travel warnings to us because of mass shootings

US gun crime: why tourists are being warned to avoid and beware

Visiting Lecturer, School of Architecture + Cities, University of Westminster

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The year 2023 is on track to be the worst in recent history for mass shootings in the US, according to the Gun Violence Archive database. Some commentators are questioning whether security fears surrounding gun violence and mass shootings could keep international fans away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles.

No other developed nation has mass shootings at the same scale or frequency as the US. Estimates suggest that Americans own 393 million of the 857 million civilian guns available, around 46% of the world’s civilian gun ownership.

A 2013 report by the European Commission found just 5% of EU citizens owned a gun, compared to around 32% of Americans in 2020. And the US figure is expected to have increased in response to recent shootings

Read more: US shootings: Norway and Finland have similar levels of gun ownership, but far less gun crime

Whenever another mass shooting takes place, foreign politicians and media react with incomprehension that American gun laws differ so much from those of most other western nations. Thirteen US states allow open carrying of a gun without a permit , and 25 (soon to be be 26) don’t require a permit to wear a concealed gun in public.

Several nations have now issued their citizens with US travel warnings relating to gun violence.

Uruguay has suggested its citizens avoid certain cities, including Detroit and Baltimore. Germany warns of the possibility of killing sprees and that arms and ammunition purchases have increased significantly since the COVID-19 crisis.

Canada now recommends its citizens familiarise themselves with how to respond to an active shooter before visiting and warns of mass shootings. Australia ’s official travel advice warns “gun crime is prevalent”.

Even Venezuela , ranked one of the world’s most dangerous countries , issued its highest advisory against travel to the US following mass shootings, starting from 2019.

Read more: Florida 'freakishness': why the sunshine state might have lost its appeal

China has also warned its citizens that they were travelling to a country with “frequent shootings”. The New York Times reported that the Chinese foreign ministry issued an advisory urging citizens to “be careful and prepare for the possibility that gun crimes may occur at workplaces, schools, at home and at tourist sites”.

In 2022, research by data analysis group Morning Consult found that a staggering 93% of Chinese nationals who wanted to visit the US were so worried about violent crime that they may not make a trip.

Tourism and violence

Journalist Rosie Spinks has questioned how America has managed to remain a “safe” country to visit, while similar incidents happening elsewhere would instantly cause countries to be locked off to international visitors.

In June 2015, a mass shooting took place in the Tunisian resort of Port El Kantaoui, killing 39 people, mostly tourists. The massacre dramatically affected Tunisia’s tourism industry and thousands lost their jobs.

For three years the UK advised against all travel to the country, with much of the world implementing similar policies. Research found that even in other Muslim countries that had no connection to the attack, their tourism industries were negatively impacted.

That is not to say that governments were wrong for cancelling holidays to Tunisia. Tourists’ safety should always be top priority.

Yet in the year of the Tunisia shooting, there were 372 mass shootings in the US. Meanwhile, the country welcomed a record number of overseas visitors. The difference here may be that Tunisian shootings were aimed at tourists.

Perhaps a destination’s ability to rebound after tragedy is often down not to the realities on the ground, but of our perceptions of safety . And these perceptions often come from prejudices, media bias, and governmental advice that favours certain destinations.

How do nations protect tourists?

Safety and security are vital for the tourism industry. More than any other economic activity, the success or failure of a tourism destination depends on being able to provide a safe and secure environment for visitors.

Some places opt to cocoon their tourists in enclave resorts , where they are protected in specific zones. The Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, for example, has been encircled by a 22-mile long, six-metre high wall, to protect its tourists after several violent incidents shook the Egyptian tourism industry.

Those wishing to enter the resort by road must now pass through gates equipped with cameras and scanners, while planes land directly within its walled interior.

Although these measures may seem unrealistic for the US, some areas that rely heavily on tourism have already put controls in place to protect their visitors. Loaded guns were once banned in all US national parks and wildlife reserves, until Barack Obama controversially overturned the 20-year law during his first month in office.

Walt Disney World has a strict no-gun rule in its theme park, yet reported seeing a sharp increase in people trying to enter with concealed weapons in 2021.

Gun violence in the US doesn’t seem to be going away, but global awareness and scrutiny of US gun laws and violence seems to be increasing.

Tourism is a big business in the US: in 2019 international visitors injected a staggering $233.5 bn (£187.6 bn) into the American economy. If the US hopes to maintain a positive tourism image and continue to attract visitors, it may soon have to consider how gun safety looks to the outside world.

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Did Amnesty International Issue Travel Advisory for US After Shootings?

Incidents of gun violence have not abated in the country., nur ibrahim, published june 14, 2022.

About this rating

Amnesty International did issue a travel advisory for visitors to the United States in response to gun violence in 2019 as part of their End Gun Violence Campaign. The organization does not normally issue such travel advisories and copied the U.S. Department of State's model for travel advice pertaining to American travelers going to other countries. A concentrated rash of gun violence in mid-2022 brought renewed attention to the advisory.

Human rights organization Amnesty International did indeed issue a travel advisory after a spate of gun violence in the United States … but that was back in 2019 . Gun violence in the U.S. however has continued unabated, resulting in many resharing the advisory on social media. We received questions from our readers about whether it was real or not.

An article from the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper, a daily paper from Jamaica, claimed on May 26, 2022, that Amnesty International issued the travel warning after the shooting against Black customers in Buffalo, New York, and the attack on a church in California. This article pulled an old Amnesty International press release and attached it to recent events. 

In August 2019 , Amnesty International wrote in the advisory that visitors should “have an emergency contingency plan when traveling throughout the USA.” The advisory told people to “be wary of the ubiquity of firearms among the population.” It recommended avoiding places where “large numbers of people gather” like schools, shopping malls, places of worship, and cultural events. It also recommended caution when visiting bars, nightclubs, and casinos. 

The resurgence of this travel advisory occured after a shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two adults were killed on May 24, 2022, when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School.  

The 2019 advisory was issued a few days after a man fatally shot 22 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. Amnesty International said the warning was meant to “hold up a mirror to the U.S. using the model of the United States Department of State’s travel advice for U.S. travelers to other countries.” The organization does not appear to regularly issue advisories of this nature, and it was part of their End Gun Violence Campaign. They have not issued another similar advisory on gun violence since, though the 2019 advisory is still accessible on Amnesty International's website.

The advisory also highlighted that a traveler’s race, country of origin, ethnic background, sexual orientation, or gender identity might place them at higher risk given attacks linked to white supremacist ideology. 

Given that this is a real advisory issued by Amnesty International in 2019, we rate this claim as “True.”

"Amnesty Int’l Issues Travel Advisory to the US in Light of Mass Shootings." Jamaica-Gleaner, 26 May 2022. https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/world-news/20220526/amnesty-intl-issues-travel-advisory-us-light-mass-shootings. Accessed 14 June 2022.

“Amnesty International Issues Travel Warning for US | DW | 08.08.2019.” DW, 8 Aug. 2019. https://www.dw.com/en/amnesty-international-issues-travel-warning-for-us/a-49939151. Accessed 14 June 2022.

“Collection: Uvalde School Shooting.” Snopes.Com, https://www.snopes.com/collections/uvalde-school-shooting/. Accessed 14 June 2022.

“Global Human Rights Movement Issues Travel Warning for the U.S. Due to Rampant Gun Violence.” Amnesty International USA, 7 Aug. 2019. https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/global-human-rights-movement-issues-travel-warning-for-the-u-s-due-to-rampant-gun-violence/. Accessed 14 June 2022.

"Infographic: Mass Shootings in the US over the Past 10 Years." Al Jazeera, 25 May 2022. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/25/infographic-mass-shootings-in-the-us-over-the-past-10-years. Accessed 14 June 2022.

“Travel Advisory: United States of America.” Amnesty International USA, 7 Aug. 2019. https://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/government-relations/advocacy/travel-advisory-united-states-of-america/. Accessed 14 June 2022.

By Nur Ibrahim

Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing.

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Countries Warn Their Citizens About U.S. Travel After Mass Shootings

Reporter, HuffPost

After horrific mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, over the weekend, at least two countries have warned their citizens against travel to the U.S.

On Monday, Venezuela’s government issued a warning telling Venezuelans to postpone planned trips to the U.S. or take precautions due to the “proliferation of violent acts and indiscriminate hate crimes” (translated from Spanish by HuffPost) that left dozens dead in the two cities in recent days.

The Venezuelan government blamed the “supremacist elite” in power in Washington, saying that violent acts had found “sustenance” in the “racial discrimination and hate” fueled against immigrants. It suggested avoiding crowded places, noting the “inexcusable” and “indiscriminate” possession of firearms by Americans.

It also named several U.S. cities to avoid because of their rates of violence, including Detroit, Baltimore and Oakland, California. Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in the world.

Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning against Venezuela amid political unrest in the country.

The Uruguayan government in a statement earlier Monday also warned against “growing indiscriminate violence” in the U.S., largely from hate crimes including racism. Citing Americans’ ownership of firearms, it said to avoid crowded areas, like malls and festivals.

