Dean Howard Frumkin issued the following statement to students, staff and faculty of the School of Public Health in the wake of the Seattle Pacific University shooting.

Dear members of the SPH community:

Our community has once again been shaken by gun violence. Yesterday's shooting at Seattle Pacific University was tragic. Unfortunately, it was not an isolated event; less than a week ago, a shooting in Leschi left two people dead. Our nation continues to suffer from far too much violence, even on campuses: shootings at UC Santa Barbara and Paine College in May, at La Salle University in March, and more. We grieve for the victims, and we yearn for the sense of safety and security that ordinarily grace our campus and our city.

These tragedies highlight a range of public health problems: gun violence, social isolation, mental illness, frayed social safety nets, substance abuse, poverty. While there are no simple solutions to any of these, we in public health know some of what we need to do: provide effective treatment for mental illness and substance abuse, reduce access to guns, strengthen community ties, improve housing, transportation, and economic opportunities. We need to work with our colleagues in social work, law enforcement, mental health services, and many other fields, toward comprehensive solutions. We need to be guided by solid data, and we need to act on the data we have.

But for now, we need to take time to grieve and to support each other, and to offer our support to friends and neighbors who may have been directly touched by the SPU shooting. As we do, we need to reassert the values that will see us through yet another tragedy: compassion, generosity, civic engagement, nonviolence, social justice, and courage. Please take a moment to remember the victims of violence and their families, to take good care of yourself and your loved ones, and to rededicate yourself to our shared vision of healthy people in sustainable—and safe—communities.

Howard Frumkin, M.D., Dr.P.H.
Dean, School of Public Health