Pawtucket– Abbey Clements, survivor of the 2012 Sandy Hook School tragedy, executive director and co-founder of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence, released the following statement regarding the shooting at a Rhode Island High School Hockey Game
“I would like to express my deepest condolences to all impacted by this senseless act of violence and the entire Pawtucket community on a night meant to be fun for students. This trauma will undoubtedly affect the school districts. In the aftermath of this shooting, it’s important not to forget that the teachers who help the community get through these tragedies often need support themselves. The Teachers Unify Crisis Intervention and Support team is available to teachers and staff day or night. It’s OK to ask for help.”
The team is led by teachers with decades of experience in the classroom who are survivors of gun violence and Dr. Michael Schultz, a licensed psychologist, family therapist, and systems consultant. The team launched on Nov. 6 with an intensive weekend of in-person training in Philadelphia.
Any staff, teacher or school, public or private, can reach a member of the crisis intervention team by calling 203-296-3689 or emailing response@teachersunify.org.
Background: According to a study by the Secret Service, around two-thirds of school shootings take place because a firearm was not properly secured in the home. Gun violence is a costly – and preventable – public health challenge that is far too common in our schools:
Guns are the leading cause of death for children in America.
More than 398,000 students have experienced gun violence at school since Columbine.
There have been more than 435 school shootings since 1999.
As many as 66% of school shootings resulted from a gun that was not secured properly in the home.
Eighteen to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at over triple the rate of adults 21 years and older.
4.6 million kids live in homes with unsecured, loaded firearms.
1 out of 10 gun deaths are age 19 or younger.
Abbey Clements is the executive director and a Co-Founder of Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence. She is a survivor teacher of the Sandy Hook School tragedy in 2012, and was an elementary educator for over 30 years. She is a strategic consultant on gun violence issues for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and a member of the ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence National Advisory Council. Abbey has been featured in various events, publications, and documentaries including the 2024 DNC, Newtown, If I Don’t Make It, I Love You, Bullets Into Bells, AFT Voices, USA Today, AARP, Share My Lesson, The Hill, among others.
Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence envisions a future where every school in the United States is a safe haven and a safe learning environment for every child, and where all citizens live without the fear and trauma of gun violence.
February 17, 2026
Contact: Press@teachersunify.org
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