The families of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre have released a chilling video warning, showing how "back to school essentials" can be used to survive a school shooting.
The public service announcement video, which already been viewed over 9 million times in less than 24 hours, begins upbeat, with excited children showing off new bags and folders as they start the new school term.
READ MORE: Issue of the day: America's legacy of mass shootings
It then shows a boy putting on his new headphones, failing to see people running from gunshots in the background.
Survive the school year with these must-have #BackToSchool essentials. https://t.co/9KgxAQ0KGz
— Sandy Hook Promise (@sandyhook) September 18, 2019
This PSA contains graphic content related to school shootings & may be upsetting to some viewers. If you feel this subject matter may be difficult for you, you may choose not to watch. pic.twitter.com/5ijYMtXRTy
The mood dramatically shifts when the children start to use their new back to school essentials to escape gun violence and help friends with gunshot wounds.
"These new socks? They can be a real lifesaver," a girl says as uses a knee-high sock as a tourniquet for a wounded classmate.
A message at the end of the powerful film said: "It's back to school time and you know what that means.
"School shootings are preventable when you know the signs."
The video was published by Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit organisation led by the families of children killed at the Sandy Hook primary school in Connecticut in December 2012.
20 children - aged between five and 10 - and six staff members were killed when a gunman opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle before killing himself.
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