Doctors in York County are pushing for gun violence to be treated as a public health issue.
This comes after a group of physicians adopted a resolution for more research to be done to get to the root of the problem.
A York doctor who spoke with FOX43 says physicians aren’t seeing the kind of progress they’d like to in terms of funding toward research.
They say it needs to be addressed immediately no matter how much money it takes.
“It’s definitely not one thing that’s going to solve the problem,” says family medicine doctor, Scott McCracken.
McCracken says it’s becoming more and more realistic that nobody knows what to do about gun violence.
He doesn’t think all the blame lies on gangs and drugs.
“I continue to see these patients in my emergency room, in my trauma bay, in my office and we just don’t see it stopping,” says McCracken.
York County District Attorney, Tom Kearney says his case load frequently involves drug and gang-related gun violence.
He’s urging community members to take action.
“They need to step up along with us and say enough,” says Kearney.
Kearney says whether it’s hiding a key to a gun safe or getting one off the street, the solution lies with keeping the younger generation safe.
“I never want to go to another scene and see a dead 15 year old laying in the street with a gun in his hand but I know I could do that tonight,” says Kearney.
Dr. McCracken says the ultimate goal is reducing the morbidity and mortality rate from gun violence in Pennsylvania.
But, he says that could be years away.