Regional Wrap
A wrap-up of local gun violence prevention news and stories from across the U.S.
Given the Trump administration’s rollback of recent gun violence prevention advances, the most productive GVP action has moved to the local level. Every other week we bring you the Regional Wrap to get you caught up on gun violence prevention news that might be happening right in your town.
CALIFORNIA:
Sacramento Receives $5M State Grant To Expand Violence Prevention Programs
“The funding comes through the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) program…. The program supports community-based strategies designed to interrupt cycles of violence and reduce shootings across California.”
“Safer Together” Symposium Strengthening Gun Violence Prevention Efforts
“The symposium comes months after Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1344 into law, authorizing a pilot program in Ventura, Alameda, El Dorado, and Santa Clara counties that allows district attorneys to directly petition the court for GVROs [gun violence restraining orders].”
CONNECTICUT:
After fatal shootings by police, Hartford community provides its own support
“In the days following the shootings, community organizations and faith leaders have created a support network for the neighborhoods affected. From providing advocacy and helping residents process their grief to connecting them with mental health resources and training for violence prevention.”
Andrew Woods, Executive Director of Hartford Communities That Care, sharing resources to a neighbor in the Blue Hills…. (Andrew Woods / Hartford Communities That Care; via Hartford Courant)
GEORGIA:
Southern states remain an outlier in firearm death rates. Where does Georgia fall?
“In some Southern states, the rate of kids whose death involved a gun from 2020 to 2024 is almost double the national average. Georgia ranks among the top 10 for states with the highest increase in youth firearm deaths over that time frame, up 68% from about seven years ago.”
HAWAII:
People In Crisis Still Keep Their Guns. Can Hawaiʻi Change That?
“Gun deaths in Hawaiʻi have increased by 40% over the last decade, but a gun violence protection order, also known as a red flag petition, has been used only 13 times since the state’s red flag law took effect roughly six years ago.”
ILLINOIS:
Hundreds gather in South Shore to recognize groundwork by Community Violence Intervention groups
“Chicago recorded 417 homicides in 2025—the lowest in 60 years—making it, alongside Baltimore and Philadelphia, one of the fastest-declining cities in the U.S. This year also marked four consecutive years of declining gun violence, a first in more than two decades.”
MICHIGAN:
LISTEN: Detroit’s newest department aims to prevent violence by building peace
“One of the most popular programs in the City of Detroit is community violence intervention. It’s a policy that tasks neighborhood residents with intervening in disputes to reduce gun violence and mitigate harm. Many say it’s working.”
Michigan courts receive over 500 filings to remove guns under red flag law
“Advocates say Michigan’s red flag law is working as intended to prevent gun violence and save lives.”
MINNESOTA:
Debating the Impact of Gun Violence in Minnesota
“In recent years, with a Democratic-led legislature, steps were taken to reduce firearm harm, including expanded background checks and a binary trigger ban. Red flag laws, which temporarily remove guns from people who have been deemed a threat to themselves or others, made it in the package; Minnesota passed this legislation in 2023.”
Community members held hearts carrying the names of Minnesota children killed by gun violence. (Photo by Sarah Whiting; via Minnesota Women’s Press)
MISSISSIPPI:
Mississippi leads the nation in gun deaths among those who are pregnant and postpartum
“Mississippi has become a hotspot for these deaths in large part because of lax gun laws and restrictive abortion access, both of which have been proven to increase violence against pregnant women.”
Via Mississippi Today
MISSOURI:
VIDEO: Introductory meeting brings together 20 prevention agencies as city reviews violent crime trends
“Thursday’s workshop brought together stakeholders from across Columbia to evaluate current violence reduction efforts, create shared definitions for community violence intervention and identify strengths and areas where the city’s violence prevention work could improve.”
Metro East community groups credit collaboration for historic low in homicides
“East St. Louis has reached a significant public safety milestone, recording its lowest number of homicides in at least 45 years…. The progress is being driven by a combination of high-tech investigative tools and a ‘boots-on-the-ground’ approach.”
NEW JERSEY:
17 people arrested in Jersey City for illegal gun possession since January
“Our officers are removing these firearms from our neighborhoods without using their service weapons, placing themselves in harm’s way to prevent further violence. That is disciplined policing focused on protection, not escalation….”
NEW YORK:
Albany leaders travel to Baltimore to study violence prevention
“The group met with Baltimore’s mayor and learned how the city coordinates violence prevention efforts across schools, government, nonprofits, and police through its Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety (MONSE) program.”
Feinstein Institutes’ Medical Marvels STEM competition challenged students to develop gun violence prevention solutions
“More than 150 freshmen and sophomores from Long Island and New York City entered the competition by submitting research papers and presentations to develop innovative solutions for gun violence prevention and school safety.”
Sacred Heart Academy students took home the winning prize. (Photo: Northwell Health)
NORTH CAROLINA:
VIDEO: From grief to support: Durham’s Office of Survivor Care makes a difference with gun violence
“The office aims to meet victims and their families with compassion and a wide variety of free resources, from mental health counseling to help with food, clothing, and laundry needs.”
VIDEO: Asheville leaders unite on safety plan after weekend gun violence incidents
“Asheville is tackling this from multiple angles. From prevention to youth programming to community policing, to increasing economic opportunity and mental health support.”
PENNSYLVANIA:
These student podcasters are calling for resources to address gun violence in Philly
“During a recording session last month, they dug into how Philadelphia students process anger, depression, insecurity, and other challenges that they feel contribute to gun violence across the city.”
TENNESSEE:
Review of firearm-related deaths among Tennessee children highlights public health crisis
“The difference in these findings and previous reports is that most of the published data is single-institution or regional data, and often it misses the patients that never make it to the hospital….”
VIDEO: Study says Tennessee gun violence costs state billions
“The non-profit Voices for a Safer Tennessee say that firearm violence cost Tennessee over $3.6 billion in 2023, the last year data is currently available for…. They say those numbers factor in medical costs, lost productivity, and the value of the lives that are lost.”
TEXAS:
VIDEO: Texas mom takes stage at Oscars to highlight gun violence after daughter’s death
“Gloria Cazares, whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie Cazares was killed in the attack, appeared on stage after the documentary short All the Empty Rooms won the Oscar.”
VIRGINIA:
VIDEO: Guns Down Gloves Up: Richmonders take a swing at gun violence
“Hosted by the nonprofit RVA Guns Down Gloves Up, both amateur and trained fighters battled in the ring, some of whom settled differences with their fists instead of resorting to gunfire.”
VIDEO: Organizations work to prevent gun violence amid recent shootings in Roanoke
“We create safe spaces for people to talk about their trauma, their grief, their hopelessness, their helplessness, whatever it is that they’re feeling that has them not being able to move forward.”
WASHINGTON:
Mothers On The Front Lines March Unites Community Against Gun Violence in Seattle
“The march was a somber yet determined procession through the streets of Capitol Hill, escorted by the Seattle Police Department. The route was marked by moments of deep reflection; the procession stopped several times so that marchers could speak the names of loved ones who were killed in the neighborhood.”
Photo via Converge
Seattle Invests $14.7 Million In Community Programs To Reduce Gun Violence
“The funding, announced by Mayor Katie Wilson and administered through the city’s Human Services Department, will support 19 community-based organizations providing violence intervention services, school-based safety programs, and supportive services.”