In the wake of Sunday’s Las Vegas mass shooting in which 59 people at a country music concert were killed and 527 injured, Port Townsend Mayor Deborah Stinson began Monday’s City Council meeting by briefly remembering the victims.

Stinson took a moment “just to acknowledge everything that’s going on in the world today, both manmade and nature-made,” she said, “and send our thoughts and hearts out to all the people that are impacted by the events of today and recent times, and ask that you join me in holding them in your hearts as well,” she said.

By coincidence, the City Council agenda also included a proclamation for Mental Illness Awareness Week.

Val Phimister, president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for Jefferson County, spoke to the council after the proclamation.

“We’re happy to be here today, but this is not a happy day to be here,” Phimister said.

“There is an official NAMI response to the events, not just what happened today but other similar events that have happened across the country, and that is that they always warn us not to jump to conclusions and not to make assumptions until we have all of the facts. And, of course, it’s too early for us to have all of the facts,” Phimister said.

“One of the assumptions that is made is that mental illness has something to do with violence.

“The U.S. surgeon general’s office states that the overall contribution of mental disorders to the total level of violence in society is exceptionally small. It is only 3-5 percent of violent acts in this country. So, drawing a conclusion that mental illness is parallel with violence is wrong statistically. In fact, people with a mental illness are 10 times more likely to be victimized and to be victims of their own violence and suicide,” Phimister said.