Days ago, the U.S. State Department raised its travel advisory level for Uruguay “due to an increase in crime,” from a Level 1 warning (exercise normal precautions) to Level 2 (exercise increased caution).

HuffPost reached out to the State Department, which declined to comment.

Venezuela, which has been the focus of multiple State Department travel warnings, advises its citizens to avoid visiting the US due to threat of mass shootings. Blames the “supremacist elite in Washington” for the phenomenon. pic.twitter.com/bpMlEiHTsh — Joshua Goodman (@APjoshgoodman) August 5, 2019

After the Dayton shooting early Sunday, the Japanese consulate in Detroit issued a warning to Japanese residents to “ be aware of the potential for gunfire incidents everywhere in the United States, a gun society.” (The Japanese government still lists travel to the U.S. as safe .)

Among the 22 killed in El Paso, eight were Mexican nationals.

On Monday, Democratic presidential candidates slammed President Donald Trump for his past racist statements, linking them to the El Paso shooting, in which the alleged gunman, a white man, posted an anti-immigrant manifesto railing at the “Hispanic invasion of Texas.”

“The attack in El Paso was the result of hate and bigotry. Trump has made hate and bigotry and division a political strategy,” candidate Julián Castro said at a forum in San Diego.

“The attack was an attack on the Latino community, on immigrants, on Mexicans,” Castro, a former Housing and Urban Development secretary, added. “And that is no accident. That is due in part to the climate that this president has set of division, of otherness.”

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Travel | google to stop showing links to california news reports, travel | what travel warnings do other nations give their citizens about us violence.

American travelers — at least those of the cautious variety — might be familiar with the US State Department’s travel advisories .

The agency monitors the world for potential trouble and issues warnings from “Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions” to “Level 4: Do Not Travel,” alerting would-be visitors to terrorism threats, war, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, high crime rates and other personal security issues.

But have you ever wondered how other countries’ governments caution their citizens about coming to the United States? What kind of reputation does America have?

After all, the rate of gun-related deaths in the United States has been going up in recent years.

Mass shootings have become downright commonplace: 690 in 2021; 647 in 2022; and 40 as of 6:30 p.m. ET January 24, 2023, according to Gun Violence Archive .

The worst of the mass shootings, such as the recent ones in Half Moon Bay , Oakland and  Monterey Park , California, make headlines not just in the United States but worldwide . And while mass shootings generate the most attention, they account for a small fraction of the overall gun-related deaths in the United States.

CNN Travel checked out what the governments of the United States’ neighbors and closest allies tell their citizens about coming here. It’s not exactly a flattering picture.

Would-be visitors aren’t being warned off entirely as if America is an active war zone. Each nation has its own approach, but a general theme boils down to this: The United States is more violent than what you’re used to. Learn to take precautions that you might not have to take at home.

The other takeaway: Violent crime rarely involves tourists.

Here’s more on what nine countries — which account for a good chunk of the US international tourism traffic — have to say:

In 1996, 35 people were killed in a mass shooting in Port Arthur on the island of Tasmania. In the wake of the massacre, Australia passed stricter gun control laws that included “a near ban on all fully automatic or semiautomatic firearms,” according to Britannica online encyclopedia.

So for more than 25 years, Australians have lived in quite a different gun culture than that of Americans.

The Australian government warns its citizens who plan to visit the United States that violent crime is more common than in Australia and gun crime is possible in all areas. It instructs Australians to follow local guidance and instructions. They’re encouraged to learn active shooter drills if they live in the United States.

On its SmartTraveller website , the Australian government also reminds would-be travelers that “although tourists are rarely targeted, there is always a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” It does not provide notice of specific incidents “unless there’s a significant risk to Australians.”

Still, it’s not warning its citizens off US travel. As of January 24, it advised to “exercise normal safety precautions in the United States of America.”

Canada advises its citizens to “take normal security precautions” when visiting the United States.

The Canadian government warns its citizens about crossing the US-Mexico border by car, citing “criminal incidents associated with drug trafficking.” It tells its citizens to avoid traveling at night at the border.

It also warns about gang- and organized crime-related violence in large urban areas, noting that violent crime “rarely affects tourists,” but cautioning travelers to be mindful of their surroundings and resist if robbers threaten them.

The government also reminds Canadians of the frequent mass shootings in the United States. “Incidences of mass shootings occur, resulting most often in casualties. Although tourists are rarely involved, there is a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom reminds would-be visitors to America that “incidents of mass shooting can occur, but account for a very small percentage of homicide deaths.”

It also tells its citizens that “violent crime, including gun crime, rarely involves tourists, but you should take care when traveling in unfamiliar areas. Avoid walking through less traveled areas alone, especially at night.”

Like Canada, the UK cautions about the US-Mexico border.

In the advice column, the UK warns its citizens away from inappropriate humor: “Don’t make flippant remarks about bombs or terrorism, especially when passing through US airports.”

Lauren Redfern, a London resident in her early 30s who was completing a PhD in medical anthropology, made extensive trips to the United States in 2018 (Chicago to New Orleans) and 2022 (Los Angeles).

She told CNN Travel in the summer of 2022 that she had awareness about US gun violence as she started her 2018 trip, but she felt far removed from it. “At that time, I absolutely wouldn’t consider doing anything differently” than she’d do in the United Kingdom.

But while staying in an Airbnb in New Orleans, she was doing laundry in a common area when someone cracked open a door and poked in the barrel of a shotgun.

No shots were fired, but “it was this weird, out-of-body experience where it really made me think and appreciate and understand ‘oh, this is very real’ on a level I have never experienced and will never experience in the UK.”

“That experience definitely changed my sense of personal safety while traveling in the US,” Redfern said.

It didn’t deter her from making another US trip, but “it changed the way I thought about American culture.” She’s much less likely now to venture out alone when visiting the United States versus London, where she has no worries about doing so.

Israel is a very security-minded country with special ties to the United States.

It issues warnings on a scale of 01 to 04 , the latter being of the highest risk level. Israel’s travel warnings are focused on terrorism directed specifically at its citizens when abroad vs. more general crime worries.

For example, people are warned away from the North African nation of Algeria, which has an 04 ranking because of terror groups and “hostility towards Israel on the Algerian street.”

However, the United States is rated at 01 (“ordinary precautions”) despite a rise in anti-Semitic incidents .

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a different take.

It says generally “the United States of America is among the safest countries,” but it does warn French citizens about some urban areas and notes an increase in carjackings.

Interestingly, the ministry breaks down potential threats to specific neighborhoods. A couple of examples:

• In Boston, “it is recommended to avoid traveling alone, on foot and at night, in certain parts of Dorchester, Mattapan and Roxbury.”

• In Atlanta, French visitors are told to “be vigilant in isolated areas of the city center (downtown) after the close of business and favor taxi travel at night.”

Germany is another US ally with strong tourism ties, and it has strict gun laws and a much lower rate of firearm homicides compared with the United States. It’s even lower than some of its European neighbors and allies.

Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs tells German citizens that “it is easy to obtain guns in the United States, leading to increased use of guns and occasional killing sprees. The number of arms and ammunition purchases has increased significantly during the COVID-19 crisis.”

It also warns would-be visitors to the US about the possibilities of domestic clashes over racism and police violence, advising them to “avoid gatherings of people in the vicinity of which violence could possibly occur.”

For Americans, State Department travel advisories are a valuable resource for figuring out the safer areas of Mexico to visit.

But Mexicans have their own concerns about visiting their northern neighbor. (For instance, one of the people killed in the mass shooting at the Highland Park, Illinois, July Fourth parade in 2022 was a Mexican national visiting family .)

When this story was last republished in late January 2023, the Mexican government’s overseas travel alert page for the United States wasn’t working (though warnings worked for other nations such as Egypt and Turkey).

However, CNN’s Library research team found cautions about US travel posted on the site in May 2021.

It specifically noted that “historical racial and ethnic tension, including opposition to immigration, have led to attacks by violent extremist groups” and then cited the mass shooting at an El Paso, Texas, Wal-Mart in 2019 , in which more than 20 people were killed.

The government advised its citizens to avoid large crowds in the United States and for travelers to always carry a copy of their Mexican passport and an official photo ID.

So it’s no surprise that the government warns that “it is important to recognize that the security situation is very different between the United States and Japan, and to understand what kind of crime victims are at high risk in what areas.”

It says “one of the main security concerns in the United States is gun crime” and offers a lot of advice for getting out of or hunkering down in possible active shooter situations, including:

• Find security exits in a new place and have an evacuation plan • Hide in a room and barricade the door using heavy furniture • Keep quiet and mute cell phones

If a Japanese tourist can’t escape or hide, they’re advised to “throw things close to the criminal, use them as weapons.”

New Zealand

As of January 24, 2023, Australia’s island neighbor had an “exercise increased caution (level 2 of 4)” alert for the United States “due to the threat of terrorism.”

