Silence_NN1 filled_VVD the_AT0 classroom_NN1 as_PRP an_AT0 11-year-old_AJ0 student_NN1 ,_PUN Tijani_NP0 ,_PUN described_VVD escaping_VVG from_PRP a_AT0 shooter_NN1 in_PRP his_DPS neighborhood_NN1 a_AT0 year_NN1 earlier_AV0 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP felt_VVD like_PRP my_DPS heart_NN1 was_VBD exploding_VVG from_PRP my_DPS chest_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP was_VBD leading_VVG a_AT0 workshop_NN1 for_PRP 7th_ORD graders_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC as_CJS Tijani_NP0 told_VVD us_PNP his_DPS story_NN1 ,_PUN his_DPS breathing_NN1 grew_VVD faster_AJC and_CJC his_DPS hands_NN2 began_VVD to_TO0 shake_VVI —_PUN physical_AJ0 signs_NN2 of_PRF trauma_NN1 ._SENT Gun_NN1 violence_NN1 traumatizes_VVZ our_DPS youth_NN1 ._SENT Adverse_AJ0 childhood_NN1 experiences_NN2 like_PRP witnessing_VVG a_AT0 shooting_NN1 can_VM0 literally_AV0 change_VVI young_AJ0 people_NN0 's_POS brains_NN2 and_CJC even_AV0 make_VVB them_PNP more_AV0 likely_AJ0 to_TO0 harm_VVI others_NN2 ,_PUN thereby_AV0 spreading_VVG their_DPS trauma_NN1 to_PRP someone_PNI else_AV0 ._SENT So_AV0 ,_PUN when_CJS scientists_NN2 tell_VVB us_PNP gun_NN1 violence_NN1 moves_VVZ across_PRP people_NN0 and_CJC populations_NN2 like_PRP a_AT0 virus_NN1 ,_PUN they_PNP 're_VBB being_VBG quite_AV0 literal_AJ0 ._SENT The_AT0 understanding_NN1 that_CJT gun_NN1 violence_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT0 public-health_AJ0 issue_NN1 is_VBZ not_XX0 new_AJ0 ._SENT But_CJC what_DTQ is_VBZ new_AJ0 and_CJC worth_PRP exploring_VVG is_VBZ the_AT0 fact_NN1 that_CJT 2020_CRD gave_VVD us_PNP the_AT0 template_NN1 for_PRP what_DTQ it_PNP looks_VVZ like_PRP when_CJS we_PNP take_VVB a_AT0 public-health_AJ0 crisis_NN1 seriously_AV0 ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ one_CRD thing_NN1 to_TO0 declare_VVI gun_NN1 violence_NN1 a_AT0 grave_AJ0 threat_NN1 to_PRP our_DPS collective_AJ0 well_AJ0 being_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ another_DT0 thing_NN1 to_TO0 treat_VVI it_PNP like_PRP one_CRD ._SENT The_AT0 COVID-19_AJ0 pandemic_AJ0 ,_PUN in_PRP real_AJ0 time_NN1 ,_PUN is_VBZ giving_VVG us_PNP the_AT0 blueprint_NN1 for_PRP how_AVQ to_TO0 address_VVI a_AT0 public-health_AJ0 disaster_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ time_NN1 to_TO0 treat_VVI gun_NN1 violence_NN1 like_PRP COVID-19_NN1 ._SENT Perhaps_AV0 even_AV0 more_AV0 mind-blowing_AJ0 than_CJS coronavirus_NN1 '_POS exponential_NN1 growth_NN1 last_ORD year_NN1 was_VBD how_AVQ swiftly_AV0 and_CJC effectively_AV0 our_DPS state_NN1 and_CJC our_DPS region_NN1 slowed_VVD its_DPS spread_NN1 ._SENT By_PRP some_DT0 metrics_NN2 ,_PUN Washington_NP0 state_NN1 and_CJC King_NN1 County_NN1 handled_VVD the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 better_AJC than_CJS anywhere_AV0 else_AV0 in_PRP the_AT0 U.S._NP0 So_AV0 ,_PUN what_DTQ are_VBB the_AT0 lessons_NN2 learned_VVN from_PRP the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 and_CJC how_AVQ can_VM0 we_PNP apply_VVI these_DT0 strategies_NN2 to_TO0 stop_VVI the_AT0 spread_NN1 of_PRF gun_NN1 violence_NN1 ?_SENT First_ORD and_CJC foremost_AJS ,_PUN our_DPS region_NN1 and_CJC state_NN1 's_POS COVID-19_AJ0 response_NN1 has_VHZ been_VBN incredibly_AV0 comprehensive_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC its_DPS scope_NN1 has_VHZ reached_VVN far_AV0 beyond_PRP medicine_NN1 ._SENT Our_DPS gun-violence_NN1 response_NN1 must_VM0 be_VBI similarly_AV0 broad_AJ0 ._SENT For_PRP example_NN1 ,_PUN just_AV0 like_PRP we_PNP quickly_AV0 established_VVD housing_NN1 for_PRP COVID-positive_AJ0 individuals_NN2 to_TO0 isolate_VVI and_CJC quarantine_VVI ,_PUN we_PNP should_VM0 quickly_AV0 establish_VVI optional_AJ0 housing_NN1 for_PRP people_NN0 at_PRP risk_NN1 for_PRP gun_NN1 violence_NN1 ,_PUN away_AV0 from_PRP their_DPS neighborhoods_NN2 ,_PUN until_CJS the_AT0 risk_NN1 of_PRF spread_NN1 declines_NN2 ._SENT When_CJS people_NN0 are_VBB involved_VVN in_PRP heated_AJ0 disputes_NN2 in_PRP their_DPS neighborhoods_NN2 ,_PUN or_CJC live_VVB with_PRP their_DPS abusers_NN2 ,_PUN it_PNP is_VBZ often_AV0 unsafe_AJ0 for_PRP them_PNP to_TO0 remain_VVI in_PRP place_NN1 because_CJS those_DT0 situations_NN2 may_VM0 escalate_VVI due_AJ0 to_PRP proximity_NN1 ._SENT Having_VHG more_AV0 options_NN2 for_PRP distanced_AJ0 ,_PUN temporary_AJ0 ,_PUN safe_AJ0 housing_NN1 could_VM0 be_VBI a_AT0 mitigating_AJ0 strategy_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 spread_NN1 of_PRF violence_NN1 ._SENT Similar_AJ0 to_PRP community_NN1 vaccination_NN1 clinics_NN2 ,_PUN we_PNP should_VM0 also_AV0 fully_AV0 invest_VVI in_PRP community-resource_AJ0 centers_NN2 for_PRP groups_NN2 whose_DTQ lives_NN2 have_VHB been_VBN or_CJC could_VM0 be_VBI upended_VVN by_PRP shootings_NN2 ._SENT 
