Newtown Action Alliance, in an open letter to President Donald J. Trump, signed by 67 other concerned organizations, released that statement, April 7, pointing out that firearm and ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges had been included in the Critical Coronavirus Pandemic Infrastructure Workforce, on the same list as doctors, nurses, law enforcement, first responders, public safety, and public agency workers.

“Your updated guidance will influence the state and local officials to keep their gun stores open during a period when extreme social distancing across the nation is required to mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19. Keeping gun stores open will contribute to increased COVID-19 deaths and make our communities less safe.

During a time of national crisis, we need you and your administration to work to reduce panic-buying of guns rather than doing favors for the corporate gun lobby groups that are using COVID-19 fears to spur gun sales. For decades, the gun lobby has spread the myth that more guns are needed to keep Americans safe, when in reality nearly 400 million civilian-owned guns in America have not stopped 40,000 annual gun deaths and thousands of gun injuries. Multiple studies have concluded that where there are more guns, there are more gun deaths and more guns do not stop more crimes.

We implore you to immediately remove firearms from your list. In March, nearly two million guns were sold, making it the second busiest month for gun sales in America. The surge in panic sales of guns will continue to overwhelm the National Instant Criminal Background System (NICS). Firearms will end up in the wrong hands due to the ‘default proceed’ provision in the current federal law which allows FFLs to sell guns to individuals without completed background checks after three days.

In addition, the gun surge will result in increased unintentional shootings, homicides, and suicides during and after this pandemic.”

The statement notes that in the United States, “more guns in our homes during a time when millions of school children are home due to stay-at-home orders will result in more unintentional gun deaths and injuries... more guns in the homes of domestic violence abusers and victims will result in increased domestic violence homicides... more guns in homes while socially distancing will lead to increased gun suicides... more guns in homes will result in more stolen guns that end up in our streets.

To save lives, please remove firearms from your ‘Critical Coronavirus Pandemic Infrastructure Workforce’ list NOW to stop the coronavirus gun surge. Gun stores are not essential to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”

Among the signatories are the African American Ministers in Action, American Federation of Teachers, CT Against Gun Violence, Doctors for America, Gun Sense New York, GunSense Vermont, Jr Newtown Action Alliance, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, National Education Association, and Women’s March, as well as the Newtown Action Alliance.

Newtown Action Alliance (http://alliance.newtownaction.org/) is a Newtown-based, national grassroots organization formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings to achieve the steady and continuous reduction of gun violence through legislative and cultural changes.