New Zealand’s SAFETRAVEL website goes on to warn its citizens that “there is a higher incidence of violent crime and firearm possession than in New Zealand. In many states, it is legal for United States citizens to openly carry firearms in public. However, crime rates vary considerably across cities and suburbs and incidents rarely involve tourists.”

It suggests that people coming to the United States research their specific destinations before traveling and seek local advice.

SAFETRAVEL guides New Zealanders to an active shooter response pamphlet put out by the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency.

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U.S. Gun Violence Prompts Travel Warnings From Multiple Countries

Several countries are issuing travel warnings for American destinations due to the recent surge in mass shootings across the United States.

The Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks and aggregates information on shootings across the U.S., has reported 21 mass shootings between May 1 and May 7 alone, defined as incidents where at least four people are shot and either killed or injured.

So far, in 2023, the archive has documented 208 such shootings, resulting in nearly 15,000 gun violence-related deaths in the U.S.

Countries Issuing Warnings for US Gun Violence

This rising trend of gun violence in the U.S. has led countries such as Canada, Australia, and the U.K. to raise concerns and issue travel advisories to their citizens about the risk of gun violence when traveling to America. These advisories reflect the growing global concern over gun violence in the U.S.

When offering guidance to travelers crossing the American border, Canadian officials make reference to the high prevalence of firearm ownership in the United States. They stated it is "legal in many states for citizens to openly carry firearms in public.”

“Incidences of mass shootings occur, resulting most often in casualties. Although tourists are rarely involved, there is a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”  

Canadian Advisory

Due to the alarming increase in fatal shootings in the United States, the Canadian government advises tourists to prepare themselves to react in an active shooter situation.

In addition to this warning, other risks mentioned in travel advisories include criminal activities linked to drug trafficking at the border with Mexico, petty and violent crimes, fraud, terrorism, and home invasions.

Overall, the Canadian government recommends that travelers exercise general safety measures while in the United States.

Australian Advisory

Australia has also issued a travel advisory to caution its citizens about the escalating gun violence in America. It advises tourists to practice typical safety measures when traveling to the U.S., which has been classified as a level 1 risk destination.

Despite warning visitors about various potential hazards, including severe weather, theft, and terrorism, the Australian government specifically highlights that violent crime and gun-related incidents are more frequent in the U.S. than in Australia.

It also encourages individuals residing in the U.S. to familiarize themselves with active shooter drills and take necessary precautions.

UK Advisory

Similar to Australia, the United Kingdom aims to provide reassurance to its citizens visiting the U.S. by stating that violent crimes involving guns seldom affect tourists.

However, the British authorities advise travelers to exercise caution when exploring unfamiliar regions and warn that while mass shootings may occur, they represent only a small fraction of all homicide-related deaths.

The government suggests that British tourists avoid solitary walks in less populated areas, particularly during nighttime, to ensure their safety.

Additionally, the British government advises travelers about the dangers posed by terrorism and the possibility of peaceful demonstrations turning violent when traveling to the U.S.

Bottom Line

Comparatively, Canada, Australia, and the U.K. experience significantly fewer gun violence-related fatalities and incidents Reported by  Newsweek.  

As per information collated by the BBC from various government sources, merely 4% of all homicides in the U.K. are related to gun violence, whereas in Australia, the figure stands at 13%, in Canada, it's 37%, and in the U.S., a staggering 79%.

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Foreign countries issue travel warnings to U.S. in wake of mass shootings

Foreign countries issue travel warnings for its citizens visiting u.s. in wake of mass shootings.

Several countries are now warning their citizens about traveling to the U.S. due to the danger of mass shootings and gun violence.

LOS ANGELES - Several countries are now warning their citizens about traveling to the U.S. due to the danger of mass shootings and gun violence.

Americans who spoke to FOX 11's Bill Melugin say they're embarrassed by this. Typically, when one hears about travel advisories, places where terrorism is a risk come to mind.

This week's warnings come after two mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton left 31 people dead. One gunman used an AK-47 to massacre shoppers at a Walmart, the other using an assault rifle-type weapon to kill innocent victims enjoying a night out. One of the people killed in the El Paso shooting was a German citizen.

In response, the Venezuelan government posted a statement urging its citizens to postpone trips to the U.S. and criticizing gun laws. Uruguay posted a similar advisory urging citizens to avoid places with large groups of people when visiting the U.S because of "indiscriminate violence and hate crimes and discrimination."

Even the Japanese consulate in Detroit posted a warning saying Japanese citizens should be aware of the potential for gunfire everywhere in the U.S.

"I don't blame them. It's not safe. I'm going back to Texas and I'm getting my gun license so I can protect myself from these crazy people," said Rochelle Burkhead.

"I think the fact that the conversation is even happening is an appalling thing, as an American or not, the issue that that's what we're dealing with, I think it's a shame," said Andrew Rincon.

"I guess for us it’s crazy that you guys have so many guns here so easily accessible, we don’t have that culture in our country, getting a gun is very hard, but again it’s a constitutional right and I think a lot of places around the world don’t understand in the US that’s how it is," said Steve Kent who was visiting from Australia.

But as American mass shootings continue to grab the world's attention, some citizens say those who come here should remain on alert.

"Would you if you had a country that was killing people like that? I wouldn’t wanna go to that country, something needs to be done and I don’t think the answer is gonna happen anytime soon," Burkhead said.

Other countries have issued travel advisories about gun violence in the U.S. in the past including France, New Zealand, and Germany.

Has gun violence made America too dangerous for tourists?

There is demonstrably more gun violence in the U.S. than in any other large, wealthy country

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The U.S. is a wonderful tourist destination, with vibrant cities, scenic national parks, world-class museums and sports arenas, and a delicious panoply of food and beverages, among other delights and attractions.

Or, looked at another way, the U.S. is a violent hellscape where wealthy cities are filled with homeless encampments , the government was nearly overthrown in a coup, life expectancy is lower — and health care spending much higher — than in any other large and wealthy nation on Earth, civilian-owned guns far outnumber people, a mass shooting happens about once a day, school shootings are so prevalent that kindergartners are drilled on active shooter scenarios, and even something as purely American as Little League baseball games are thrown into chaos by random gunfire.

That latter view got a fresh airing after yet another spate of mass shootings — this time at a Tennessee private school, a Kentucky bank, a Texas neighborhood, a Texas outlet mall — and a series of encounters where people were shot just for mistakenly approaching the shooter's house or car. A Twitter user in Australia then dug up and posted a video the FBI released in September 2020 — when few people were going out — on how to survive a mass shooting in a public space.

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"Broken country," tweeted Kat Abu of Media Matters. "I am from Australia — can someone please explain if this is parody or not?" another Twitter user, Stu Mac, asked earnestly . It was not. "Other countries don't have to do this," said another Australian . "People in other countries don't even have to think about things like this." Another response : "This should be shown on international flights as the plane lands in America." And another : "American Visas should come with a warning like a cigarette pack."

The replies were filled with foreigners agreeing that the video and its necessity are crazy, some lamentations that the U.S. is hosting the next World Cup, Americans saying they have to watch videos like this for work and at school, others saying they cried after watching the video, and a few people calling it proof you should carry a gun to bars and restaurants.

So, is America a top-level destination for families and other tourists, or a nation too dangerous for all but the most hardened, risk-tolerant travelers?

What do other countries say, officially?

For decades, the U.S. has "enjoyed the supremacy and monopoly of issuing travel warnings" for citizens considering visits to "countries marred by violence or terrorism," the Tourism Academy travel industry school observed in a June 2022 essay. "The balance of power has however shifted, with foreign nations warning their citizens to avoid traveling to the United States," starting after a pair of back-to-back deadly mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, in 2019.

Even then, the number of countries raising their warning levels was small: Venezuela and Uruguay urged their citizens to avoid travel to the U.S., while the Japanese Consulate in Detroit, 200 miles north of Dayton, noted that the U.S. is a "gun society" and advised Japanese citizens they "should be aware of the potential for gunfire incidents everywhere in the United States." Amnesty International called on "people worldwide to exercise caution and have an emergency contingency plan when traveling throughout the USA" due to "ongoing high levels of gun violence in the country."

Other countries, like New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, and Germany, have cautioned their citizens about America's gun violence without advising them to stay away. Most of the big drivers of U.S. tourism counsel would-be visitors that "the U.S. is more violent than what you're used to," they should "learn to take precautions that you might not have to take at home," and "violent crime rarely involves tourists," CNN Travel reported in January.

Concern about U.S. gun violence and tourism isn't exactly new, as this 2015 New Yorker cartoon illustrates.

But before 2019, foreign tourists to the U.S. were mostly warned about things like "expensive emergency health care, overly sensitive attitudes toward nude sunbathing, and gross tap water," Mental Floss reported in 2016, with examples.

