News & Events

2024

10/9/24 Harvard Kennedy School hosted a virtual convening for city chiefs of staff. UnitedOnGuns Director Sarah C. Peck joined Highland Park City Manager Ghida Neukirch in a briefing on mass shooting preparedness, response, and resources.

9/24/24 In partnership with the Center for Homeland Defense and Security and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Task Force, UnitedOnGuns Director Sarah C. Peck, former El Paso Mayor Dee Margo, and other subject matter experts briefed emergency managers, elected officials, and law enforcement officials in the Philadelphia region on mass shooting preparedness and response. 

9/22/24 In partnership with the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, UnitedOnGuns Director Sarah C. Peck, Nashville COO Kristin Wilson, Orlando COS Heather Fagan, ALERRT Assistant Executive Director John Curnutt briefed city managers on mass shooting preparedness and response at the ICMA annual conference in Pittsburgh.

9/13/24 UnitedOnGuns gave a briefing entitled “The Role of Local Leaders in Preparing for Mass Shootings” to elected officials at the Michigan Municipal League Annual Conference. Michigan police experts discussed police preparedness, crisis communications, and tips for planning victim services.

9/11/24 ICMA published a three-part Voices in Local Government podcast series entitled, “Stop the Killing. Stop the Dying.” ALERRT Assistant Director John Curnutt and UnitedOnGuns Director Sarah C. Peck discuss the importance of ensuring local law enforcement agencies are fully trained and equipped to respond to a mass shooting.

7/1/24 The ICMA magazine Public Management published Sarah C. Peck's article, "Uvalde Failures Underscore the Importance of Preparedness: Ensuring your community is prepared for a mass shooting or other critical incident." This article summarizes the actions local leaders should take to prepare a "whole of government" response to a mass shooting.  

On June 13, the American Journal of Public Health published an editorial written by Sarah C. Peck entitled, "Minimum Age Firearm Purchase Laws, By Themselves, Don't Prevent Youth Suicide," on the effectiveness of legislative and public health strategies to reduce young adult suicide.

On June 5, 2024, Sarah C. Peck presented at the North American Active Assailant Conference in Troy, Michigan. City officials described their response to the Aurora Theater, Covenant School, and Pulse Nightclub mass shootings, and briefed local officials on how they can prepare their community's response to a mass shooting. 

On April 17, 2024, UnitedOnGuns co-hosted the School Mass Shooting & Critical Incident Preparedness Forum: The Role of Local Leaders in Lansing, Michigan with Lansing Mayor Andy Schor and the Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Guest speakers including Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, Lansing Mayor Schor, and ALERRT Associate Director John Curnutt. More than 225 mayors, school officials, and first responders attended. See local news coverage of the conference here.

2023

On December 13, 2023, the Washington Post published an article called, “A college will reopen the site of a campus shooting. Some aren’t ready,” about reopening the building that was the site of the MSU shooting. Sarah C. Peck was interviewed and shared, "the right answer [about when and if to reopen the site] comes from the community you seek to support.”

In October 2023, a report by the Democratic Mayors Association named UnitedOnGuns as a key national partner and included the Mass Shooting Protocol and Playbook as recommended resources for mayors.

On June 8, 2023, the Mayors Innovation Project published this blog entry by Sarah C. Peck, “Mass Shootings are Increasing: Are You Prepared?”

In April 2023, Politico interviewed Sarah C. Peck for this article, “Mass Shootings Leave America’s Mayors on Edge.” The article includes a link to UnitedOnGuns resources.

In April 2023, UnitedOnGuns was included as a “best in class” in a Rocket Social Impact resource for local governments and businesses who are helping to make their workplaces and communities safer from gun violence.

In March 2023, Sarah C. Peck moderated a conference hosted by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security for Los Angeles County elected officials on mass shooting preparedness and response.

In February 2023, Sarah C. Peck moderated a conference hosted by the Association of California Cities of Orange County (ACC-OC) on mass shooting preparedness and response.

In January 2023, Sarah C. Peck joined Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and other mayors who responded to mass shootings at the 91st Winter Meeting on the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, DC.

2022

On 12/19/22 UnitedOnGuns Director Sarah C. Peck briefed Bay Village, OH, Mayor Paul Koomar on mass shooting preparedness and response.

On 12/14/22 Sarah C. Peck and Northeastern criminologist James Alan Fox visited the Sandy Hook memorial to honor the 26 victims who were murdered ten years ago. A Northeastern journalist joined us and published this article entitled, "On Sandy Hook Anniversary Shooting Grief Remains But Hope Grows."

