A new public service announcement stresses the importance of recognizing the potential signs of gun violence.
The ad was created by Sandy Hook Promise, a group led by the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
“We wanted to create an impactful visual to show that violence is preventable if you know the signs,” says Nicole Hockley, the co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise. “Many people are unaware that there are specific signs that people give off that can indicate a violent act is imminent.”
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At first glance, the ad is about a high school student exchanging messages on a desk with an anonymous classmate. The end of the ad, however, points out that a student displaying signs of an attack lurked in the background of every scene.
“We want this video to inspire hope in those who watch it, to show them that we are not helpless in the face of gun violence and that there is something all of us can do to prevent it,” Hockley says.
Sandy Hook Promise members say they timed the PSA’s release for the holidays, when people are spending time with their families and crime rates rise.