But mass killings started to rise in the U.S. in 2019, and they have kept going up amid a subsequent jump in gun sales and mental and financial stress from the Covid-19 pandemic, James Alan Fox, a gun violence expert at Northeastern University, told USA Today . Mass shootings "are the kinds of events that make headlines, scare people, and make them look around when they go into a supermarket or retail store," he added. The U.S. typically experiences about six public mass shootings a year, but it reached that number in May with the outlet mall shooting in Allen, Texas.

Is America getting a free pass from wealthy allies?

Yes, "even in our thoroughly globalized world, there is an inherent unfairness in how we determine what countries are 'safe' to visit in the wake of a tragedy," and the U.S. especially gets a "seemingly infinite benefit of the doubt," Rosie Spinks wrote at Skift in 2019. Tourism lives and dies on perception, and America gets to "indulge in a kind of identity-forging belief that it is 'the greatest country in the world' — even when, say, it's the only country in the world that suffers mass shootings to this degree."

In fact, unlike the State Department's Level 2 advisory for parts of Europe or its guidance "for Turkey — which, at Level 3, advises travelers to 'reconsider travel' and stay away from regions near the Syrian and Iraqi border — there is no rhyme or reason to where the threat of a mass shooting in the U.S. lies," Spinks pointed out. You could get shot anywhere, at any time, "and sure, while the statistical likelihood of a traveler being caught up in a mass shooting in America is low, is it any lower than that of a terrorism attack in Turkey or Western Europe?"

Has gun violence affected tourism?

Anecdotally, yes. And there is some data that suggests tourism drops off for months in places where there were high-profile mass shootings, like Las Vegas after the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in 2017 and Orlando after 2016's Pulse nightclub killings.

Nationally, foreign tourism numbers dipped across the U.S. a bit in 2019, then plummeted in 2020 and 2021, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. International visitor arrivals jumped 128% between 2021 and 2022, to 50.9 million visitors from 22.3 million, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration , but foreign arrival numbers were still 36% lower than in 2019.

Even after pandemic-related testing requirements to enter the U.S. lifted, "travelers are likely to pause before rushing back to a country where hate crimes and mass shootings are becoming far too commonplace," Lebawit Lily Girma wrote at Skift in June 2022. Travelers do research their destinations while planning a trip, Eastern Kentucky University hospitality and tourism professor Daegeun Kim told USA Today , and the more frequently they see news about gun violence at "a destination where they want to go, it is more likely that it's going to affect their decision-making process."

Canada was the top source of U.S. tourism in 2022, followed closely by Mexico, with Britain a distant third. But "there's no getting around it — gun violence and racial and political division are growing deterrents for Canadians and other international travelers to visit one of the world's great destinations," Bruce Parkinson wrote at Canadian Travel News in May 2022. "We love exploring the United States," but "for many Canadians, real freedom is about living in a civil, tolerant society where gun violence is a minuscule threat. The same goes for when we travel."

And it's not just Canada, Parkinson added. "The fact is that most of the world sees America's unfettered gun laws as bizarre and disturbing. And a growing number are literally afraid of traveling to places where the guy sitting beside them at the bar may have a gun on his hip — and is fully within his rights to do so."

Should tourists shun the U.S.?

"In Europe there is a deep sense that U.S. rampant gun violence is a totally domestic issue, tragic of course, both a stain to the country's image and a total mystery, but that it won't affect the visitor's everyday life," Vincent Bontoux, a consultant based in France who recently visited New York City with his 87-year-old mother, told Skift .

There is demonstrably more gun violence in the U.S. than in any other large, wealthy country — 4.12 firearm homicides per 100,000 people versus 0.18 in Australia and 0.04 in the United Kingdom, USA Today reports , citing research by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. And other U.S. news reaches an international audience as well.

"You just never know how police will behave, what will happen on the border, whether or not you'll be shot by someone," said Alexandra Mirskikh, a Ukrainian living in the Netherlands who now avoids visiting the U.S. "The world is really large," she added. "There are so many places I haven't been."

"We understand that the events and headlines we have been seeing may cause concerns to those abroad — we as American citizens also share that concern," Chris Thompson, CEO of tourism market firm BrandUSA, told Skift in 2022.

"I think one, this is a big country, and two, we need to address the issue — but it's not an issue where I feel unsafe walking down the street or traveling in the U.S," and that context should be made clear, Elliot Ferguson, CEO of Destination DC, told Skift. "Collectively, when you look at all the reasons why America is an attractive destination, that has not changed," he added. "There's still a level of interest in our country that fortunately for us has not been skewed 100%."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.  

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Mass shootings in the US are prompting some countries to issue travel warnings

The US State Department frequently issues travel advisories about the dangers it believes Americans might face when visiting other nations. However, many Americans are not accustomed to thinking of their own country as a perilous place and may be surprised to find that some countries are similarly issuing warnings about US visits.

The most recent warnings came from Venezuela and Uruguay, prompted by the two mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, which occurred over the weekend and left more than 30 people dead and dozens wounded.

The two countries warned citizens against US travel, citing violence, racism, and high gun ownership levels. The Venezuelan warning, which probably also reflects that country’s current fraught relationship with American authorities, says that “increasing acts of violence have found an echo and support in the conversations and actions impregnated by racial discrimination and hatred against migrant populations, pronounced and executed by the supremacist elite who holds political power in Washington.” It cited “inexcusable indiscriminate possession of fire arms by the population, encouraged by the federal government,” as a reason to avoid US travel.

The Uruguayan warning also advised citizens of “growing [indiscriminate] violence, specifically hate crimes including racism and discrimination” in the US. And like Venezuela’s statement, the Uruguayan authorities noted that “indiscriminate possession of firearms by the population” presents a threat to foreign visitors.

Notably, the State Department has warned Americans about travel to both Venezuela and Uruguay as well. “Do not travel to Venezuela due to crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, kidnapping, and arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens,” an April 9 advisory warns . On a scale of 1-4 from least to most dangerous, the US ranks Venezuela a 4.

About Uruguay, the State Department wrote on Aug. 2 , “Exercise increased caution in Uruguay due to crime.” That nation is ranked a 2 on the travel advisory scale.

While the travel advisories are not technically political statements, they can reflect international relations and, arguably, may be used to retaliate against a negative advisory issued by another country. In the case of Venezuela, the warning seems to fall squarely in this camp based on the tone. In January, opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself the country’s interim president after massive protests against Nicolás Maduro’s government. Opponents said Maduro’s re-election in 2018 was unconstitutional. The US recognized Guaidó’s presidency and is working to help push Maduro out of power .

At a meeting in Lima, Peru on Aug. 5, US National Security Advisor John Bolton announced a full economic embargo on Venezuela , putting it in “a club of rogue states” alongside Cuba, Syria, and North Korea. The sanctions are intended to finally force Maduro out. So it’s perhaps not surprising that the nation’s travel advisory has as much to say about “supremacist elites” in Washington and the federal government as it does about actual dangers faced by visitors to the US.

However, other nations have also warned against US travel, citing high gun ownership rates and mass shootings as a danger. The Washington Post reports that Germany and Ireland have previously advised citizens to consider American weapons possession rates and laws when visiting. Likewise, a New Zealand advisory , reviewed in November of last year and current today, states that in the US “there is a higher incidence of violent crime and firearm possession than in New Zealand.” Canada, too, warns potential travelers to the US of mass shootings. In 2016, the foreign ministry of the Bahamas noted “tensions in some American cities over shootings of young black males by police officers” and warned travelers to exercise caution.

While the travel advisories won’t likely deter visitors intent on coming to the US, it’s not a great look for a country that often holds itself up as the world’s moral compass.

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Amnesty International’s travel warning about the U.S. is a mistake

The human rights group mischaracterized the nature of gun violence here, and its advisory could be counterproductive..

After two mass shootings earlier this month, Amnesty International issued a “ travel advisory ” for the United States, a first of its kind, “calling for possible travelers and visitors to the United States to exercise extreme caution when traveling throughout the country due to rampant gun violence.” Amnesty labeled American gun violence a human rights crisis .

Supporters of increased gun regulation took the warning as a welcome condemnation of the state of gun violence in the United States: “ Yep, America is that country now. Businesses that depend on tourism will certainly be affected. Welcome to the Wild Wild West. #GunControlNow. ” “ Who’s the s---hole country now? ” “ There’s a list I never thought we’d make. Shame on us. #GunControlNow #BanAssaultWeaponsNow #BackgroundChecksNow .”

As a political scientist, human rights researcher and donating member of Amnesty International, it is my job to understand Amnesty’s incentives and its core competencies — and my passion to understand and improve the outcomes of human rights work. And contrary to what some people who favor tougher gun regulations may believe, travel advisories are not the sort of thing that Amnesty does. It has no systematic, empirical standard for declaring a travel advisory. It is not an expert in assessing travel risk. It has never issued a “travel advisory” like this for any other country. Even the director of security at Human Rights Watch, whose job is to assess security in high-risk environments, stated that Amnesty does not issue travel advisory notices.

