Friday Finds
Our weekly roundup of gun violence prevention news from across the country
On Fridays here at Armed With Reason, we highlight some articles from the gun violence prevention realm that might’ve been missed during your busy week.
This week’s collection contains a focus on the sudden shuttering of the website for the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention (and presumably the Office itself). It’s a sad setback for gun violence prevention, and another sign that the incoming administration will be beholden to the gun lobby.
That said, there’s lots of positive news from around the country that proves the GVP movement won’t be as easily erased as a website.
White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Shuttered:
VIDEO: White House Gun Violence Prevention Website Goes Offline
“Now, with the website taken down, it appears as if President Trump is following through on his promise to the National Rifle Association (NRA) to terminate Biden's gun laws, despite gun violence rates falling rapidly during the previous president's administration."…. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention also helped to drive down homicides by 13.5 percent, shut down over 800 non-compliant gun dealers and stopped over 500 illegal gun purchases.”
Office of Gun Violence Prevention website goes dark under Trump
“Many online ironically referenced the office's apparent shuttering in light of the nation's most recent mass shooting, in which at least one student was killed at Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee on the morning of Jan. 22. In response to the outrage, others argued the office's mandates could be subsumed under the Department of Justice, part of its previous mandate.”
Antioch High School shooting comes just one day after Donald Trump shut down Office of Gun Violence Prevention
“The Office of Gun Violence Prevention page is not the only one to go missing from the White House website today. People were horrified to learn that the ‘Error 404’ message also appears for pages that once contained the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, biographies for former Presidents and a Spanish-language version of the site. A government website, Reproductiverights.gov, which provides access to information about reproductive care, is also no longer accessible.”
2 Killed In Nashville School Shooting Hours After White House Gun Violence Prevention Website Goes Offline
“Shortly after President Donald Trump shuttered the Office of Gun Violence Prevention in fulfillment of a promise to the National Rifle Association, a 17-year-old student shot and killed a peer in the cafeteria of Nashville's Antioch High School.”
VIDEO: ‘Abhorrent:’ Rep. Maxwell Frost slams apparent closure of White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention
“The first bill Frost introduced as a member of Congress would have created an office to address gun violence. He also lobbied President Joe Biden to create such an office — which his White House ultimately did in 2023. "‘In Orlando, Florida, we have received millions of federal dollars that I’ve brought down to help with this office to expand and extend the Orlando Office of Gun Violence Prevention,’ Frost said. ‘Gun violence has actually gone down in the neighborhoods that that program exists and works in.’”
VIDEO: 'It’s a sign of things to come': White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention website goes dark
“The sudden removal has left many questioning the future of the office, which was instrumental in reducing homicides by 13.5%, shutting down 800 gun dealers, and implementing measures to curb gun violence, according to the advocacy group BRADY.”
'We deserve better': Lawmaker blasts Trump's latest move to 'cozy up to the gun lobby'
“So far, Trump has not moved to rescind these orders. However, to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, he has reportedly considered tapping Blake Masters, a failed Arizona GOP Senate and congressional candidate who shot an ad of himself playing with a suppressed handgun and has said "Black people" are the root of gun violence.
Statement on President Trump Eliminating the Office of Gun Violence Prevention
“Our advocacy for safety at the local level has never been more critical; CeaseFirePA will remain committed to that effort and applauds Pennsylvanian leaders on this issue – in spite of the decline in support we are already seeing from Washington.”
INTERVIEW: Biden’s Gun Violence Prevention Office Is Empty. Here’s How Its Work Can Continue Under Trump.
“Greg Jackson, a now-former leader of the office, says there's still momentum for countering the crisis — it just might come from outside the White House.”
“I’m optimistic because some of our most impactful changes are extremely hard to reverse, and our most impactful policies and investments have enthusiastic bipartisan support.” - Greg Jackson
Fifth Circuit Applies Rahimi in Two Reissued Decisions
“Here, I aim to briefly summarize these two new opinions and unpack what they suggest for the road forward post-Rahimi.”
Oregon joins other states in two gun rights cases in Texas
“Both actions are proactive steps that state attorneys general are taking to protect gun safety efforts if the incoming Trump administration abandons its defense of these two important federal policies.”
