crisis and committing to work to advance a public-health approach in addressing institutional and systemic racism, and
WHEREAS, Resolution 20-08 committed to being responsive to communities and residents impacted by racism, especially Black and Indigenous communities, and
WHEREAS, like COVID-19, youth and young adult gun violence is a fatal epidemic, and
WHEREAS, gun violence in our neighborhoods, cities and county impacts public health and public safety and deserves to be addressed through a robust public-health approach that enlists multisector supports, broad investments and lasting commitment; and
WHEREAS, according to the 2019 Public Health Report on Gun Violence Among Youth and Young Adults, firearms are the leading cause of suicide and homicide deaths among youth and young adults in King County, and
WHEREAS, through the end of September 2020, King County had already seen more homicides than in all 12 months of 2019; and
WHEREAS, according to King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office data, 74 percent of the 256 shooting victims in the first three quarters of 2020 were people of color and 46 percent were under 25, and
WHEREAS, Public Health - Seattle & King County ("PHSKC") is working to develop and implement local strategies to reduce firearm-related homicide and violence, and ensure all young people are healthy, hopeful, safe and thriving, and
WHEREAS, PHSKC's Zero Youth Detention team ("ZYD") is implementing that work by taking a regional approach to community safety and wellbeing, align...
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