Martinsburg Mayor Kevin Knowles issues statement on gun violence and incident at Martinsburg football game – The Panhandle News Network

MARTINSBURG, West Virginia — Martinsburg Mayor Kevin Knowles said, “Nothing illustrates the senselessness of gun violence like the incident that needlessly put thousands of innocent people in danger next to Cobourn Field at Martinsburg High School.”

The mayor issued a statement this week about the shooting Friday night near Martinsburg High School in which one person was struck by a bullet and two others were injured by shrapnel.
In his statement, Mayor Knowles acknowledged a “worrying increase” in cases of targeted violence.
He says none of the incidents were random or mass shootings, but they show that the community is not immune to gun violence.
Knowles also denounced what he believes is society's “desensitization” to gun violence.

The mayor says he is a gun owner and respects the Second Amendment. He says the city will review its safety protocols.

He also says he wants to work with community and national partners to find solutions and asks citizens to contact him to join the conversation.

Mayor Knowles’ statement:

“Over the past few months, our community has experienced a disturbing increase in targeted gun violence – often related to domestic violence and/or personal disputes, and in several cases involving individuals who do not live here. While fortunately none of these events were random, widespread, or mass, they demonstrate that our community is not immune to the epidemic of gun violence. More important and concerning is the increasing desensitization to the violence and the feeling that it is acceptable and we should carry on as if it is the new normal. It should not be that way, and it simply cannot be! I truly believe there are many great things happening in Martinsburg and our community, but the incidents of targeted gun and domestic violence are something we cannot ignore.

Nothing illustrates the senselessness of gun violence better than the incident that needlessly put thousands of innocent people in danger adjacent to Martinsburg High School's Cobourn Field. Because the incident is still under investigation, I will not go into details, but we do know that the incident was the result of a personal dispute directed at a specific individual. Cobourn Field was not a target. Last Friday, the #1 seed and 10-time state champion Martinsburg Bulldogs football team defeated the #2 seed Huntington Highlanders, played by student-athletes who possessed a great deal of skill and talent through hard work, dedication and training. It was a thrilling game. The young men were cheered on by cheerleaders, band members and the dance squad – all entertaining thousands of spectators and showcasing their own hard work, skill and talent. That should have been the story, period.

Gun violence plagues our country, and our own community has experienced it in recent months. Our society is simply becoming desensitized to gun violence, and that is a problem. Violent acts committed with firearms have become commonplace in cities large and small across our country. That is unacceptable, and has been for quite some time. It has also become an almost insoluble problem because talking about guns immediately becomes a political hot button. However, I would hope that we can all agree that it is not acceptable to settle differences by pulling out a gun and shooting. We can debate and disagree on how to solve the problem—but let's at least agree that there is a problem.

On Friday, our youngest and one of the smartest generations ever experienced gun violence firsthand – the same generation that, according to multiple polls, believes that reducing gun violence and mass shootings is one of the most important issues of their generation.

I fully respect the 2nd Amendment to our Constitution and I am a gun owner, but I do not respect resolving our personal problems, domestic disputes, arguments and altercations through gun violence. Sensible and responsible gun ownership is a must – and the overwhelming majority of gun owners are responsible. What we witnessed on Friday is not sensible gun ownership and the fact that guns are falling into the wrong hands – especially among our teens and young adults – is having devastating consequences. We now seem to be in a phase where a portion of our society is trying to resolve disputes by pulling a gun – almost the 21st century version of the one-two punch, but with more serious consequences. Gun violence not only affects the victims, but also our community, our first responders and innocent bystanders – and responsible gun owners. I do not believe we can sit back and simply accept and become insensitive to the gun violence affecting our communities.

We cannot solve the problem of widespread gun violence alone. It will take partnership between federal and state leaders, our community organizations, nonprofits, parents and guardians, and all of us as individuals to take action, advise, and emphasize that gun violence is not the solution. I look forward to these conversations with our state and federal leaders, our community, and most importantly, our youth.

Measures to combat gun violence and desensitize it:

Community engagement: We encourage open dialogue within our community to discuss the impacts of violence and strategies to maintain sensitivity and responsiveness—and, more importantly, how to stop it. I look forward to having more conversations like this in the community.
Education initiatives: We must continue to work with partners, implement and support education programs to raise awareness about the impact of violence, and we must never stop talking to and engaging our youth.
Support Systems: We look forward to working with our partners to continue to provide enhanced support systems for victims of violence. Through our partnership with the Martinsburg Initiative and the addition of social workers, we have expanded access to mental health resources, addiction treatment, and counseling services to help residents cope with the emotional impacts of daily life.
Safety protocols: We will review safety protocols to ensure they meet current requirements and effectively address new threats – particularly in our schools. Community participation in safety planning will be encouraged to foster a sense of collective responsibility.
Policies: We encourage our state and federal policymakers to discuss and implement policies to adopt meaningful actions to address gun violence.
Crime Intervention, Community Policing, and Partnerships: We will continue community policing and continue to provide the resources necessary to ensure public safety. We have made significant investments in drug enforcement and violent crime deterrence and increased technological surveillance throughout the city. We will continue our partnerships with the Martinsburg Initiative, downtown businesses, the Eastern Panhandle Violent Crimes and Drug Task Force, the Berkeley County Domestic Violence Reduction Initiative, the Berkeley County Commission, and many other partnerships we currently have to address issues in our city.
Your participation is critical in solving this problem. I invite all residents to get involved, provide feedback, and use the resources available to support one another. Together, we must build a community that stands united against gun violence, domestic violence, and senseless violence.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Let us work together to ensure that Martinsburg remains a safe and compassionate place for all. I look forward to this conversation with you. If you would like to participate in this conversation or have suggestions or ideas, please feel free to email me at [email protected] Call me at 304-264-2140 or come see me if you see me on the road and let’s talk.”