On Feb. 28, the Grand Valley State University College Democrats worked with the GVSU Students Demand Action organization to present their “Night of Action” against gun control. This event featured multiple speakers and provided an opportunity for attendees to make their voices heard in regards to gun control policy. 

The Gun Control Night of Action event gave the GVSU community a space to advocate for gun control policy change and to better understand the forces in play with regards to gun control and gun policy in students’ immediate experience. Students not only shared their experiences and opinions but were encouraged to email government representatives to encourage steps towards enacting change.

The event began with a short speech from Emily Bush, who is currently running for Congressman for the 10th district in Michigan. Bush explained she was originally compelled to run for congressman after her son, a former student at Oxford High School, had to run for his life when a shooter opened fire in the Nov. 30, 2021 school shooting. 

“Part of what I do every day is pushing the needle on gun violence prevention which, as we all know in this country, is something that continues to happen every single day,” Bush said.

The event continued with a speech from GVSU Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Brandon DeHaan. DeHaan talked about gun violence trends in the area.

According to information collected by the GVPD over the years, the Blue Bridge near the Grand Rapids Pew Campus is the location with the most gun violence occurrences between the GVSU Allendale or Pew campuses.

Part of Dehaan’s presentation addressed the importance of preparedness for an active shooter. According to Dehaan, part of GVSU’s prevention and response tactics he identified as the “15-minute rule” that he has set up in case an active shooter is ever on campus. With the 15-minute rule, GVPD are required to send updates of an active shooter situation every 15 minutes via email and text so that students are kept as updated as possible. Dehaan encouraged an open discussion and answered multiple questions regarding how the GVSU Department of Public Safety prepared for these incidents.

A large reason students attended the Night of Action event was to make a change in their community and address a problem they feel deserves attention. President of the GVSU Students Demand Action Club and former Oxford High School student Emma Long said attending prevention and advocation events can contribute to positive change.

“I always say that even if you feel like you’re not making a big change, every name on a petition, every person that shows up in a crowd, you are making a difference,” Long said.

Freshman student Katie Hogan attended the Night of Action event to share her stories of gun violence and to speak up for what she believes in. 

“I remember hearing about it from Illinois and hearing these instances that all happened in Michigan, it’s been really eye-opening that almost everyone here has a first-person connection to [a] gun incident,” Hogan said. “The fact that we’ve become so desensitized to (gun violence), just everybody having conversations about everything.”

Students and community members were able to advocate for themselves and others while attending the event, showcasing the strength of gun violence survivors, the relevance of the issue in students lives and speaking to the greater trend of gun violence in the United States.