Amnesty simply granted itself the power to make this proclamation so it could promote its gun violence campaign , and it allowed its name recognition and powerful brand to carry it into the spotlight. It has not provided an explanation for issuing the travel advisory, beyond retweeting the advisory itself . The reward for this move? Positive and uncritical front-page media coverage , the most popular tweet in its recent history, skyrocketing search interest and a possible influx of donors to follow.

Amnesty is recognized by academics, policymakers, the media, the public and other international nongovernmental organizations as having a high standard of evidence by scrupulously shining a light into the darkness. But an announcement such as this — more gimmick than useful advice — has the potential to hurt the cause of human rights.

The “travel advisory” severely mischaracterizes important facts about the patterns of gun violence in the United States. As a result, it unnecessarily stokes fear and implies several incorrect recommendations that, if people followed them, would not make them safer.

Today we issue a travel warning calling for travelers & visitors to the United States to exercise extreme caution & have a contingency plan when travelling throughout the country. This is due to ongoin rampant gun violence in the United States. pic.twitter.com/eVVeMnAOOP — Amnesty International (@amnesty) August 7, 2019

The advisory urges people to avoid the places where research shows they are safer from gun violence: “places where large numbers of people gather, especially cultural events, places of worship, schools, and shopping malls.” While mass shootings have occurred in these places, they’re by far the least probable locations for people to experience gun violence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). In 2011, about 48 percent of gun homicides took place in the home and 25 percent on streets and roads, with 3 to 4 percent taking place in schools, recreational areas, sports fields or athletic arenas (data through 2016 are available through the NVDRS , with very similar statistics).

America is turning against guns

Amnesty vaguely implies that marginalized groups such as women, immigrants and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community face the highest risk of gun violence: “Depending on the traveler’s gender identity, race, country of origin, ethnic background, or sexual orientation, they may be at higher risk of being targeted with gun violence, and should plan accordingly.” But while there have been horrifying recent cases targeting members of minority groups , the vast majority of the victims of gun violence are men targeted for reasons that have no relation to their gender or sexual orientation. Amnesty’s statement also implies that individuals are more at risk of gun violence perpetrated by strangers or members outside of their own community, which is not what the data suggests. People are overwhelmingly more likely to be shot by people they know and members of their own community and ethnicity .

Amnesty’s warning implies that people are likely to experience gun violence wherever they are in the United States because of the “ubiquity of firearms among the population.” But the data suggests otherwise. Two percent of counties accounted for more than 50 percent of killings in recent years, and even then, homicides tend to be concentrated in certain neighborhoods. In any given year, 54 percent of American counties don’t usually experience a single homicide of any kind.

The timing of the announcement implies that people are more likely to die of gun violence today than ever before. While tragic and newsworthy events such as mass shootings can create this impression , gun homicides occur about 60 percent as often as they did 25 years ago, even taking into account that the number of fatalities from mass shootings has increased. Mass shootings account for a small percentage of overall gun violence, making the selective attention to such events a poor way to understand general patterns of gun deaths in the United States. And the travel warning, leveled only against the United States, provides a false sense that the risk of murder is higher here than in other countries. But according to cross-national data on intentional homicides, there are 80 or 90 countries with a higher murder rate than the United States, none of which Amnesty has warned against visiting because of potential violence.

Five myths about gun violence

Amnesty argues that the U.S. government is failing to uphold its human rights obligations because “people in the United States cannot reasonably expect to be free from harm — a guarantee of not being shot is impossible.” While it is important to hold all governments accountable when they do not protect the basic right to live, no government can literally guarantee that people won’t be murdered (or even shot — Japan, widely hailed for its gun regulations, still sees about 10 gun homicides a year). So long as citizens enjoy individual freedoms, there will always be some risk, however small. Surely Amnesty International would oppose the kind of totalitarian surveillance and repression that would be required to guarantee a zero-murder rate.

Reducing gun violence is obviously an important goal. But doing it effectively requires an accurate understanding of its patterns . By systematically mischaracterizing American gun violence, Amnesty’s announcement stands to benefit only the organization’s profile, not potential victims of gun violence.

Worse yet, Amnesty’s rhetoric could backfire for the human rights movement by unwittingly providing new anti-immigrant and anti-refugee talking points. After all, Amnesty implies that it’s safer for refugees and immigrants to stay out of the United States. Immigration opponents have already picked up on this by responding to Amnesty’s announcement on Twitter: “Yes exactly, we need to send them back for their own protection!” Amnesty’s prior exaggerations have resulted in a similar unintended boost to the right wing, as I’ve written about before , when Republicans and the Trump administration used false statistics reported by Amnesty to argue that a border wall would make female migrants safer by denying them entry to the United States.

Amnesty announced its travel warning a day after Venezuela and Uruguay issued their own travel advisories to the United States — two countries with much higher murder rates than the United States and blemished human rights records of their own. By following their lead, Amnesty has lent legitimacy to their trolling warnings. Venezuela’s homicide rate is roughly 15 times as high as that of the United States and is listed as a “ do not travel ” state on the State Department’s own advisory page. It’s absurd to think the murder capital of the world is expressing genuine concern for risks that its citizens may take if they were to venture here.

The high level of legitimacy and authority that Amnesty enjoys as a human rights monitor has unfortunately provided a boost to the propaganda of repressive states and provided no benefit to victims of human rights abuses.

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Reporting by Michael Martina, David Brunnstrom and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Sandra Maler and Sonali Paul

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Ethan Crumbley’s parents sentenced to up to 15 years for son’s fatal school shooting

E than Crumbley’s parents were sentenced to between 10 and 15 years behind bars Tuesday for their son’s 2021 massacre that left four students dead — the first parents convicted in a US mass school shooting.

James and Jennifer Crumbley were handed the prison time by Judge Cheryl Matthews in a Pontiac, Mich., courtroom after they were found guilty on involuntary manslaughter charges at separate trials in March and February, respectively.

The duo are the first parents in the nation’s history to be convicted in relation to a school shooting carried out by their child.

The parents faced prison for failing to intervene despite obvious warning signs that their son was troubled and for failing to keep a gun locked away in their home.

Prosecutors had asked Matthews to put James, 47, and Jennifer, 46, away for at least 10 years for the rampage that killed four students, injured six more and also injured a teacher at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021.

Both parents, who’ve been locked up for the two and a half years since their arrests, asked for no additional prison time. Jennifer requested she be released with GPS tracking to live with her lawyer.

Before the sentencing, Jennifer was allowed to address the court, where she said she had found God and claimed she had no idea what her son was capable of.

She said: “The gravity and weight this has taken on my heart and soul has no words, just as I know there is nothing I can say to ease the pain of the families.

“If I even thought my son would be capable of crimes like these, my actions would have been different …He was not the son I knew when I woke up on Nov. 30. The Ethan I knew was a good, quiet kid.”

James was also given an opportunity to speak on the stand and apologized for the “pain and agony” his son had caused.

“Part of you will be missing forever, but please know I am truly very sorry. I am sorry for your loss as a result of what my son did. I cannot express how much I wish that I had known what was going on with him or what was going to happen.

“You know that what my son did. I was not aware of that or that he was planning it or that he obtained access to the firearms in my house, there is no evidence that suggested that,” he said.

Addressing Matthews, he added: “I’m simply going to ask that you sentence me in a fair and just way.”

At their trials, jurors heard testimony about how the parents went to the school the day of the shooting to discuss a violent drawing found on Ethan’s math assignment with officials. The pictures showed a gun, a bullet and a person bleeding with the words, “Blood everywhere” and “The thoughts won’t stop — help me.”

But James and Jennifer didn’t take Ethan, then 15, out of school that day, instead returning to work after the school gave them a list of mental health services, according to trial testimony.

Staffers didn’t insist Ethan be removed from school grounds but they also weren’t aware that the parents had bought their son a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun only four days earlier, which looked like the gun in Ethan’s drawing, jurors learned at trial.

Ethan, now 17, copped to murder and terrorism charges for the deaths of Justin Shilling, 17, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Hana St. Juliana, 14, and Tate Myre, 16.

He is serving a term of life imprisonment without parole.

With Post wires

• International

Parents of Michigan school shooter sentenced

By Antoinette Radford and Maureen Chowdhury , CNN

Parents of school shooter sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison. Here's what happened in court today

From CNN staff

The  parents of the teenager who killed four students  in the 2021 school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, were each sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison Tuesday, weeks after being convicted of manslaughter.

James and Jennifer Crumbley, who each had faced up to 15 years in prison, have already been imprisoned for more than two years since their arrest in a Detroit warehouse days after the shooting. Though they were tried separately, their sentencing took place together in an Oakland County courtroom.

They are the first parents to be held criminally responsible for a mass school shooting committed by their child as the nation continues to grapple with the scourge of gunfire on campus and mass shootings.

