Over 29,000 Students to Pledge Against Gun Violence

Contact Person: Lance Crick (864) 282-2100

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles announced that on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, members of the United States Attorney’s Office and their local, state, and federal law enforcement partners will meet with students from across South Carolina, as part of South Carolina’s 13th annual Student Pledge Against Gun Violence.

With a focus on keeping their schools and communities safe, students in middle school and high school will sign a voluntary pledge promising that they will never take a gun to school, will never resolve a dispute with a gun, and will use their influence to prevent friends from using guns to resolve disputes. Elementary school children will make a simpler commitment, pledging that if they see a gun they will not touch it, they will assume that any gun they see might be loaded, and they will tell a teacher or a trusted adult. The effort is part of South Carolina’s Project CeaseFire, which is South Carolina’s implementation of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which is aimed at reducing gun violence. The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program that recognizes the role that young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence. This campaign against youth gun violence culminates each October in a “Day of National Concern about Young People and Gun Violence.” The program provides a means for beginning the conversation with young people about gun violence. Students from around the country will join together in pledging to do their part to end gun violence. Over the years, millions of students nationwide have signed the pledge.

Mr. Nettles said that, just as in years past, the response to the pledge campaign has been outstanding, with approximately 29, 203 students from 67 schools across the state agreeing to take part. "Once again our office is pleased to take this opportunity to reach out to South Carolina students with an effort to engage students, teachers, and administrators to facilitate a dialogue with students about gun violence and the importance of making good decisions," stated Mr. Nettles.

The U.S. Attorney's Office worked with schools, student resource officers, and law enforcement agencies throughout the state to make the pledges available, providing the pledges to participating schools as well as scheduling presentations for some 37 of the schools that requested speakers. Below is a list of South Carolina schools that are participating in this year's pledge. For information on any events scheduled for a particular school, please contact the school. For additional information concerning the pledge, visit the national Student Pledge website at