‘Those are our children:’ CNN’s John King shows map of US dotted with school shootings

CNN anchor John King, displaying a graphic showing the proliferation of school shootings in America since 2008, told his audience on Tuesday to “demand the conversation” about gun violence.

“I’m going to be quiet. Just watch the map fill in,” King said during his daily political and news program on Wednesday. “These are just school shootings in the United States of America since 2008.”

King was silent as dozens of red dots popped up on the screen, usually used to show vote totals and electoral results on election night. After 22 seconds, the map was covered from coast to coast with some 500 school shootings in the U.S. since 2008.

“Those are our children. Those are our children,” King said. “It is everywhere in America. Everybody has to be a part of these conversations. Whatever your views, demand the conversation.”

The segment came as part of CNN’s continuing coverage of a mass shooting on Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas, where an 18-year-old gunman opened fire in an elementary school, killing 19 children and two adults.

The incident has thrust the epidemic of gun violence back into the national spotlight and sparked calls from outraged citizens for U.S. leaders to do more to prevent mass shootings.