A statement on the Dallas ICE Facility shooting

Once again we gather in the shadow of gun violence, this time painfully close to home. A shooting this morning at a Dallas ICE facility has left multiple people injured and dead. Our hearts are heavy, and we hold those who lost loved ones in our prayers.

As Unitarian Universalists, we know we are part of an interdependent web of existence. Any life cut short by violence is a tragedy. We name our sorrow, and we name our exhaustion—exhaustion with violent rhetoric and violent acts that hurt families and communities.

The facts deepen our sorrow. Nearly half of Texas households own firearms. In 2023 there were 4,561 gun deaths in our state; in 2022 there were 4,630, ranking Texas first in the nation for the total number of gun deaths that year. Gun ownership alone is not the issue. But these numbers reveal how serious the danger becomes when a culture flooded with divisiveness, violent speech, and relentless political conflict amplifies the risks on every side.

Our faith calls us to more than despair. We affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and the goal of peace and justice. We believe that our city deserves better. We will mourn together, meet with city and police officials, and continue to advocate for laws that address the rampant shootings that plague our city, state and country.

May we let grief move us to love, and love move us to action.

– Revs. Daniel, Beth, and T. J.

First Unitarian Church of Dallas