Real GVP Action Across the Country This Week:
[Pennsylvania] Lt. Gov. Davis announces $56M in state grants to fund after-school programs and gun violence prevention
“‘It is critical that we create multiple ladders of opportunities for young people to succeed … making sure that they don’t turn towards violence,’ Davis said.”
Victory for Gun Safety: Everytown for Gun Safety Statement on Governor Whitmer Signing Three Critical Gun Violence Prevention Bills Into Law
“‘Michigan’s gun sense trifecta has worked hand in hand with our movement to pass lifesaving gun safety laws up until the last possible moment,’ said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. ‘Although Lansing’s incoming political landscape will pose new challenges for us, we’re not going anywhere.’”
Minnesota's Gun Violence Prevention Effort Shows Progress with 140 ERPOs Filed Since Law's Inception
“The ERPO law, activated on January 1, 2024, enables concerned parties to ask the court to bar someone from buying or owning a gun during a high-risk period.”
Lexington sees reduction in gun violence in 2024, ONE Lexington reports
“Lexington saw a 10% decrease in homicides and a 68% decrease in reported shooting victims among victims ages 10 to 29.”
VIDEO: 'ACT For Cincy': City leaders roll out new gun violence reduction blueprint in Cincinnati
“The Act for Cincy or ‘Achieving Change Together’ blueprint is broken down into five focuses: thriving neighborhoods, reducing access to firearms, improving well-being and youth support, and data-based police innovations.”
[Alabama Representative] Ensler pushes gun violence measures: Glock switch ban, safety grants, more
“Ensler’s approach, which blends law enforcement support with proactive community programs, underscores his belief that tackling gun violence requires a multifaceted strategy that engages lawmakers, educators, law enforcement, and communities alike.”
VIDEO: Mayor Adams Announces Removal of 20,000+ Illegal Firearms From New York City Streets Since Beginning of Adams Administration
“Additionally, 2024 was the fourth lowest year for shooting incidents citywide since the NYPD CompStat management system began tracking crime statistics over 30 years ago, in 1993.”
VIDEO: New initiatives to stop gun violence
School shootings in the US: Fast facts
“Some states in the south have seen the highest rate of school shootings relative to their populations since 2008, according to CNN’s analysis.”
Findings Show Child Access Prevention (CAP) Firearm Storage Policies Reduce Youth Gun Suicide Rates
“A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Bloomberg School of Public Health… found that CAP firearm storage policies effectively reduce firearm suicide deaths, as well as firearm-related unintentional injuries and homicide in youth ages 1-17.”
UW graduate student publishes study on predictors of Americans’ attitudes toward gun violence
“I really want to emphasize that this study seeks to understand these differences and to create a space where we can say, ‘This is what we have. This is what we both believe. Let’s start with this and then go from there.’”
VIDEO: ‘QAnon Shaman’ says he’s buying ‘motha f‑‑‑in guns’ after Trump pardon
“Chansley received one of the roughly 1,500 ‘full, complete and unconditional pardons’ that Trump issued Monday to nearly all defendants charged in connection to the attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6. A total of 1,583 defendants have been charged. The pardons cleared the way for the release of potentially hundreds of Trump’s supporters, some of whom were sentenced to years in prison for violently attacking law enforcement officers that day.”
VIDEO: Woman organizes walkathon in Columbus after losing 5 family members to gun violence
“A Gun Violence Community Awareness Walkathon is scheduled for Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 10 a.m. in Columbus, Georgia.”
VIDEO: Tri-State pastor shares story for National Gun Violence Survivors Week
“Pastor Jackie Jackson told FOX19 NOW Monday that he became a gun violence prevention advocate in part due to personal experiences, such as being shot at just 10 years old by a trusted adult. He also serves as program manager for Everytown for Gun Safety.”
A retired bishop transforms guns into garden tools to help youths envision peace
“Bishop Curry then invites onlookers to try their own hand at making garden tools from firearm parts, using the forge that he takes with him to various communities…. With each strike of the hammer, participants mold a hopeful vision of a future without gun violence.”
Gun parts are made into tools and metal hearts. (Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff)
