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Axios
6 days ago
- General
- Axios
Why gun switches are becoming more prevalent in Philly
"The sound of war" — that's how Philly police commissioner Kevin Bethel described the rapid gunfire that shattered a recent Memorial Day celebration in Fairmount Park. The big picture: Police believe one of at least three shooters in last month's deadly attack used a firearm equipped with a switch — an illegal device that's becoming a "major issue" in Philadelphia, deputy commissioner Frank Vanore tells Axios. The devices, which can essentially turn pistols into machine guns, have been used in multiple shootings across the city in the past few years, Vanore says. They're being seized more regularly by law enforcement officials in Philly and across the U.S. The latest: Police now believe that six guns were used in the May 26 mass shooting that killed two people and injured nine others, Vanore told Axios following Tuesday's National Gun Violence Awareness Month event at City Hall. Police initially believed at least three shooters were involved, but new evidence raises questions about the possibility of additional shooters or ones armed with multiple guns, Vanore says. Police do not have much surveillance footage of the shooting, so they're "working through" other pieces of evidence to crack the case, Vanore says. No arrests have been made. By the numbers: Philadelphia police have already recovered at least 57 guns equipped with switches this year, per police data provided to Axios. 294 of more than 11,400 guns recovered in 2023 and 2024 — or about 2.5% — were equipped with some form of illegal conversion device, per the data. Threat level: The converted automatic weapons can fire several rounds in seconds with a single pull of a trigger, Vanore says. Switches are becoming more popular because they're easy to buy off the internet, for as cheap as $25, and can be installed with the help of a YouTube tutorial, Vanore tells Axios. They can also be created with 3-D printers. What they're saying: Switches are now a "status symbol" among criminals, says Greg Lickenbrock, director of investigations at gun violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety. "It's an intimidation factor," he tells Axios. "It's very easy for a simple altercation to turn into a shootout." Police are"doing everything we can" to eliminate them, Vanore says, and stop potential skirmishes from escalating into violence. Officers will be redeployed from school areas to places where young people typically gather — including parks and community centers — during summer, historically Philly's most violent season, Vanore says. Last summer, Mayor Cherelle Parker signed a bill that banned people from possessing, producing, buying and transferring gun switches and similar rapid-fire devices in Philly. Zoom out: The use of these gun conversion devices, often marketed under common counterfeit trade names like "Glock Switch," has exploded nationally, ATF spokesperson Ben Benson tells Axios.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Abigail Spanberger's Chances of Beating Republicans in Virginia—New Polls
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former Representative Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, holds a lead over Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears in two new polls of the Virginia gubernatorial race released on Thursday. Newsweek reached out to the Spanberger and Earle-Sears campaigns for comment via email. Why It Matters Virginia's gubernatorial election will be an early bellwether for Republicans about President Donald Trump's popularity ahead of the 2026 midterms. Historically, the party that lost the presidency is favored in the state's off-year elections, but the GOP is hoping Earle-Sears can deliver a victory following Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin's victory four years earlier. The election will also test whether Democrats can win back key voter groups that shifted toward Republicans in the 2024 election, including Hispanic and Gen Z voters. Old Dominion was once a Republican-leaning state, but suburban shifts and growth in the northern region of the state propelled it leftward over the past two decades. Last November, former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the state by less than six points, down from former President Joe Biden's 10-point win in 2020. What to Know Two new polls showed Spanberger, a centrist Democrat who served in Congress from 2019 to 2024, with a lead in the state's gubernatorial race. Former Representative Abigail Spanberger speaks during an Everytown for Gun Safety rally in Alexandria, Virginia on April 10, 2025. Former Representative Abigail Spanberger speaks during an Everytown for Gun Safety rally in Alexandria, Virginia on April 10, 2025.A Roanoke College poll, which surveyed 658 Virginians from May 12 to May 19, 2025, found Spanberger with a double-digit lead. Forty-three percent of respondents said they intend to vote for her in November, compared to only 26 percent who said they would vote for Earle-Sears. Forty-one percent of Virginians view Spanberger favorably, compared to 40 percent who view her unfavorably, according to the survey. Meanwhile, 32 percent view Earle-Sears favorably, compared to 48 percent who view her unfavorably. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 5.25 percentage points. The survey also found Governor Youngkin's favorability rating is at its worst ever. Fifty percent of respondents said they view him unfavorably, while 50 percent view him favorably, the poll found. Meanwhile, 64 percent of respondents viewed Trump unfavorably, while 33 percent view him favorably. However, a poll commissioned by business advocacy group Virginia FREE and conducted by Pantheon/HarrisX pointed to a closer race. That poll found Spanberger leading by only four points—52 percent of voters supporting her, and 48 percent backing Earle-Sears. It found that 54 percent of Virginians approve of Youngkin, while 41 percent disapprove. Meanwhile, 56 percent disapprove of Trump, and 44 percent approve of him. The poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters from May 9 to May 13, 2025, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Spanberger's lead is, in part, because she is "closer to the center of Virginia politics," Jeremy Mayer, associate professor at George Mason's Schar School of Policy and Government, told Newsweek. "Republicans are going to try to paint her as far left from now until November. If they succeed, these numbers will get a lot tighter," he said. Trump is also a "huge weight" on Virginia Republicans, he said, pointing to the administration's cut to the federal government. Many residents of Northern Virginia were employed by the federal government, so the cuts "resonate so strongly with many voters in a negative way that he is hurting the GOP brand," Mayer said. Mayer noted that one point of concern for Democrats may be that Earle-Sears received 32 percent of Black voters in the Virginia FREE poll. "If that continues, or intensifies, the Democrats could see this race slip away. So Spanberger needs to figure out a way to stop the bleeding of Black support away from the Democrats," he said. What People Are Saying Dr. Harry Wilson, interim director for Roanoke College's Institute for Policy and Opinion Research, wrote in the poll write-up: "Six months in a gubernatorial election season is an eternity in politics, but one would prefer to be ahead by 17 points. More than a quarter of Virginians are undecided, and there is good news for both candidates. Spanberger is obviously leading at this point, and she leads among independents, but a large number of Republicans are undecided, and they will most likely end up voting for Earle-Sears. The favorable rating for Earle-Sears, however, should be cause for concern." Mayer told Newsweek: "The biggest issue so far is Trump, whether the candidates want to acknowledge it or not. He is absorbing all the oxygen in American politics right now. Most Virginia gubernatorial elections are buffeted by national tides, but this year, those tides are closer to a tsunami. That could change—Trump could morph into a more normal president, the radical cuts and dramatic rise in tariffs could recede or retreat, but unless that happens, or some other statewide issue rises up, this will be a referendum on Trump more than anything." What Happens Next The Virginia gubernatorial election will be held on November 4, 2025. The Cook Political Report currently classifies the race as Lean Democratic, meaning it is "considered competitive" but that Democrats do have "an advantage."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signs bill banning Glock switches
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation on Wednesday to ban Glock switches, making Tennessee the 27th state in the nation to do so. The legislation was sponsored by House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson and passed with bipartisan support. Machinegun Conversion Devices or 'switches' are aftermarket gun accessories that make semi-automatic handguns or rifles fire like fully automatic weapons. What are 'Glock switches'? The Tennessee chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action praised the new law in statements released on Wednesday. 'Today's victory speaks volumes to the bipartisan progress that we can—and must—make together to prevent gun violence in Tennessee,' said Linda McFadyen-Ketchum, a volunteer with the Tennessee chapter of Moms Demand Action. 'Banning Glock switches is just common sense — these devices turn everyday guns into illegal machine guns, and they have no place in our communities. This win is a meaningful step toward making Tennessee safer for everyone.' According to a release from the nonprofit organization Everytown for Gun Safety, Tennessee has the 11th-highest rate of gun deaths and the 8th-highest rate of gun homicide in the U.S. 'Banning Glock switches is bad news for criminals who want to inflict maximum damage with a single pull of the trigger, and lifesaving news for law enforcement and the communities they're charged with protecting,' said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. 'We applaud Tennessee lawmakers for forging a bipartisan response to the threat of Glock switches, and urge them to keep working together on common-sense solutions to gun violence.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ramsey County leaders remind residents: ‘Safe gun storage saves lives'
While growing up in rural Minnesota, Ramsey County commissioner Tara Jebens-Singh had a classmate die by suicide at age 13. In college, she knew a student who was asked to leave school because he was struggling — and then took his life. 'Unfortunately, moments after returning home, he accessed a family gun,' she said. For those struggling with suicidal ideation, creating distance and time between them and a weapon is critical, said Jebens-Singh, who joined other county leaders Wednesday at Shoreview Library to remind residents who have firearms in their homes of the message: 'Safe gun storage saves lives.' 'Gun locks are not just a tool for gun safety,' she said. 'They are a lifesaving step that provides precious time that can make all the difference. Those moments can give a caregiver time to check on the children in the back room, or an individual in crisis time to reach out for help and rethink their options.' Ramsey County began its Gun Safety Initiative in 2016 as a partnership between the attorney's office, sheriff's office and public health, with the goal of educating families about the importance of safe gun storage by providing access to free gun locks at libraries, community centers and other sites across the county. Nearly 10,000 gun locks have been given out. With kids about to be spending more time at home while on summer break, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said, now is a critical time to speak out about how 'we can prevent the tragedies that occur around gun violence in our community.' Choi noted last week's case in St. Anthony, when a 3-year-old boy was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the head after he reportedly got hold of a gun inside a car and accidentally discharged it. The boy's condition is improving and 'it looks as though he is going to survive,' St. Anthony Police Chief Jeff Spiess said Wednesday. 'He's been communicative, and has been sitting up.' The child's mother was in the car when the boy got hold of a gun belonging to her friend, who was outside of the car, Spiess said. Investigators continue to review video and digital evidence, he said. Nearly every day in the U.S. a child gains access to a loaded firearm and unintentionally shoots themself or someone else. In half of unintentional shootings by children, they shoot themselves and in more than 90 percent of the remaining cases, the victim is another child, according to Everytown for Gun Safety. Households that lock both guns and ammunition are associated with an 85% risk reduction for unintentional gun injury among children compared to those that locked neither, according to the Manhattan-based nonprofit. 'A gun lock can be the difference between life or death if a child accidentally gets hold of a gun, or if an unsecured firearm is easily accessible to a teen experiencing a mental health crisis,' said Amy Caron, director of St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health. Last week, the Minnesota Department of Health reported preliminary data showing the number of Minnesota suicides in 2024 — 813 — was the same as in 2023, ending a 20-year upward trend. It marks two years of suicides below the state high of 860 deaths in 2022. 'While these preliminary numbers show the suicides rates per 100,000 residents holding steady, the overall upward trend over the last 20 years is concerning,' Caron said. Firearm injuries made up 51 percent of suicide deaths last year, a higher percentage than in recent years. 'These grim statistics are why gun locks and safely secured firearms are an important part of the work to prevent suicides, accidental deaths and injuries and gun violence,' Caron said. The Gun Safety Initiative is critical in helping prevent suicides, said Sue Abderholden, executive director of NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness). 'If you own a gun, please use a gun lock. Please use safe storage practices,' she said. She said it is important for people to know about a law went into effect last year in Minnesota called an 'Extreme Risk Protection Order' (called 'red flag' laws in other states), which are temporary court orders that remove guns from people who are suicidal or who may hurt others. There are two types of ERPOs: emergency and longterm. If a judicial officer grants an emergency ERPO, it goes into effect right away and lasts 14 days. A long-term ERPO, which can only be granted after a hearing, lasts between six months and one year. Abderholden said people also need to know about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which connects someone with a trained counselor 24/7 by calling or texting 988. 'We're also lucky that in Minnesota we have mobile mental health crisis teams serving all ages,' she said. 'These are tools that we can use to prevent suicide. Please use them.' Information about pick-up sites for free gun locks can be found at
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This U.S. State Has the Most Road Rage, Report Finds
A new report has named the worst states in the U.S. for road rage. Researchers examined data on fatal crashes, reckless driving, and traffic incidents involving gun violence to rank each of the 50 states. The worst three states for aggressive and dangerous drivers were located in the South, Southwest, and to the 2025 Travel Vacationer survey, more than 75 percent of American respondents said they plan to take a road trip this summer. It is, after all, a time-honored tradition. But anyone hoping to hit the open road needs to know one thing: some drivers just aren't very nice, especially in certain states. On May 1, Consumer Affairs released its list of the states with the worst road rage, giving would-be road trippers a heads up on where they should be extra cautious. It identified the states with the worst road rage by "analyzing data on fatal crashes involving careless or reckless driving, violations for dangerous driving, and traffic incidents involving gun violence," the report stated about its methodology. And after looking at the data, it named Louisiana the state with the highest road rage, a dishonor it has received for two years in a row. "Nearly 60 percent of the state's fatal crashes and traffic deaths were linked to aggressive or careless driving, the highest rates in the nation," the findings stated. "Louisiana also has the highest overall rates of fatal crashes and deaths involving aggressive or careless driving per 100,000 people. Additionally, it has the second-highest rate of traffic violations for aggressive or careless driving or speeding." This careless driving can also come with serious consequences (besides the potential of hurting yourself or others), including up to 90 days in jail for first-time offenders charged with "reckless driving" and up to six months in jail for second-time offenders, Consumer Affairs reported. Though it's not the only state where drivers need to find a little zen. New Mexico took the No. 2 spot "not least because of its comparatively high rate of traffic incidents involving gun violence, which is almost four times the national rate," the findings stated. "Unfortunately, this trend also aligns with the state's general gun violence rates: Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun violence prevention group, notes that New Mexico's gun violence rate is almost double the national average." Rounding out the top three offenders is Colorado, which has the highest number of violations for aggressive or careless driving or speeding per 100,000 people, the findings revealed, adding that this is "over eight times the national average. That helps explain how Colorado climbed one spot in our ranking, moving up from fourth place last year." Arkansas and Montana rounded out the top five, while Maine was named the calmest of all the states in the nation for driving. See the entire list so you're fully prepared for your next road trip at Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
