Gun violence awareness group plants daffodils to honor Utah victims

The Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah planted daffodils at City Creek Park in Salt Lake City Nov. 2 to raise awareness for the lives lost to gun violence in the state last year.

Every year, the center plants daffodils in a different place in the state to honor victims and encourage public awareness.

“We are out here,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said, “planting 444 daffodil bulbs into the ground that symbolize the lives lost in Utah over the last year to gun violence.”

The Utah Health Department releases gun violence statistics in October every year, right before prime daffodil planting time. Last year, the Gun Violence Prevention Center planted 429 bulbs — 15 less than this year’s total.

Terri Gilfillian, board chair for the Gun Violence Prevention Center said the numbers have been steadily increasing over the past several years.

“Unfortunately, the numbers keep increasing and we have to buy more bulbs,” she said.

The center, along with the Salt Lake Police Department, have several events throughout the year to raise awareness of gun violence and encourage responsible gun ownership.

“We’re also encouraging people to be safe gun owners,” Mayor Mendenhall said of the city’s plans.

Those initiatives include giving free gun locks and a gun buyback program.

“We have nothing against people having firearms for their recreation or safety,” Gilfillian said, “but we want them to be responsible.”

The daffodils were planted in a high-traffic area, a park, which Gilfillian said will help people remember the high cost of gun violence.