ST. LOUIS – In front of a backdrop of the nearly 50 children lost to gun violence this year in St. Louis, Jewish and Christian leaders and the city’s mayor came together to advocate gun safety and responsibility.
The Interfaith Gun Safety Initiative was scheduled months ago and just so happened to coincide with Monday’s shooting.
“The time for talk is over, the time for action is now,” said Father Dennis Stehly of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis.
Educational materials and about 500 gun locks were available for gun owners. Across town at the Saint Louis Public Schools building, Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting was kept short. The board’s president Matt Davis opened and closed with a statement.
“To the students, families, teachers, principal, safety officers, and staff of Central VPA High School and Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, we are sorry,” Davis said. “We are sorry that a young man with mental health issues was able to gain access to an assault rifle, and we could not keep you safe.”
Central Visual and Performing Arts High School and Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience will remain closed until Friday as students switch to virtual learning.
