LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Demand for showings of Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence has risen dramatically in recent months, following the Newtown, CT tragedy and heightened public interest. The hour-long documentary produced by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is scheduled to be screened at over 50 locations across the country in coming months, including universities, non-profit organizations, conferences and religious organizations.

"The response to a nationwide screening campaign has been overwhelming," said director and producer David Barnhart. "When we screen Trigger, people seem to connect on a deeper level and it initiates a conversation about 'What we can do in our community to prevent gun violence.'"

Trigger frames gun violence as a "Disaster" and "Public Health" issue by taking an in depth look at how one shooting creates a ripple effect that impacts individuals, families and communities. The film tells the story of gun violence from the perspective of those most impacted by shootings, drawing upon conversations with emergency room chaplains, trauma surgeons, survivors and victims' families, former ATF officials and police officers, counselors and students, community leaders, lawmakers, and others.

"It is critically important that the voices of those who experience the devastation of gun violence on a daily basis be heard," said Christian Heyne, who lost his mother in a shooting in 2005 and now works for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), the emergency and refugee program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has been responding to shootings across the country since the late 1990's and began producing Trigger in 2010 to shed light on the growing gun violence issue.

PDA responds annually to approximately 30 international disasters and 20 in the United States, specializing in long-term recovery work. Its outreach has extended across the United States and around the world since 1946, providing emergency relief, volunteer support, financial assistance and help with restoring livelihoods for those caught in the wake of natural or human-caused disasters, such as gun violence.

Watch an official trailer of Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence. For more information visit www.pcusa.org/trigger. Follow Trigger on social media: facebook.com/triggerdocumentary & twitter.com/trigger_doc.

CONTACT:  Sara Sotelo
Phone: 502-569-5649
E-mail: sara.sotelo@pcusa.org

SOURCE Presbyterian Disaster Assistance