Editor’s note: This story contains details of a mass casualty event and gun violence.
Washington D.C. professional sports teams, including the Nationals, Commanders, Capitals, Mystics, Spirit, Wizards and D.C. Shadow, announced on Friday that they would be donating $85,000 to Everytown for Gun Safety.
According to the Washington Post, D.C. United is involved although they were not included in the statement.
The announcement comes a little over a week after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas that left 21 people dead including 19 children. Additionally, a mass shooting occurred in Buffalo, N.Y., a few weeks ago leaving 10 Black people dead at a grocery store.
Various sports teams around the nation are participating in the Gun Violence Prevention Movement by wearing orange. The Nationals wore orange shirts that said “Enough” ahead of their Friday game vs. the Reds, and the Mystics sported orange shirts prior to their Friday match-up against the Liberty.
“As we continue to feel horror, shock and outrage following last week’s events in Uvalde, Texas, the Washington Nationals are teaming up with the Washington Capitals, Commanders, Mystics, Spirit, Wizards and D.C. Shadow to call for an increased commitment to reducing gun violence in our region and across the country through common sense measures,” the Nationals said in a statement.
Along with their own actions, the teams asked fans to help by donating to Everytown or wearing orange.
Washington D.C. isn’t the only city to donate to causes regarding gun reform in America. The Chicago Sports Alliance donated $300,000 to the Robb School Memorial Fund and the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation last week.
Following the May 24 shooting in Uvalde, Mystics guard Natasha Cloud called out politicians who refuse to make a change when it comes to gun control. She later said that the recent mass shootings have inspired her to go into politics when her WNBA career is over.
