Warning: This video contains graphic images regarding school shootings and gun violence.

The Sandy Hook Promise campaign recently released a chilling public service announcement, titled “Back to School Essentials,” regarding gun violence in schools.

Warned for its graphic content, the disturbing video shows young students using various forms of school supplies as tools and weapons to survive a mass shooting event.

The project was created to complement Sandy Hook’s ongoing “Know the Signs” initiative, meant to remind all to stay aware and stay protected in the case of an active shooter.

Following the release of the video, The Sandy Hook Promise released on their website, “School shootings are not inevitable. They are preventable. Millions of children are back to school. And we know our programs can protect them from school shootings, violence, and other harmful acts. But we can only expand our lifesaving work if people like you join us and take action. Together, we can save more lives.”

The Sandy Hook Promise organization was established by parents whose children were impacted by the devastating school shooting that took place at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newton, Connecticut on December 4th, 2012. Marked as one of the deadliest school shootings in US history, the tragedy left 28 dead.

“Back to School Essentials” was first aired as a commercial on NBC after an interview with Nicole Hockley, whose 6-year old son, Dylan, was murdered during the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012.

“We don’t want people to turn away from it, so pretending it doesn’t exist is not going to solve it,” Hockley told NBC, although she acknowledges that the video can be difficult to watch.

After watching the video, Senior Terry Shim admitted, “At first I was confused, it looked like a Walmart commercial. But then I caught on, and it was very sad.”

With nearly three million views and counting on YouTube, the video is not meant to cause distress, but to show a grim reality and remind us all that we must stay aware and protected.

For more information on The Sandy Hook Promise, visit https://www.sandyhookpromise.org.