Here's what everyone said in court today:

• Several family members of the four students killed in the shooting delivered emotional victim impact statements before the judge handed down the sentencing. The mother of Justin Shilling said "the ripple effects of both James and Jennifer's failures to act" to prevent their son from carrying out the deadly shooting " have devastated us all ." The father of Hana St. Juliana said the Crumbleys continue to deflect blame , adding his daughter's death "destroyed a large portion of my very soul."
• Jennifer Crumbley began her statement to the court on Tuesday by expressing her condolences to the victims and their families. She also said a previous statement that she made on the stand in her own defense  during her trial in Februar y was "completely misunderstood." Jennifer Crumbley previously said, “I’ve asked myself if I would have done anything differently, and I wouldn’t have.” Now, before sentencing, she said if she knew her son was capable of the crimes committed, her answer would have "absolutely been different."
• James Crumbley apologized to the victims , something he said he had not been able to do yet. He said he was not aware his son was planning a school shooting, and he asked the judge, "sentence me in a fair way."
• Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald urged the judge to exceed the sentencing guidelines for the Crumbleys and to consider the "devastating impact of their gross negligence that was foreseeable." In separate pre-sentencing memos, the attorneys for the parents asked for them  to be sentenced  to less than five years in prison.
• Judge Cheryl Matthews said the decision should be a deterrent to try to stop school shootings in the future. She pointed to James and Jennifer Crumbley's lack of action, saying, “These convictions confirm repeated acts or lack of acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train."

Crumbley case sets a precedent on who can be held accountable for a mass shooting

From CNN's Celina Tebor

The historic trials, and stunning verdicts, of James and Jennifer Crumbley  tested the limits of who can be held responsible for a mass shooting.

The prosecution of both parents, and an uptick in other criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits tied to mass shootings, indicates attorneys are increasingly seeking to hold responsible people — and companies — who didn’t pull the trigger .

Prosecutors over the past few years have been slowly, but steadily, expanding the notion of who can be held accountable for a mass shooting, CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig, a former federal and state prosecutor, said last month.

While he cautioned each case rests on its own merits, "we’ve seen groundbreaking prosecutions of parents and security personnel," he said, "and I’d expect that trend to continue."

The question remains whether prosecution of non-shooters will be effective in reducing the number of mass shootings in the United States. But undoubtedly, it has expanded prosecutors’ tool boxes, according to Ekow Yankah, law professor at the University of Michigan.

“It gives different prosecutors something to aim at – it gives them a new theory, it gives them something to try,” he told CNN. “It gives prosecutors who are frustrated, are facing a devastating crime, a mass shooting that’s hurt their community, some set of actions that they can take.”

Read about some other high-profile prosecutions of non-shooters in recent years.

Prosecutor says she is disappointed James and Jennifer Crumbley did not express remorse

From CNN’s Nicki Brown 

The lead prosecutor in James and Jennifer Crumbley's criminal trials said it was "disappointing" that the parents didn't express remorse.

"Feeling bad is natural, and we don't dispute that they feel bad ... that's not what's important to victims of crime," Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said to reporters after the Crumbleys' sentencing Tuesday. "What they want and need most of all is remorse, which means acknowledgment of the wrongdoing and some sort of reconciliation or apology for that — and that didn't come."

The prosecutor said she didn't think that the case would set a precedent for parents of other school shooters.

"There's a difference between precedent-setting and rare, and this is really a rare set of facts, it really is," McDonald said. 

"Most of us know that you have to exercise reasonable care at least to prevent other people from the dangers that you know are foreseeable," she added.

She said her team did the "absolute best" they could, and the victim's families know that.

"It's really hard ... to remark about how hard we work and how hard it's been when you're looking in the eyes of these parents every day, who get up in unbelievable pain and grief and see this play out every day and they still go on," she said. "And so, my focus is there."

James and Jennifer Crumbley each sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison

James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of the teenager who killed four students in a 2021 school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, were each sentenced Tuesday to 10 to 15 years in prison, respectively, weeks after they were convicted of manslaughter.

They will receive credit for 858 days already served.

Sentence for Crumbleys should be a deterrent, judge says

From CNN's Elise Hammond

The judge presiding over the sentencing of James and Jennifer Crumbley said the decision should be a deterrent to try to stop school shootings in the future.

"Opportunity knocked over and over again, louder and louder, and was ignored," Judge Cheryl Matthews said. "No one answered and these two people should have and sure didn’t."

She said she is "aware of my job in this situation” and promised not to be “swayed by public opinion” when handing down the sentencing decision.

Talking to the families in the courtroom, Matthews said she could never understand the pain they are experiencing, but reassured them, “I saw what you saw and I heard what you heard” during the trials.

Prosecutor urges judge to consider the "devastating impact" of the Crumbleys' "gross negligence"

From CNN's Nicki Brown

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald urged Judge Cheryl Matthews to exceed the sentencing guidelines for James and Jennifer Crumbley, asking the judge to consider the "devastating impact of their gross negligence that was foreseeable."

"I want to be clear, remorse does not sound like, 'I feel really bad.' I'm sure they do. I don't dispute they feel bad, I don't dispute they have grief. That's not the kind of remorse and accountability these victims are looking for," McDonald said in court Tuesday.

She continued, addressing the judge:

"When fashioning a sentence, it is absolutely critical that you listen and consider the impact of what that gross negligence caused. So we're asking you to exceed the guidelines because I believe all of the factors pursuant to the case law, with the necessary consideration of the impact of these crimes, justifies you to do. We're asking you, the people are asking you, to consider the devastating impact of their gross negligence that was foreseeable."

James Crumbley apologizes to the families of his son's victims

From CNN's Antoinette Radford

James Crumbley, the father of Michigan school shooter Ethan Crumbley, addressed the courtroom, opening his statement by apologizing to the victims, something he said he had not been able to do yet.

"I want to say I can't imagine the pain and agony ... for the families that have lost their children and what they are experiencing and what they are going through. As a parent, our biggest fear is losing our child or our children, and to lose a child is unimaginable. My heart is really broken for everybody involved," he said.

"I really want the families of Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St Juliana, Tate Myre and Justin Shilling to know how truly sorry I am, and how devastated I was when I heard what happened to them," Crumbley said.

Crumbley added that he was not aware his son was planning a school shooting, and he asked Judge Cheryl Matthews to "sentence me in a fair way."

Jennifer Crumbley says previous statement made in court was misinterpreted

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Jennifer Crumbley began her statement to the court by expressing her condolences to the victims and their families.

"I sit here today to express my deepest sorrows for the families of Hana, Tate, Madisyn, Justin and to all those affected on November 30, 2021," she said.

Crumbley said that a previous statement made on the stand was "completely misunderstood."

When she took the stand in her own defense during her trial in Februar y, she had said, “I’ve asked myself if I would have done anything differently, and I wouldn’t have.”

On Tuesday, Crumbley said that she did not foresee the actions of her son and therefore would not have done anything different, and that is how she interpreted the question.

"With the benefit of hindsight and information I have now, my answer would be drastically different," she said.

Crumbley added that if she knew her son was capable of the crimes committed, her answer would have "absolutely been different."

 Father of Hana St. Juliana says Crumbleys "choose to blame everyone but themselves"

James and Jennifer Crumbley continue to deflect blame, the father of a victim of the 2021 Oxford High School shooting said at the Crumbleys' sentencing Tuesday.

"The defendants, through their choices, through their indifference and gross negligence, enabled their son to murder my daughter Hana and three other children," Steve St. Juliana, the father of Hana St. Juliana, said in a victim impact statement Tuesday.

"They chose to stay quiet. They chose to ignore the warning signs. And now, as we've heard through all of the objections, they continue to choose to blame everyone but themselves," he said.

Steve St. Juliana said his daughter's death "destroyed a large portion of my very soul."

"I will never think back fondly on her high school and college graduations. I will never walk her down the aisle as she begins the journey of starting her own family. I am forever denied the chance to hold her or her future children in my arms," he added.

St. Juliana said his position on the Crumbleys' sentencing evolved throughout the trial as the defendants' "defiance" increased. "Hana, Madisyn, Tate, and Justin are the ones who have lost everything — not the defendants," he said before requesting the parents receive the maximum possible sentence.

Buck Myre, the father of victim Tate Myre, gave his impact statement following Steve St. Juliana. He was the last person to give an impact statement.

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Parents of Michigan School Shooter Sentenced to 10 to 15 Years in Prison

Jennifer and James Crumbley, whose son killed four people, each faced up to 15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter convictions.

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By Jacey Fortin and Anna Betts

Jennifer and James Crumbley, who were convicted of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their teenage son from killing four fellow students in the deadliest school shooting in Michigan’s history, were each sentenced on Tuesday to 10 to 15 years in prison.

Their separate jury trials ended in guilty verdicts in February and March , making them the first parents in the country to be convicted over the deaths caused by their child in a mass shooting.

Involuntary manslaughter charges carry a penalty in Michigan of up to 15 years in prison, and prosecutors asked in sentencing memos filed to the court last week that the Crumbleys each serve at least 10 years. Both have been in jail for more than two years while awaiting trial and will receive credit for time served.

