Rail Passengers Statement on Shooting in Tucson, AZ

Rail Passengers Association CEO Jim Mathews issued the following statement on the shooting incident on the Amtrak Sunset Limited in Tucson, AZ:

"My heart sank today as I saw yet another episode of senseless violence, this time not just at the station but onboard the train. Early reports suggest that at least one of the responding officers was killed. Rail Passengers offers its condolences to everyone affected, and urges the public to keep the crew and passengers in their thoughts. Although incidents like this are exceedingly rare, overall levels of violence on board trains have been rising through the summer, just as they have on airliners and buses. In fact, in July we understand that the number of incidents on board Amtrak trains was twice as high as in previous months. Even before this incident, our Association was working alongside railway labor to tighten protections for onboard crews and passengers. Today's tragic shooting shows that can't let up on those efforts."