AN OPEN LETTER TO JOHN CHIDSEY, CEO OF SUBWAY, SIGNED BY 153 FAMILIES AND SURVIVORS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE
SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS TO BAN OPEN CARRY IN SUBWAY BY SIGNING THIS PETITION.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
jkelley@newtownaction.org
Guns Down America
Brandon Lorenz
414-241-0730
brandon@gunsdownamerica.org
Daily Kos
Carolyn Fiddler
202-556-1693
carolyn@dailykos.com
AN OPEN LETTER TO JOHN CHIDSEY, CEO OF SUBWAY
SIGNED BY 153 FAMILIES AND SURVIVORS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE
May 18, 2020
John Chidsey
CEO of Subway
325 Sub Way
Milford, Connecticut 06461
Dear Mr. Chidsey,
We are families and survivors who have been directly impacted by heartbreaking gun violence in Connecticut and other states. Our lives have been forever changed by gun violence and we are deeply frightened and disturbed that heavily armed protesters carrying AT4 rocket launchers, multiple pistols, and shotguns are patronizing your Subway restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This incident was not the first time armed individuals were in Subway. In 2016, an individual was openly carrying a pistolin a downtown Bridgeport Subway franchise in Connecticut, resulting in a verbal stand-off with three police officers.
We are writing today to encourage you to keep your employees and customers safe in North Carolina, Connecticut and other states from the threat of gun violence by prohibiting people from openly carrying weapons in your restaurants.
Research has consistently found that the presence of a visible firearm makes people more aggressive, transforming mere disagreements into violent, and potentially deadly, confrontations. Unfortunately, Subway is no stranger to gun violence. According to analysis of data from the Gun Violence Archive, Subway has experienced at least 65 incidents of gun violence in or near its restaurants nationwide since 2014, resulting in 21 deaths and 28 injuries.
In fact, in late March of 2020, an individual fired his gun at a police officer near a Subway restaurant in Carencro, Louisiana and told police he was infected with the Coronavirus.
We are certain that public safety is a key concern for you and your managers. Many prominent American businesses, including Walmart, Target, Starbucks, Kroger, CVS, Walgreens, Wegmans, and others, have established clear policies that ask individuals to leave their guns at home. And Subway, a company headquartered in Connecticut, that prides itself on “provid[ing] workers with a safe and healthy work environment” and publicly proclaims that, “We are committed to supporting our community, being responsible partners, and giving back,” must follow suit.
At a time of great economic upheaval, stress, and uncertainty, our nation has experienced a spike in gun sales and corresponding increases in every-day gun violence, suicides, unintentional shootings and domestic incident reports. Subway must play its part in keeping Americans safe as we work to rebuild our lives and begin to patronize your businesses.
Sincerely,
Megan Ackerman, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Survivor of urban gun violence, Survivor of non-fatal school shooting, Sherman Oaks, CA
Donna B., Mother of a victim of gun violence, Santa Monica, CA
Miyoshia Bailey, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Chicago, IL
Sharon Baker, My Ex used a gun in a robbery, Goshen, IN
Ric Barreto, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Sacramento, CA
Pamela Barsam Brown, Relative of a victim of gun violence, boulder, CO
Valerie Batts, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Roxbury, MA
Michael Bishop, Father of a victim of gun violence, Pine Mountain, GA
Jeri Bishop, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Pine Mountain, GA
Paul Bocanegra , Perpetrator of gun violence as a juvenile, Redwood City, CA
Tika Bordelon, Father of a victim of gun violence, Seattle, WA
Pamela Bosley , Mother of a victim of gun violence, Chicago , IL
Nancy Bowman, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Tucson, AZ
LaTonya Boyd, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Topeka, KS
Tameco Brewster, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Los Angeles, CA
Stephanie Brown, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Chicago, IL
Valerie Burgest, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Chicago, IL
Milagros Burgos, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Chicago, IL
Julie Butcher, Mother of a victim of gun violence, La Crescenta, CA
Denise Buzy-Pucheu, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Sandy Hook, CT
Chris Byknish, RN in Surgery at Level One Trauma Center, Masury, OH
Cynthia Case, Daughter of a victim of gun violence., Tustin, CA
Delphine Cherry, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Hazel crest, IL
Lauren Child, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, South Pasadena, CA
David Christman, Survivor of urban gun violence, Athens, GA
Tonya Colombo, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Menifee, Ca
Julia Cordover, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Parkland, FL
Ernest Coverson, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Chicago, IL