On 12/9/22, The Washington Post mentioned the Mass Shooting Playbook in an article about how businesses recover from mass shootings.

On 12/1/22 Sarah C. Peck briefed federal emergency management and security experts at a National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) conference in San Francisco, CA on the role of city leaders when responding to a mass shooting.

On 11/23/22 UnitedOnGuns partners sent the Mass Shooting Protocol to Mayor Rick West following a shooting at a Walmart that killed six people in Chesapeake, VA.

On 11/20/22 UnitedOnGuns partners sent the Mass Shooting Protocol to Mayor John Suthers following a shooting at a LGBTQ nightclub that killed five people and injured twenty-five others in Colorado Springs, CO.

On 11/14/22 UnitedOnGuns partners sent the Mass Shooting Protocol to Mayor Lloyd Snook following a shooting at the University of Virginia that killed three students and injured two others in Charlottesville, VA.

On 11/10/22 Sarah C. Peck briefed the staff of Mayor Justin Bibb on mass shooting preparedness and response in Cleveland, OH.

On 11/1/22 Sarah C. Peck joined Northeastern professor James Alan Fox and former deputy mayor of Los Angeles Eileen Decker at a security conference hosted by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security in Monterey, CA. She briefed officials from state and federal agencies, academics, and researchers on the UnitedOnGuns mass shooting research, and recommended ways government agencies can promote mass shooting preparedness at the local level.

On 10/24/22, UnitedOnGuns partners sent the Mass Shooting Protocol to Mayor Tishaura Jones immediately following a school shooting that killed a teacher and a student and injured seven others in St Louis, MO.

On 10/14/22 UnitedOnGuns partners sent the Mass Shooting Protocol to Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin following a mass shooting in a neighborhood that killed five people and injured two others in Raleigh, NC.

On 9/30/22 Sarah C. Peck joined mass shooting expert James Alan Fox and public health experts to brief the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF) on mass shooting preparedness and recovery at their conference in Boston, MA.

On 9/30/22 Sarah C. Peck joined Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes, Laguna Woods Mayor Carol Brown, and other officials to brief the Association of California Cities of Orange County (ACC-OC) on mass shooting preparedness.

On 9/19/22 Sarah C. Peck joined former El Paso mayor Dee Margo, Orlando Chief of Staff Heather Fagan, and Center for Homeland Defense Security Director Dawn Wilson at the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) conference in Columbus, OH. They shared best practices for mass shooting preparedness.

8/12/22 Sarah C. Peck joined Florida Representative Christine Hunschofsky; Heather Fagan, Chief of Staff for Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer; and Dawn Wilson, Director of the Center for Homeland Defense and Security to discuss preparing for a mass shooting at the Florida League of Cities (FTC) conference in Hollywood, FL. 

8/4/22 Governing Magazine published our op-ed highlighting the response of Mayor Dee Margo three years after the El Paso Walmart shooting, "The outsized, critical role of a mayor after a mass shooting."

8/1/22 Northeastern Law magazine featured an article about UnitedOnGuns featuring Sarah C. Peck and Orlando's city attorney Mayanne Downs.

7/27/22 UnitedOnGuns announced Director Sarah C. Peck is working with the Center for Homeland Defense and Security to provide preparedness training for mayors and city leaders.

7/19/22 The Hill published Sarah C. Peck's op-ed, "After mall shooting, yet another mayor becomes a member of the club no one wants to join."

On 7/4/22, UnitedOnGuns partners sent the Mass Shooting Protocol to Mayor Nancy Rotering immediately following a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, IL that killed seven people and injured at least 48 others.

7/1/22 The ICMA magazine Public Management published Sarah C. Peck's article, "Until we find a way to prevent mass shootings, your city will need to prepare," a comprehensive description of the important role city leaders have in responding to mass shootings. The PM issue also has an excellent list of actions city leaders can take to prepare for school shootings. See Letter from the CEO/ED: Priority one is keeping our children safe.

6/9/22 The ICMA interviewed Sarah C. Peck about what city leaders can do to promote school safety as part of its podcast series. Listen to "What are you doing to keep your school safe?"

6/8/22 NY Times shared best practices from the Mass Shooting Protocol.

6/6/22 Terre Haute Tribute-Star interviewed Sarah C. Peck about the Mass Shooting Protocol & Playbook.

6/4/22 Sarah C. Peck joined Orlando Mayor Buddy Dryer, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, and San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Conference in Reno, NV. They discussed the mass shootings in those cities, the role of mayors when responding to these tragedies, and the Mass Shooting Protocol & Playbook.

