Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands Statement on Colorado

PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST AND THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, November 28, 2015
CONTACT: Katie Rogers, Public Relations Manager, (206) 595-0426

Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands Statement on Colorado

Today, Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands issued the following statement from Chris Charbonneau, CEO on the recent events that took place at the Planned Parenthood health center in Colorado Springs, Colorado:

"Our top priority is the safety of our patients and staff. The situation in Colorado is heartbreaking. Our thoughts are with the families of the three people whose lives were lost in yesterday's attack at the Planned Parenthood health center in Colorado Springs. We wish those who were injured a quick and complete recovery. We are deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers who responded with courage to protect Planned Parenthood staff, patients, and community members. Across our four-state affiliate and the country, Planned Parenthood has strong security measures in place. We are working with local law enforcement across our affiliate to take extra precautions in ensuring the safety of our health centers, patients and staff members. Our health centers across the region are open and seeing patients today under normal operating hours.

We don't yet know the full circumstances and motives behind this criminal action, and we don't yet know if Planned Parenthood was in fact the target of this attack. We share the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country. We will never back away from providing care in a safe, supportive environment that millions of people rely on and trust."

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Planned Parenthood is the nation's leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation's largest provider of sex education. With approximately 700 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.