“Parents are not expected to be psychic,” Judge Cheryl Matthews of the Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac, Mich., said before issuing the sentence. “But these convictions are not about poor parenting. These convictions confirm repeated acts or lack of acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train — repeatedly ignoring things that would make a reasonable person feel the hair on the back of her neck stand up.”

Before the hearing, prosecutors said that Ms. Crumbley, 46, was asking to be sentenced to house arrest on her defense lawyer’s property, rather than serving prison time. And Mr. Crumbley, 47, said that he had been wrongly convicted and his sentence should amount to the time he had already served in prison, adding that he felt “absolutely horrible” about what had happened.

On Tuesday, each of them spoke in the hearing before the judge pronounced sentence.

“I stand today not to ask for your forgiveness, as I know it may be beyond reach, but to express my sincerest apologies for the pain that has been caused,” Ms. Crumbley said in court, addressing the relatives of students who were killed.

Mr. Crumbley also apologized. “I cannot express how much I wish that I had known what was going on with him or what was going to happen, because I absolutely would have done a lot of things differently,” he said.

Relatives of some of the victims also spoke during the hearing, describing the overwhelming effects the shooting had on their lives.

“The ripple effects of both James’s and Jennifer’s failures to act have devastated us all,” said Jill Soave, the mother of Justin Shilling, 17, who was killed in the shooting at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021. “This tragedy was completely preventable. If only they had done something, your honor, anything, to shift the course events on Nov. 30, then our four angels would be here today.”

Steve St. Juliana, whose daughter, Hana, 14, was killed, said that the Crumbleys continued to fail to take responsibility for what had happened.

“They chose to stay quiet,” he said. “They chose to ignore the warning signs. And now, as we’ve heard through all of the objections, they continue to choose to blame everyone but themselves.”

The Crumbleys’ son, Ethan, was 15 when he carried out the shooting that killed Justin and Hana, as well as Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Tate Myre, 16. Seven others were injured. Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder, and was sentenced last year to life in prison without parole . He is still eligible to appeal that decision. His parents may appeal, too.

In the trials of both parents, prosecutors focused in part on their failure to remove their son from school after he made a violent drawing on the morning of the shooting. It included a written plea for help.

They also emphasized Ethan’s access to a handgun that Mr. Crumbley had purchased. And they said that Ms. Crumbley had missed signs that her son was struggling with his mental health, adding that she took him to a gun range just days before the shooting.

Defense lawyers for both parents said they could not have foreseen the unspeakable violence their son would commit.

Ms. Crumbley grew up in Clarkston, a Detroit suburb about 20 minutes from Oxford, her lawyer said during a hearing after the couple’s arrest in 2021 . Before her arrest, she had worked as a marketing director, her lawyer said.

Mr. Crumbley’s job history included work at a handful of small software and technology companies.

The couple once lived in Florida but returned to Michigan several years ago, their lawyers said. They bought their home near downtown Oxford in 2015.

The trials of Jennifer and James Crumbley became a lightning rod for issues of parental responsibility at a time of high-profile gun violence by minors. In recent months, parents in other states have pleaded guilty to charges of reckless conduct or neglect after their children injured or killed others with guns.

But the manslaughter charges against the Crumbleys were unique, and legal experts said their trials could serve as a playbook for other prosecutors who seek to hold parents accountable in the future.

Ekow Yankah, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, said the effect of the ruling on Tuesday might be felt beyond the state.

“This is going to be precedent, most obviously in Michigan and its home jurisdiction, but prosecutors all over the country will see this as a new and viable form of liability,” Mr. Yankah said. “I think we should not underestimate the precedential power of this case, even as we recognize that the facts were quite extraordinary.”

For Matthew Schneider, a former United States attorney in Michigan, what makes this case so different from many others is that most criminal sentences are related to the actions of a defendant, rather than being “about inactions, and how the inactions of a person result in a criminal sentence.”

The sentencing is “very much about making an example of the defendants,” Mr. Schneider said. “This is a shot across the bow to all parents, to all people who have firearms in their house, to keep them locked up, if they could be in the hands of the wrong people.”

Jacey Fortin covers a wide range of subjects for the National desk of The Times, including extreme weather, court cases and state politics all across the country. More about Jacey Fortin

Anna Betts reports on national events, including politics, education, and natural or man-made disasters, among other things. More about Anna Betts

Parents of Michigan school shooter Ethan Crumbley both sentenced to 10-15 years for involuntary manslaughter

PONTIAC, Mich. — The first parents to ever be charged , then convicted, in their child’s mass shooting at a U.S. school were both sentenced Tuesday to 10 to 15 years in prison after they faced the victims' families at a sentencing hearing in a Michigan courtroom.

James Crumbley, 47, and his wife, Jennifer, 46, were sentenced one after another by Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews as they appeared together for the first time since they attended joint hearings before their landmark trials were separated last fall. Their son, Ethan, now 17, pleaded guilty as an adult to the 2021 shooting at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit and was sentenced to life in prison.

Matthews' sentencing decision was in line with what Oakland County prosecutors had asked for after both parents were found guilty on four counts of involuntary manslaughter, one for each of the students their son killed.

Matthews told the Crumbleys that the jury convictions were "not about poor parenting" but about how they repeatedly ignored warning signs that a "reasonable person" would have seen.

"These convictions confirm repeated acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train," she said.

The couple will get credit for time served in an Oakland County jail since their arrests in the wake of the shooting on Nov. 30, 2021. The pair sat apart at the defense table with their lawyers beside them as the families of the four students who were killed asked before sentencing for the maximum terms to be imposed.

"When you texted, 'Ethan don't do it,'  I was texting, 'Madisyn I love you, please call mom,'" Nicole Beausoleil, the mother of shooting victim Madisyn Baldwin, 17, told the Crumbleys. "When you found out about the lives your son took that day, I was still waiting for my daughter in the parking lot.

"The lack of compassion you've shown is outright disgusting," she added through tears.

Jill Soave, the mother of another slain student, Justin Shilling, 17, said the parents' inaction on the day of the shooting "failed their son and failed us all."

Justin's father, Craig Shilling, said he was troubled by Jennifer Crumbley's testimony during her trial in which she said she would not have done anything differently, even today.

"The blood of our children is on your hands, too," Craig Shilling said.

James Crumbley wore an orange jumpsuit and headphones to help with his hearing, and Jennifer Crumbley wore a gray-and-white jumpsuit. He did not look at his wife, while she glanced in his direction.

In Michigan, prosecutors said, felonies that rise out of the same event must run concurrently, so the most Matthews could have imposed is 15 years in total. And while prosecutors wanted the parents to receive sentences that exceeded the advisory guideline range, Matthews had the ultimate discretion, weighing factors such as past criminal behavior and the circumstances of their crimes.

Before she was sentenced, Jennifer Crumbley told the court that she felt "deep remorse, regret and grief" about the shooting, but she also deflected some of the blame onto school officials and took offense to the prosecution's strategy portraying her as a neglectful mother .

"We were good parents," Crumbley said. "We were the average family. We weren't perfect, but we loved our son and each other tremendously."

James Crumbley also addressed the court, explaining to the judge that he did not know beforehand about his son's planned attack on his school and telling the victims' families directly that he would have acted differently on the day of the shooting.

"Please note that I am truly sorry for your loss as a result of what my son did," he said. "I cannot express how much I wish I had known what was going on with him or what was going to happen."

Matthews said during Tuesday's sentencing that the family would not be housed together and that the state Corrections Department has indicated James and Ethan Crumbley specifically will not be in the same facility given their relationship. Ethan is being held in a state prison 17 miles from Oxford High School. Jennifer Crumbley would be sent to the state's only women's prison.

James and Jennifer Crumbley have not been able to communicate as part of a no contact order since their arrests.

In both parents' cases, prosecutors wrote that their "gross negligence changed an entire community forever."

They both could have prevented the shooting with "tragically simple actions," prosecutors wrote, adding that they "failed to take any action when presented with the gravest of dangers."

Legal experts had suggested James Crumbley could have faced a harsher sentence than his wife after prosecutors said he made threats in jail.

During his trial, Matthews restricted his communication to only his lawyer and clergy.

The sentencing memo for James Crumbley referred to allegations that he made threats against the prosecutor and said that "his jail calls show a total lack of remorse" and that "he blames everyone but himself."

The memo details the expletive-ridden threats he is alleged to have directly addressed to the prosecutor on multiple recorded jail calls. In one call before the trial, he said, "Karen McDonald, you're going down," according to prosecutors. In other calls, he threatened retribution, they said.

James Crumbley’s lawyer, Mariell Lehman, wrote in court documents that the calls did not include threats to physically harm the prosecutor but that he expressed his desire to ensure that McDonald is not able to continue practicing law as a result of her actions in the case.

"It is clear Mr. Crumbley is venting to loved ones about his frustrations related to the lack of investigation done by the prosecution prior to authorizing charges," Lehman wrote, saying her client is understandably angry at his situation.