5/29/22 Fox News interviewed Sarah C. Peck about UnitedOnGuns and our resources to help mayors prepare for a mass shooting.

5/26/22 Sarah C. Peck was interviewed on NPR about the Mass Shooting Protocol & Playbook following the tragic Uvalde school shooting.

5/21/22 Sarah C. Peck and former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley discussed the Mass Shooting Protocol and the importance of preparedness on NPR All Things Considered.

On 5/14/22, UnitedOnGuns partners sent the Mass Shooting Protocol to Mayor Byron Brown immediately following a racially motivated mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, NY that killed ten people and injured at least three others.

2021

12/15/21 Sarah C. Peck and Emily Nink spoke about the Mass Shooting Protocol & Playbook on the ICMA Voices in Local Government Podcast. A blog post is available here and the podcast is available here.

11/18/21 Mayors Against Illegal Guns University Webinar: Sarah C. Peck spoke about the Mass Shooting Protocol & Playbook at a webinar for elected officials, law enforcement, and municipal staff. Coverage by Channel 11 News available here.

10/26/21 Press release: UnitedOnGuns announces the availability of the Mass Shooting Protocol & Playbook, as well as case briefs and other resources, on its website.

10/15/21 UnitedOnGuns Director Sarah C. Peck introduced the Mass Shooting Protocol & Playbook to law enforcement officials and elected officials at the 5th Annual North American Active Assailant Conference in Troy, Michigan.

10/01/21 Publication of the Mass Shooting Protocol & Playbook: A Resource for U.S. Mayors and City Managers.

9/20/21 After Sandy Hook, She Knew She Had To Do Something About Mass Shootings. News@Northeastern piece covering the development of the Mass Shooting Protocol & Playbook.

6/10/21 Pulse shootings’ lingering trauma must be public-health priority | Commentary. Op-ed arguing for sustained funding for long-term mental health and other services for mass shooting survivors and their families.

5/29/21 Opinion: To reduce risk of mass shootings, prevent suicides. Op-ed urging the nation to do more to reduce suicide, not only to save over 25,000 lives lost to firearm-related suicide, but also to reduce the number of public mass shootings.

4/6/21 Sarah C. Peck and James Alan Fox: Proposed policy would help mayors respond to a mass shooting. Op-ed urging the federal government to offer training and funding for mayors who must respond to a mass shooting.

January 2021 Conference: Public Health Approaches to Protecting Youth from Gun Violence during COVID and Beyond
Conference Part 1: Focus on the increased risk of gun violence in the home during the Covid-19 pandemic. Expert panel: Thea James, MD (BMC), Matt Miller, MD, ScD, MPH (Northeastern University); Margo Lindauer, JD (Director, Domestic Violence Institute, Northeastern University). Recorded 1/14/2021.

Conference Part 2: Focus on the increased risk of gun violence in the public space during the Covid pandemic. Expert panel: James Fox, PhD (Colleges of Social Sciences & Humanities, Northeastern University); Quaniqua Carthan-Love, MSSW, MA (Director of Planning and Programs, Cities United); Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN (School Nurse, Camden, NJ; author of the Relentless School Nurse blog). Recorded 1/21/21.

Conference Part 3: Focus on concrete actions health care providers can take to protect youth from gun violence. Expert panel: Peter Masiakos, MD and Chana Sacks, MD (Mass General Center for Gun Violence Prevention), MaryBeth Miotto, MD, MPH (pediatrician, Vice President MA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics), Mary Harvey, PhD (Director, Violence Transformed, Northeastern University), and Kendall Bruce and Lauren Cardoso (MA Department of Public Health officials). Recorded 1/28/21.

2020

5/15/20 Research Report: Extreme Risk Protection Orders: Implementation in a Social Justice Context. The report makes recommendations for more effective and equitable implementation of state ERPO laws.

2019

11/20/19 Profiting from protecting kids is wrong. Halt active shooter drills in schools. | Opinion. Op-ed advocating against realistic active shooter drills for school children to avoid traumatizing students.

11/17/19 A federal red flag law would save lives … An op-ed urging Congress to pass a national Extreme Risk Protection Law (aka "ERPO" or "Red Flag" law) that would fund state ERPO laws to temporarily remove guns from people in crisis. The Biden administration later drafted a model ERPO law for state legislatures. In June 2022, Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The Act allocates $750 million to support states who want to pass ERPO laws. Currently, 19 states and Washington, DC, have passed these laws.

10/20/19 Guns, Crime and Criminal Justice Reform. Forum on public health approaches to reduce gun violence.