Mother of Sandy Hook victim is on a mission to stop school violence
![Nicole Hockley and her husband, Ian Hockley.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eqrVCQ3ivKMwx4hC7VQgtN-415-80.jpg)
It's been four years since 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, were brutally murdered by a gunman. In the days after the tragedy, Nicole Hockley — whose younger son, 6-year-old Dylan, died in the arms of his special education assistant, and older son, Jake, survived the shooting — cofounded Sandy Hook Promise, an organization dedicated to preventing gun violence, working for stricter gun laws, and bringing attention to mental health education.
In an interview with Vogue.com Wednesday, Hockley spoke about warning signs — excessive bullying, chronic social isolation, and vocal threats — and stressed the importance of speaking to school officials, law enforcement, and mental health professionals. It's also pertinent, she said, to speak about guns and mental health together: "Let's talk about how we ensure that only the right people are able to access guns, and how we can help people before they reach the point of picking up a gun to hurt themselves or someone else. That's not something you can necessarily legislate for. That's a social change."
Hockley said he believes background checks for gun owners failed because while polls showed 90 percent of Americans and 70 percent of NRA members wanted them, "there's a big difference between responding to a poll and actually calling your congressman. Not enough people were doing that. The people who were against passing background checks are incredibly organized..." She has spent a lot of time with President Obama, who was "so compassionate and sympathetic, but truly focused on doing something to make a change," and finds solace in being told that the training Sandy Hook Promise has provided to 1.5 million people has helped prevent school violence. "I will wholly admit, I've chosen a hard path here," she said. "I've chosen a long path. I've chosen a path where I'm constantly re-traumatizing myself. But saving lives in the name of Dylan, and protecting Jake and his future, that is... all a mother needs."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Big Tech's answer for AI-driven job loss: universal basic income
In The Spotlight A new study reveals the strengths and limitations
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'I will not be silent' on Gaza, says Kamala Harris
Speed Read In a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Harris supported Israel's right to defend itself while expressing a desire to end Palestinian suffering
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
'How long can TikTok dominate as a social network?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Trump criminal trial starts with rulings, reminder
Speed Read The first day of his historic trial over hush money payments was mostly focused on jury selection
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Parents of school shooter sentenced to 10-15 years
Speed Read Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first parents to be convicted in a US mass shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Unlicensed dealers and black market guns
Speed Read 68,000 illegally trafficked guns were sold in a five year period, said ATF
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bankman-Fried gets 25 years for fraud
Speed Read Former "crypto king" Sam Bankman-Fried will report to federal prison
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking case
Speed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Goon Squad' cops sentenced for torturing 2 Black men
Speed Read The former Mississippi law enforcement officers pleaded guilty last year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Michigan shooter's dad guilty of manslaughter
speed read James Crumbley failed to prevent his son from killing four students at Oxford High School in 2021
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Shooting at Chiefs victory rally kills 1, injures 21
Speed Read Gunfire broke out at the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory parade in Missouri
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published