Ventura County to Launch Mass Shooting Education Initiative

Source: Ventura County

Ventura County is one of the safest places in the United States, but the recent tragedy at the Borderline Bar, and incidents in Gilroy, El Paso, Dayton and other communities across the country, serve as a stark reminder that violence can occur anywhere. Because of this, the County is launching an initiative to raise awareness of resources and services that are available to help.

The program has three basic premises: Everyone should be aware of what is happening around them and, if you see something, say something. If you are a victim or have been affected by a mass shooting or tragedy, there is help for you. And, if you are concerned, stressed or fearful, there are services readily available to help.

“Both Carmen Ramirez, Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Oxnard, and I have been getting phone calls and emails from concerned constituents in the City, which shares similar demographics to El Paso, asking if they are safe,” said District 5 Supervisor John Zaragoza. “I tell them, ‘yes you are.’ The County and our cities are working both very publicly and behind the scenes to assure your safety and to identify threats before anything has a chance to happen.”

We also recognize that the public plays a significant role in helping keep our communities safe.

“People are the eyes and ears for our deputies and city police officers,” said Sheriff Bill Ayub. “We can’t be everywhere, so we rely on the public to report dangerous, strange or unusual activity. We don’t want to ‘pick up the pieces.’ We want to stop something before it starts.”

Mass shootings are traumatic both physically and mentally. The sheer number of recent events is creating anxiety and fear in some people. Security has been raised at many locations and venues around the county and residents should feel safe sending their children to school, shopping or attending events. But the fear is real and there are resources to help people work through their anxiety and there are also resources for people who may feel concerned about the mental state of a family member.

The County has established several websites and hotlines to assist the public. Many of the cities have similar resources. The County will continue working to raise public awareness of possible threats, identify threats before they can become reality, and respond swiftly and forcefully to active shootings.

A coordinated information effort is being developed and will be launched as soon as possible, but a great deal of information is available now. The public is invited to refer to the following resources for further assistance:

Crisis Team Hotline (24/7): 1-866-998-2243

“See something, say something.” (Ventura County Sheriff): 1-805-654-9511

Crime Victims Assistance: 1-805-654-3622

County Mass Shooting Resource Webpage: https://ventura.org/vcsafe

Mental Health and Safety Task Force – The County of Ventura welcomes input from the public concerning ways we can work to prevent gun-related tragedies and violence from occurring in the future. https://www.venturacountyrecovers.org/county-of-ventura-task-force-on-mental-health-and-safety/

FBI website with multiple documents: https://www.fbi.gov/about/partnerships/office-of-partner-engagement/active-shooter-resources

FEMA active shooter information booklet: https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1523561958719-f1eff6bc841d56b7873e018f73a4e024/ActiveShooter_508.pdf

Gun Violence Restraining Orders:  https://www.courts.ca.gov/33961.htm

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  1. Anecdotal platitudes that reinforce what you want to believe are nice, but you’re just deluding yourself if you think guns are the answer. Epidemiological studies overwhelmingly show that guns lead to violence and death, especially among the family and acquaintances of those who possess them. Don’t fall for the NRA indoctrination and propaganda.
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    https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/firearm.htm

  2. Oxnard, a city where there are large neighborhoods where every window is covered with metal bars and front doors have cages ……. Yes, I think that’s a response to perceived threat. Concerned constituents indeed.

  3. From a 1998 study published in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery: “Every time a gun in the home was used in a self-defense or legally justifiable shooting, there were four unintentional shootings, seven criminal assaults or homicides, and 11 attempted or completed suicides.”
    In other words, the fantasy of facing down an intruder with a firearm is belied by the fact that a gun is 22 times more likely to be used in a criminal assault, an accidental death or injury, a suicide attempt or a homicide than it is for self-defense.

  4. I shot a guy with a .22 cal pellet gun coming thru my window in 1978 in I.V. I took the bloody drapes to the foot patrol station and we all had a good laugh – The bad guy got away.. I have owned guns all my life and over 40 years later I still have not had a problem with ‘gun violence’ and believe stories like this are nonsense. With socialism being all the rage, they will have to take your guns before they install socialism. It did not take 10 years in Venezuela to got from turning in guns to those same gun owners being shot by government troops. I moved to Shasta county where lots of people legally carry and we don’t fear guns …

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