Statement from Planned Parenthood Keystone President & CEO, Melissa Reed
For Immediate Release: Aug. 13, 2019
We are thankful to law enforcement for quickly apprehending a suspect in yesterday’s attack on our Wilkes-Barre health center. This was a violent act aimed to threaten and terrorize Planned Parenthood Keystone patients and employees. Nevertheless, our health center opened its door this morning at 10:00am, to provide 47 individuals with the reproductive and sexuality health care they need.
We are seeing an alarming rise in violent, hateful rhetoric across our country, and we have learned all too painfully, that threats of violence beget acts of violence. No one should ever face the threat of violence just for seeking health care. The safety of patients and staff is our top priority. Planned Parenthood Keystone has strong measures in place to ensure that our health centers are safe, supportive, welcoming environments for all people to get the high-quality health care they need and deserve.
Our priority today, and always, is to ensure the health and safety of our patients and staff in Wilkes-Barre. We remain committed to ensuring our doors stay open, and serving as a vital health care provider for the Wilkes-Barre community.