Advocates Concerned Any Funding Interruptions Could Deal Long-Term Setbacks to City Gun Violence Prevention Efforts
Over the holiday weekend, several U.S. cities experienced a rash of shootings as gun violence continues during the coronavirus pandemic. They included:
- Chicago, where nine people were shot and killed, and at least 30 others were wounded over the course of the weekend in the deadliest Memorial Day weekend since 2015.
- Memphis, where at least five people were shot and killed and more than seven people were wounded in shootings over the weekend. Memphis Police report that homicides have increased this year, in a state where 80% of all homicides involved a gun.
- Baltimore, which is on track for one of the deadliest years in recent history and where at least nine people were killed and five people wounded in holiday weekend gun violence.
- St. Louis, where four people were shot and killed and 15 others were wounded this weekend — including 17 of whom were shot in the span of 12 hours in separate shootings across the city.
- Charlotte, where nine people were shot and wounded and one person was killed over the weekend, including six who were wounded when a fight broke out on Saturday.
Cities across the country continue to see daily shootings — with some cities seeing an increase in gun violence since the stay-at-home orders were issued. Last month, Everytown for Gun Safety and Mayors Against Illegal Guns released guidance for mayors on how to continue fighting daily gun violence in their cities during the pandemic.
First on the list of recommendations is sustaining support for local gun violence intervention groups, as any funding interruptions could deal long-term setbacks to city gun violence prevention efforts. This week, Everytown for Gun Safety applauded 20 Senate Democrats, who sent a letter to Senate leadership calling for $250 million in community-based violence intervention program funding in the next COVID relief package.
More information about gun violence in cities is available here. If you have any questions or would like to speak to a policy expert on the ways local officials can fight gun violence during the pandemic, don’t hesitate to reach out.