Elika Dadsetan-Foley, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Survivor of suicide attempt with a gun, Boston, MA
Dana Daniell, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Chico, CA
Marie Delus, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Brooklyn, NY
Brad Dipee, Victim of attempted gun violence, Boulder, CO
doreen dodgen-magee, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Portland, OR
Bob Dorson, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Tucson, AZ
Ken Dorushka, Gunshot survivor, Tucson, AZ
Christine Doscher, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Sandy Hook, CT
Phoebe Doscher, Sibling of survivor, Sandy Hook, CT
Liv Doscher, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Sandy Hook, CT
Sandra Doscher, Grandparent of a victim of gun violence, Southbury, CT, FL
Herb Doscher, Grandparent of a victim of gun violence, The Villages, FL
Jane Dougherty, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Littleton, CO
Elizabeth Downing, M.D., Physician to college student victims of gun violence (4 murders), Santa Barbara, CA
John Dulles, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Broomfield, CO
Mitch Dworet, Father of a victim of gun violence, Coral Springs, FL
Christine Evans, Mother of a victim of gun violence, San Diego, CA
Randy Gardner, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, South Pasadena, CA
Dr A Gardner, Survivor of urban gun violence, Oakland, CA
Kimberley Gatbunton , Mother of a victim of gun violence, Tacoma, WA
Gerald F. Gaudin, Father of a victim of gun violence, Metaire, LA
Carol Gaxiola, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Sahuarita, AZ
Wayne Gilbert, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Tiburon, CA
Tara Gottlieb, Daughter of two victims of gun violence, Easton, CT
Roxanna Green, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Tucson, AZ
Sara Grossman, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Denver, CO
Fred Guttenberg, Father of a victim of gun violence, Parkland, FL
Kate Hairrell, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Redondo Beach, CA
Holly Hall, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Temecula, CA
Pamela Hight, Mother of a victim of gun violence, New york, NY
Gerry Hills, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Phoenix, AZ
Charlene Hoverter, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Barnegat, NJ
Pamela Impson, Survivor of urban gun violence, El Cajon, CA
Kelley Ireland, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Tucson, AZ
Jackie Jackson, Father of a victim of gun violence, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Gunshot survivor, Cincinnati, OH
Bonnie James, Domestic violence/gun violence survivor, Los Angeles, CA
Beth Jersey, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Concord, CA
Jeremy Jones, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Arvada, CO
Barbara Jones, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Arvada, CO
Rachael Joseph, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Minneapolis, MN
Joshua Kadish, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Los Angeles, CA
Paul Kaneko, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Two separate suicides with guns, Santa Cruz, CA
Dr. Fraideh Kioumehr, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Aunt of a victim of gun violence, Sacramento, CA
Kerry Kraems , Relative of a victim of gun violence, Merrill , WI
Karen Laakaniemi, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Pensacola, FL
Clai Lasher-Sommers, Gunshot survivor, Westmorland, NH
Marsha Lee, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Blue Island, IL
Don Lococo, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Newtown, CT
Linda Luke, Mother held hostage by gunman in church, Belleville, MI
Sara Macaluso, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Los Angeles, CA
Nilah M. MacDonald, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Scituate, MA
Patricia Maisch, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Tucson, AZ
Jaclyn Martinez, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, San Jose, CA
Sherri Mata, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Weatherford, TX
Doug McCool, Father of a victim of gun violence, Cortland, NY
Alice Mckay, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Brooklyn, NY
Jessica Milam, Gunshot survivor, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Sanger, CA
Dave Mills, Had someone threaten to shoot whole family, Lockhart, TX
Brenda Mitchell, Mother of a victim of gun violence, University Park, IL
Sydney Montstream-Quas, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Barrington, RI
Denise Morris, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Lakeside, CA
Hal Moskowitz, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Friend of Parents of shooting victim., New York, NY
Peter Murchison, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Ridgefield, CT
Emily Nottingham, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Tucson, AZ
Corey E. Olsen, Gunshot survivor, Delafield, WI
Gregory Orfalea, Father of a victim of gun violence, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Washington, D.C.