The prosecution's memo also says James Crumbley asserted his innocence in a pre-sentence report, indicating a lack of remorse.

"I feel horrible for what happened and would do anything to be able to go back in time and change it! But I can't. And I had nothing to do with what happened," he wrote, according to the prosecution memo. "I don't know why my son did what he did. HE is the only one who knows."

Lehman has not said whether she plans to appeal James Crumbley's verdict, while a lawyer for Jennifer Crumbley, Shannon Smith, has written that she will.

Two separate trials

James Crumbley did not take the stand during his trial. His wife testified that she placed the responsibility of securing the 9 mm semiautomatic handgun used in the shooting on her husband.

Asked whether she would have done anything differently, Jennifer Crumbley told jurors, "I don't think I'm a failure as a parent."

Prosecutors argued that she knew of her son's deteriorating mental health and social isolation and that he had access to a gun but that she cared more about her hobbies and carrying on an extramarital affair than about being present at home.

Her defense lawyer attempted to portray her as a caring mother, albeit one who did not know her son was capable of such violence — suggesting instead that his school failed to fully inform her of his troubles and that her husband was responsible for the weapon.

Smith continued to defend her client in her sentencing memo.

"Criticizing Mrs. Crumbley for being 'rarely home' is a sexist and misogynistic attack on a mother," Smith wrote.

In a pre-sentence report, Jennifer Crumbley said she has the hindsight now to know she would have handled things differently.

"With the information I have now, of course my answer would be hugely different," she said. "There are so many things that I would change if I could go back in time."

Both her and her husband's trials centered on the day of the shooting.

A day after Thanksgiving, prosecutors said, James Crumbley bought their son the handgun, while Jennifer Crumbley took him to a gun range that weekend.

On Tuesday, a teacher said she had found a note on Ethan's desk with a drawing of a gun and a person who had been shot, along with messages including: "The thoughts won't stop. Help me."

That discovery prompted the school to summon the parents for a meeting, but school officials testified that they declined to bring him home because they had to go back to work.

The officials also said that if the parents had informed them that their son had access to a gun, they would have been more authoritative to ensure immediate safety.

Ethan would go on to commit the school shooting later that afternoon, killing Baldwin; Shilling; Tate Myre, 16; and Hana St. Juliana, 14.

Victims' families want accountability

In the aftermath of the trials, the victims' families have demanded further accountability. They are seeking changes to governmental immunity laws that protect schools from being sued and want to see a requirement for independent reviews after any mass shooting.

Oakland County prosecutors have said they do not plan to charge anyone else in connection with the massacre.

Buck Myre, the father of Tate Myre, said during Tuesday's sentencing that families still want a government-led investigation.

"It's time to drive real change from this tragedy," he told the judge.

Later, James Crumbley stood and addressed Buck Myre directly when he was given the chance to speak.

"It is time that we all know the truth," he said. "I, too, want the truth, because you have not had it."

Selina Guevara and Maggie Vespa reported from Pontiac and Erik Ortiz from New York.

Selina Guevara is an NBC News associate producer, based in Chicago.

NBC News Correspondent

Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality.

US restricts travel of embassy workers in Israel as Iran retaliation looms

Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on the Israel-Hamas war for Thursday, April 11. For the latest news on the conflict in the Middle East, view our story for Friday, April 12 .

The U.S. State Department issued a security alert Thursday for its personnel and their families in Israel, limiting where they can go amid increased concerns of an Iranian attack.

“Out of an abundance of caution, U.S. government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Be’er Sheva areas until further notice,’’ the alert says. “U.S. government personnel are authorized to transit between these three areas for personal travel.’’

There’s no reference in the alert to an impending Iranian strike, but Tehran has signaled it will retaliate for the April 1 assault on its consulate in Damascus, which killed seven senior Iranian military officers. Israel is widely believed to have launched that attack, although it has not claimed responsibility.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken reached out in the last day to the foreign ministers of China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey “to make clear that escalation is not in anyone’s interest and that countries should urge Iran not to escalate,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters Thursday.

With the Israel-Hamas war still raging past the six-month mark, the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem is also urging American citizens to be mindful of the risks of traveling to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, warning against visiting the embattled Palestinian territory.

“The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,’’ the alert says.

Israel to 'flood Gaza with aid': War of words with Iran also heats up

Developments:

∎ Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews demonstrated near a Jerusalem enlistment office, protesting a recent court ruling that means "Haredim" men will be drafted for the first time since Israel was founded in 1948.

∎ Israel is prepared for military confrontations beyond Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday, amid concern that Iran was getting ready to strike Israel. "Whoever harms us, we will harm them," he said.

∎ The Israel Defense Forces said it began a "precise, intelligence-based operation to strike terrorist infrastructure and eliminate operatives in central Gaza'' overnight into Thursday.

∎ Russia urged countries in the Middle East to show restraint to avoid "complete destabilization" of the region. Russia also warned its citizens against traveling to the Middle East.

Iran says it must punish Israel because UN didn't condemn embassy attack

Tehran must retaliate for the deadly attack on its consular compound in Damascus last week because the U.N. Security Council failed to condemn the strike or take any action against Israel, Iran’s U.N. mission said in a statement posted Thursday on the X platform.

“Had the U.N. Security Council condemned the Zionist regime’s reprehensible act of aggression on our diplomatic premises in Damascus and subsequently brought to justice its perpetrators, the imperative for Iran to punish this rogue regime might have been obviated,” the statement said.

Despite its threats, Iran has indicated to the U.S. through an intermediary that it will respond in a manner that avoids an escalation of hostilities with Israel and wouldn’t rush into it, Reuters reported. The U.S. has maintained it was not involved in or given advance notice of the attack.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the April 1 attack on an Iranian consulate annex building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Syria that killed seven high-ranking Iranian military officers, including Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi of the elite Quds Force. Tensions between the nations have increased, and Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Wednesday that “the evil regime made a mistake and must be punished.”

The top U.S. commander for the Middle East reportedly arrived in Israel on Thursday for meetings with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other senior defense officials to discuss an anticipated military response from Iran,  Haaretz.com  reported. Gen. Erik Kurilla’s trip comes a day after Blinken spoke with Gallant and “reiterated the United States’ support for Israel’s security and made clear that the U.S. will stand with Israel against any threats by Iran and its proxies,” the State Department said in a statement.

U.S. Central Command, in an email to USA TODAY, declined to confirm Kurilla’s trip: “We do not discuss flag officer travel for operational security.”

Hamas official says cease-fire needed to account for hostages

A senior Hamas official on Thursday deflected questions from journalists concerning fears that many hostages could be dead. The possibility gained traction after Hamas said it was not sure it could provide 40 living Israeli civilian captives as part of a cease-fire proposal. Dr. Basem Naim, a member of political bureau of Hamas, said a cease-fire agreement is needed to provide time and safety to collect information on the captured Israelis. They are held in different places by different militant groups − and some are "under the rubble, killed with our own people" and heavy equipment is required to find them, he said.

No one is asking about the thousands of Palestinians kidnapped by Israel since the Hamas-led attack Oct. 7 that ignited the war, he said.

"The most outrageous is the repeated questions regarding the hostages in Gaza, how many alive or dead, does Hamas rejected the proposal because it can’t release 40 hostages in the first phase, etc ..." he said in a statement posted on Telegram. "The lives of their people aren’t more precious than ours."

UNICEF aid convoy hit with gunfire, turned back from Gaza

A UNICEF convoy was hit by gunfire Wednesday as it tried to deliver aid to northern Gaza, the latest in a series of violent obstructions faced by aid workers in the enclave.

"The incident has been raised with relevant Israeli authorities," UNICEF said in a statement. "Sadly, humanitarians continue to face risks in delivering lifesaving aid."

The incident occurred nine days after a World Central Kitchen aid convoy was attacked by Israeli rockets, killing seven workers − and the same day Israel promised to greatly increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY request for comment on the incident.

UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram told Al Jazeera she was in one of the vehicles at a “holding point” area at a checkpoint. She said three rounds hit the car where she was sitting. The mission had been authorized and the Israeli authorities knew about the convoy, Ingram said. After the shooting, Israeli authorities continued to delay the convoy and it eventually was forced to return to Rafah.

“So those life-saving supplies never made it to the children in northern Gaza,” Ingram said.

Israeli commander pitches aid plan to Red Cross, other agencies

Israel's Southern Command chief, Major General Yaron Finkelman, met with representatives of U.N. agencies, the Red Cross, IMC, USAID and the American Humanitarian Coordinator as part of "increasing coordination and cooperation on the issue of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip," the Israeli military announced.

The meeting comes as Israel announced plans to greatly increase access to humanitarian aid for Gaza residents. Plans include a new border crossing designed make it easier to bring humanitarian supplies from overseas and from Jordan to the east.

“These breakthroughs have a direct impact on the flow of aid – we plan to flood Gaza with aid," Gallant said. "It will also streamline security checks and strengthen our work with international partners.”

Contributing: Reuters