I’m an emergency room doctor. I can tell you firsthand that the damage from an AR-15 bullet is almost indescribable. Creates empty holes. It liquefies the organs. It can rarely survive. Dr. Megan Ranney. CBS News But as shocking and horrifying as any mass shooting is, what I see in the ER, day in and day out, are mostly gun injuries. And those are horrible too. Suicides … domestic violence … community violence … and more. Regardless of the weapon used, the way a bullet tears apart a body is similar to the way gun violence tears apart a community. Each bullet leaves a ripple effect, not only on the victim, but on their parents, their children, their siblings and their friends. Talking to each of them is part of my job, too, and it’s heartbreaking. We need to start tackling gun violence the same way we tackle other public health crises – drunk driving, heart disease, even COVID. We can prevent gun violence before it lands people in my ER. So for all of you who are losing hope, here are three actions we can all take today: First, if you have a firearm in your home (which is more than 40% of us in America), make sure it is stored safely – locked and ideally unloaded. Second, know the danger signs: depression, dementia, domestic violence, substance use, and, yes, hate. Finally, if someone you know shows these danger signs, do everything you can to put time and distance between them and a weapon while they are at risk of harming themselves or others. I am tired of taking care of the victims and their families. But I keep the faith. This is not easy, but we can do it. It just takes ALL of us. For more information: Story production by Sara Kugel. Editor: Chad Cardin. See also:
