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.
There was so much local GVP news over the last few weeks, we’ll have another Regional Wrap for you tomorrow.
CALIFORNIA:
Reduce the Risk brings gun violence prevention campaign to UC Berkeley
“Only 30% of Californians know about [Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVROs)], though 79% are concerned about the lack of information regarding the orders, according to a statewide survey conducted by Reduce the Risk.”
At a Wednesday ASUC Senate meeting, members of the Reduce the Risk Youth Advisory Council presented on Gun Violence Restraining Orders. (Ella Yang | Staff; via The Daily Californian)
COLORADO:
Sen. Tom Sullivan: Courage, data, and the responsibility to act on gun violence in Colorado
“April 20 marks 26 years since the Columbine High School shooting — a tragedy that forever changed our state. But the nature of the crisis we face today has evolved, and so must our response.”
CONNECTICUT:
VIDEO: Hartford residents push for stronger community bonds in light of recent gun violence
“[Phillips Metropolitan CME Church] held a Day of Peace event that promoted resources such as counseling and conversations with neighbors to build stronger bonds.”
School crisis drills in CT get rules and standards with new law
“Advocates are praising the change, which they hope will standardize drills and put more focus on psychological safety.”
ILLINOIS:
Breaking down the data: How 2026 shootings compare to last year in Champaign
“Residents are already calling for change as concerns grow about recent incidents and emerging trends.”
Residents on Chicago’s South Side Got a Trauma Center Reopened. New Research Shows It’s Saved Lives.
“A new study found that the reopening of UChicago Medicine, a Level 1 trauma center, reduced gun deaths in the neighborhood by 4 percent. That’s 80 lives a year.”
INDIANA:
VIDEO: Jeffersonville City Council invests in teen violence prevention group amid recent instances
“The Domino Affect is an organization that works with incarcerated teens ages 12 to 19 in the Clark County Detention Center. It’s an eight-week program that focuses on teaching emotional regulation to prevent future violent offenses.”
VIDEO: ‘Pick up a power tool instead of a gun’ | East Indianapolis church offering alternatives to gun violence
“The program New Direction is helping run aims to teach young adults about life and trade skills. The program is in partnership with Yes Indy and the Nehemiah Project.”
VIDEO: Spike in gun violence in Indianapolis
“It was a particularly violent weekend here in Indianapolis.”
LOUISIANA:
VIDEO: Gun violence and Louisiana: Where does state rank in mass shootings?
“Louisiana ranked seventh for the number of deadly mass shootings, with a total of 16 mass shootings in 2025, according to World Population Review.”
MICHIGAN:
Grand Rapids leaders promote new initiatives to tackle youth gun violence this summer
“… initiatives backed by $10,000 in grants aim to reduce youth involvement and support mental health.”
VIDEO: Local competition aims to reduce gun violence
“The SAFE Task Force, which stands for Safe Alliances For Everyone, is a competition offering $10,000 dollars to organizations with pitches to reduce violence.”
NEVADA:
VIDEO: In-Depth Look: Las Vegas Metro Police’s Violent Gun Crime Unit
“FOX5’s Jaclyn Schultz spoke with Captain Michelle Tavarez of the Safe Neighborhoods Bureau, which also oversees VICE, gang investigations and narcotics.”
NEW MEXICO:
VIDEO: Mural combines activism and ‘augmented reality’ against gun violence
“With help from ‘augmented reality’ designer Akilah Martinez, students at the Archer Academy for Advanced Learning have created a mural that takes artistic activism to an amazing new level.”
NEW YORK:
$1.5M NYS funding expands Northwell gun violence prevention program
“With the $1.5 million funding, Northwell will deliver training, technical support and coordination to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester and SBH Health System in the Bronx.”
VIDEO: NYC community gathers to honor gun violence victim and promote change
“Friends and family came together to honor the life of Kenneth Casilla at the Wyckoff Community Center with live performances, a fashion show, and a message of hope against gun violence.”
VIDEO: State and Local approaches to prevent gun violence
Zohran Mamdani and New York’s Politics of Public Safety
“Mayor’s Office of Community Safety to oversee five existing city programs focused on mental health, gun violence and domestic violence, and hate crimes.”
NORTH CAROLINA:
VIDEO: North Carolina’s gun deaths are falling — so why is one category quietly surging?
“The report, ‘Firearm Violence Across North Carolina,’ was published this month by the N.C. Criminal Justice Analysis Center and looks at data from 2020 through the first half of 2025, the latest available data.”
OHIO:
Gun violence is among the leading causes of death for Ohio kids. Experts are alarmed
“The report from advocacy group Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, authored by policy analyst Brianna Booker, combines state and national data from 2025 with firsthand accounts from families impacted by gun violence.”
TENNESSEE:
VIDEO: ‘It affects the whole community’ Safer TN, Boyd Center dashboard tracks cost of gun violence
“University of Tennessee professor Matt Harris co-created an interactive dashboard to show where gun deaths are occurring, and the cost of every life lost to gun violence. ‘Firearm deaths have risen 60% from 2014 to 2023….’”
New data puts cost of gun violence in Tennessee at $3.6B for one year alone
“Over the past decade, firearm deaths in the state have increased by roughly 60%. The data also challenges the idea that gun violence is primarily an urban or city issue.”
Gun safety advocates filled both galleries of the State House in 2025to protest a bill allowing school faculty and staff to be armed on campus (photo: Martin B. Cherry; via Nashville Banner).
VIRGINIA:
Democrats in Virginia Just Pushed 25 Gun Reforms to the Finish Line
“When Democrat Abigail Spanberger was elected to succeed [Republican governor Glenn Youngkin] in November, giving the party a governing trifecta, Democratic state lawmakers saw the opportunity for a redo — and took it.”
Fear drives youth gun violence in Virginia. Why?
“What researchers learned was striking. Many young people carry guns because they are afraid. Social media, Block said, often intensifies that fear by normalizing gun culture, and conflicts that begin online can quickly escalate into real-world violence.”
VIDEO: How Richmond’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention plans to reduce violent crime in the city
“Greg Hopkins, the director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, said the department is working to prevent tragedies through funding, system recommendations, and nightlife ambassadors stationed in all hot spots, not just Shockoe Bottom.”
ODU shooting case renews debate over Virginia’s inactive background check law
“The case comes as Virginia’s background check requirement for most private firearm sales remains invalidated following an October ruling by a Lynchburg-area circuit court, a decision that still stands after an appellate court declined to revive the law.”
WISCONSIN:
Nearly $15 million awarded to Wisconsin violence prevention organizations
“Grants are distributed based on five categories: suicide prevention and firearm storage, evidence-based violence intervention and outreach programs, criminal justice-based initiatives, domestic violence prevention initiatives, and school-based initiatives.”