Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn called on Congress to pass gun violence prevention legislation following a Wednesday morning shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school during Mass that killed two children and injured 17 others.
"The American people have had enough thoughts and prayers from politicians," Hahn said in a social media post. "These children were literally in Mass when they were murdered. Congress has the power to act on gun violence—what's missing is the courage."
Hahn is also raising awareness about LA County's School Threat Assessment Response Team (START) as the school year begins. START is a team of county mental health professionals who partner with local law enforcement to respond to calls about possible threats against schools countywide, aiming to intervene before threats become reality.
"Whether you are a parent or a student and you hear something that doesn't sound right, I urge you to contact START," Hahn said. "Specially trained County mental health professionals and their law enforcement partners will respond quickly, make sure to keep people out of danger, and get the person in crisis the help they need."
Hahn has led efforts to expand the START program, allowing professionals to respond more quickly to reported threats against schools or students. In 2023, she worked with the Department of Mental Health to launch a countywide ad campaign educating young people about reporting school threats to START.
Teachers, school administrators, parents and students who have experienced or witnessed actual or implied threats of school violence are urged to contact START by calling (213) 739-5565 or emailing START@dmh.lacounty.gov.
For more information, visit https://dmh.lacounty.gov/start-youth.
Edited by SMDP Staff