In the wake of this weekend’s tragic mass shooting on West Sixth Street, the city of Austin and the nonprofit We Are Blood are urgently asking for blood donations to treat those injured in the attack and rebuild supply, particularly needing O positive and O negative blood.
The “Austin Strong” blood drive will take place at City Hall from 11am-5pm on Monday, March 2. Community members are encouraged to book an appointment as soon as possible at weareblood.org/donor, though walk-ins are welcome. Parking will be validated for donors.
“This week has shaken our community,” Councilmember Zo Qadri said. “In moments like this, we show who we are. Donating blood is a tangible way for Austinites to stand with the victims and their families, and to support the medics and hospital staff working around the clock to save lives.”
Local hospitals and Austin-Travis County EMS personnel have been operating at full capacity since the weekend, according to the city. We Are Blood has given over 150 blood products to local hospitals in response to the tragedy. “Our hearts are with those affected by the tragic shooting this weekend in downtown Austin,” said Marian Garrard, CEO at We Are Blood.
The Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department, and Austin-Travis County EMS all urge community members to donate blood, said Austin-Travis County EMS Captain Shannon Koesterer. “We are reminded every day of how fragile and precious life is. Today, we call on our community to assist if they can in replenishing this valuable resource.”
Additional details about eligibility and the donation process will be available on-site. The process should take about 30 minutes, according to a city representative.