Our condolences go out to all the friends and families of individuals killed or injured from the recent shootings in Texas, Ohio, and California. As we reflect, on these tragedies, we urge all of us to focus on ways to end gun violence, and in those discussions to avoid stigmatizing people with mental health disabilities.

Disability Rights California condemns these mass shootings, the racism behind these actions and efforts to blame these horrific acts on mental health disabilities. Efforts to address the causes of gun violence by branding people with mental health disabilities as dangerous and violent is an unfounded distraction from finding effective policy solutions. People with mental illness are far more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators. There is also not a causal link between mental illness and mass shootings.

Associating mass shootings with mental health disabilities perpetuates misconceptions and stigma about mental health, and marginalizes all individuals living with those disabilities.