Marc Orfanos, Father of a victim of gun violence, Thousand Oaks, CA
Patricia Padauy, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Parkland, FL
Pantea Pahlavan, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Fairfield, CA
Karen Pandula, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Sunnyvale, CA
Deborah Parker, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Tucson, AZ
Dorothy Paugh, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Bowie, MD
Natalie Pavia, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Thousand Oaks, CA
Nicholas Payne, Father of a victim of gun violence, New Milford, CT
Joan Peterson, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Duluth, MN
Lonnie Phillips, Father of a victim of gun violence, Boerne, TX
Sandy Phillips, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Boerne, TX
Laura Pitchford, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Atherton, CA
Mia Porter, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Los Angeles, CA
Farzad Qmehr, Survivor of suicide attempt with a gun, Xarmichael, CA
Barbara Ramirez, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Sacramento, CA
Kim Rauhauser, Daughter of parents who were killed by gun violence, Coatesville, PA
Wayne Richardson, Father of a victim of gun violence, South Portland, ME
Judi Richardson, Mother of a victim of gun violence, South Portland, ME
Jeanette Richardson, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Newport News, VA
Helen Rodrigues, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Windsor, Ca
Rosa Rosenberg, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Los Angeles, CA
Aimee Rozen, Relative of a victim of gun violence, San Francisco, CA
Liz Russell, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Napa, CA
Touran Sanii, Grandparent of a victim of gun violence, Sacramento, CA
Cecilia Sanii, Relative of a victim of gun violence, San Antonio, TX
Stanley Schaper, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Washington, D.C.
April Schentrup, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Seattle, WA
Angelika Schriever, Grandparent of children living in Newtown, CT, Hamden, CT
Mattie Scott, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Relative of a victim of gun violence, San Francisco, CA
Diane Sellgren, Mother of a victim of gun violence, St. Louis Park, MN
Clare Senchyna, Mother of a victim of gun violence, San Francisco, CA
Ruth Senchyna, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Albany, NY
Philip Shook, Robbed at gun point, Tempe, AZ
Pam Simon, Gunshot survivor, Tucson, AZ
Latoya Smith, Mother of a victim of gun violence, East Hazel Crest, IL
Kristin Song, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Guilford, CT
manjula stokes, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Santa Cruz, CA
Barbara Stowe, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Greer, SC
Richard Tam, Relative of a victim of gun violence, San Jose, CA
Giesela Tanner, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Fullerton, CA
Cathy Taylor, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Midlothian Texas, TX
Grace Terpstra, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Washington, D.C.
Christine Thomas-Melly, child of a survivor of gun violence, Santa Rosa, CA
Ka Vang, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Stockton, CA
Bethany Webb, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Daughter and friend of victims of gun violence, Huntington Beach, MS
Jan Weisel, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Gunshot survivor, Woodinville, WA
Jane Weiss, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Snohomish, WA
Brenda Whitney, Survivor of a mass shooting incident, Laguna niguel, CA
Jean Wiant, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Glenolden, PA
Tavion Williams, Sibling of a victim of gun violence, Los Angeles, CA
Nicole Williams, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Los Angeles, CA
Antonius Wiriadjaja, Gunshot survivor, Survivor of urban gun violence, New York, NY
Maria Wright, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Pinecrest, FL
Frederick Wright, Father of a victim of gun violence, Pinecrest, FL
Sophia Zanga, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Stamford, CT
Brenda Zanga, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Stamford, CT
Chloe Zanga, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Stamford, CT
Missy Zeitsoff, Mother of a victim of gun violence, Santa Barbara, CA
Ellen Zito, Relative of a victim of gun violence, Olympia, WA
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Newtown Action Alliance (http://alliance.newtownaction.org/) is a Newtown-based, national grassroots organization formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Our mission is to achieve the steady and continuous reduction of gun violence through legislative and cultural changes.
Guns Down America (gunsdownamerica.org) is moving our country toward a future with fewer guns by running campaigns to weaken the gun industry, the gun lobby, and the lawmakers who support them.
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