The Hawaii chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following statement after Hawaii lawmakers issued a proclamation recognizing Moms Demand Action for their work educating Hawaii residents about the red flag law signed by Gov. Ige last June that went into effect Jan. 1.
“We’re grateful our lawmakers are raising awareness about our new red flag law,” said Carolyn Pearl, a volunteer with the Hawaii chapter of Moms Demand Action. “This policy is a critical tool for intervening before tragedy strikes, but it is only effective when local communities know about it.”
In the last decade, gun deaths have increased 19 percent in Hawaii. Red flag laws are one of the most powerful tools for preventing mass shootings, school shootings, and gun suicides by creating a way to act before warning signs escalate into tragedies. Red flag laws are particularly effective in preventing gun suicide. On average, gun suicides make up 72 percent of all gun deaths in Hawaii.
More information about red flag laws here. Statistics about gun violence in Hawaii are available here, and information on how Hawaii’s gun laws compare to other states’ overall is available here.