PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Arizona chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement after five police officers were shot and wounded while responding to a barricade situation in Phoenix. According to police spokesperson Sgt. Andy Williams, four other officers were injured by bullet shrapnel and another woman was also critically injured during the incident.
“Our hearts break for all of those impacted by today’s shooting,” said Rene Friedkin, Arizona Chapter Leader for Moms Demand Action. “These officers risk their lives every day to protect public safety, and they deserve better than this. We need to do more to protect our communities and our first responders from these senseless acts of gun violence.”
Today’s shooting is not an isolated event. Just two months ago, Phoenix police Officer Tyler Moldovan was shot multiple times during a traffic investigation. In the first month of 2022 alone, at least 24 law enforcement officers were shot in the U.S., according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.
Arizona has some of the weakest firearm laws in the country, scoring only 8.5 out of 100 for gun law strength while maintaining a gun violence rate well above the national average. New analysis from Everytown shows that states with weak gun laws have higher rates of gun violence. Despite this, the Arizona legislature is currently considering several dangerous bills that would further weaken the state’s firearm laws and exacerbate the already devastating rate of gun violence plaguing Arizona communities. Just last week, the Arizona House Government and Elections Committee advanced HB 2316, dangerous legislation to allow guns in public spaces. And last month, the Arizona Senate Judiciary committee passed SB 1125, legislation which would attempt to expand the scope of nullification of future gun safety laws.
In an average year, 1,155 people die and 1,017 more are wounded by guns in Arizona. Arizona has the 35th-highest rate of gun homicides and gun assaults in the US; an average of 332 people in Arizona die by gun homicides and 414 are wounded by gun assaults each year. Gun violence costs Arizona $7.6 billion each year, of which $263.2 million is paid by taxpayers. Everytown’s interactive gun law platform – which shows the direct correlation between the strength of a state’s gun laws – is available here. More information about Arizona gun violence is available here.
