Latest news with #OfficeofGunViolencePrevention
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Constitutional Carry Law Promoted by Donald Trump Would Allow People to Carry Guns Everywhere Without Permits
Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take On January 21, the website for the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention went dark. Established by President Biden in 2023 as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the office represented the first federal effort to protect Americans from gun-related death and injury in the past 30 years. It made an impact: reducing the loopholes by which firearms can be distributed without background checks; providing support for communities and victims of gun violence; and educating the public on gun violence-prevention measures, like safe storage and emergency risk-protection orders. In 2024, firearm-related deaths and injuries dropped for the third year in a row. Despite these accomplishments, gun violence recently surpassed auto accidents as the number one killer of American children, reminding us that we still have a long way to go. But as soon as President Trump took office this year, he effectively eliminated the Office of Gun Violence Prevention by an executive order entitled 'Protecting Second Amendment Rights,' exalting "a right to keep and bear arms' as the most important right held by Americans. Among his priorities is 'national reciprocity,' a policy that would require every state to respect the concealed carry eligibility standards of others, effectively allowing a person authorized to carry a concealed firearm in one state to carry legally in any other state. Supporters of national reciprocity say that it will ensure consistency among state-based regulations. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), one of the bill's cosponsors, has said it 'ensures that law-abiding citizens can exercise their constitutional right to carry concealed firearms across state lines while respecting the laws of each state.' Currently, there is significant state-to-state variation governing whether and how a person may carry a firearm into public space. For example, some states, like Massachusetts and New Jersey, require people to complete a background check and a safety-training course before being authorized to carry a concealed gun in public. On the other end of the regulatory spectrum are 29 states that have done away with any licensing or training requirements by implementing what is popularly known as 'Constitutional,' or permitless, carry. The regulatory differences among states correspond to vast differences in rates of firearm homicide, suicide, and injury. Perhaps not surprisingly, states with regulations and safety-training requirements experience significantly lower rates of firearm violence. Massachusetts and New Jersey have among the lowest rates of firearm-related death, with 3.7 and 4.6 gun deaths per 100,000 residents, respectively. But Mississippi, which implemented permitless open carry in 2013 and permitless concealed carry in 2016, experiences 29.4 gun deaths per 100,000 residents, according to CDC data published by the Pew Research Center. Researchers studying the impact of permitless carry have demonstrated that the removal of gun regulations has an immediate, devastating effect on public safety. Permitless carry states, like West Virginia and Missouri, experienced a steep increase in firearm deaths after eliminating their licensing and training requirements. West Virginia passed permitless carry in 2016, after which gun homicides increased 48% and suicides increased 22% by 2020. After Missouri repealed its firearm permit regulations in 2007, firearm homicides increased by 23% over the next four years. Missouri — which used to boast relatively low rates of gun violence — currently ranks among the top 10 states for firearm suicide and has the eighth highest rate of firearm violence in the nation. In spite of the overwhelming data showing the deadly consequences of permitless carry, there is a bill making its way through the North Carolina legislature that, if adopted, would make NC the 30th state to eliminate gun permit regulations. The state's existing laws are relatively permissive, allowing people over age 21 to apply for a permit to carry a concealed firearm after passing a gun-safety course. Currently, North Carolina's gun-suicide rate is lower than the national average, but its gun-homicide rate is higher. In an interview with local media, Rebecca Ceartas, executive director of North Carolinians Against Gun Violence, warned that the new law will cost lives as 'people as young as 18 years old, with no training and no background check, could carry a hidden loaded weapon in public.' Regardless of the outcome in North Carolina, national reciprocity would require that every state honor the reckless standards of permitless carry. Trump has urged Congress to send such a bill to his desk, telling the audience at a 2024 campaign rally with the National Rifle Association that doing so would help Americans protect themselves against 'barbaric' criminals and keep their families safe. Beyond ignoring the data that show how gun regulations save lives, national reciprocity also amounts to a breathtaking breach of 'states' rights,' since it would force states with evidence-based regulations designed to preserve life to adopt the looser (or nonexistent) regulations of permitless carry states. This federal overreach is in stark contradiction to Republicans' stated insistence on 'states' rights' for reproductive rights and voter protections. Since about the mid 1970s, though, the Republican party has increasingly fallen in line with an extremist 'gun rights' lobby that interprets any firearm regulation as a betrayal of the Second Amendment. The well-funded gun rights machine has launched a relentless disinformation campaign to convince Americans that civilian-owned guns are the best way to fight crime and that, in the now canonical words of former NRA frontman Wayne LaPierre, 'the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.' But the overwhelming accumulation of empirical evidence shows otherwise. Public health experts and criminologists have shown that deregulating guns leads to more crime, more death, and more injury. National reciprocity means more firearms in public circulation — and in the hands of people who have not been vetted or trained. Instead of a common-sense way to normalize gun regulation across the states, national reciprocity is a race to the bottom, forcing all of us into a deadly 'guns everywhere' dystopia. Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more U.S. government coverage? 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Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Town of Union man arrested after drug and weapons bust
TOWN OF UNION, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A Town of Union man is facing several felony drug and weapons charges after investigators located firearms and cocaine during a search warrant. On Monday, the Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force (SIU) announced the arrest of 35-year-old Gary Lanzo. On May 9, SIU executed a search warrant at 2 Donald Street Apartment 2 in the Town of Union. During the search, investigators located the following items: Approximately 3.4 grams of Cocaine Digital Scales Packaging Material Cutting Agent A Ruger .45 Caliber Revolver A Kel-Tec 9mm Handgun As a result of the investigation, Lanzo was arrested and charged with the following: Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B Felony Three Counts of Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, Class A Misdemeanors Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony Two Counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, Class D Felonies Lanzo was arraigned and remanded to the Broome County Jail, where he remains in custody. Town of Union man arrested after drug and weapons bust Binghamton woman arrested after multi-state reckless driving incident New York state budget creates Office of Gun Violence Prevention Binghamton man admits to shooting, killing woman Buffet Star forced to close after SUV smashes through building Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Quavo Names Gregory Jackson Jr. President of His Rocket Foundation for the Prevention of Gun Violence (EXCLUSIVE)
Quavo has named Gregory Jackson Jr., former Deputy Director for the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, as president of his Rocket Foundation, which is dedicated to preventing gun violence by supporting community-based solutions. This news comes on the heels of the Trump administration's dismantling of that White House department, where Jackson previously served alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris. More from Variety Action Thriller 'Takeover,' Starring Quavo and Billy Zane, Picked Up by 13 Films (EXCLUSIVE) Quavo's 'Huncho Farms' Event Provides Food to 500 Atlanta Families Quavo Explains Turning 'Tragedy Into Triumph' With Gun Violence Reform and Working With the White House In his new role, Jackson will oversee day-to-day operations of the foundation, advise on real-time policy and reform, expand active partnerships and the current network. Additionally, he will manage the annual programming and events of the foundation alongside its founder, Quavo, including the SPARK Grants Program and the Rocket Foundation Summit, which debuted in Atlanta last year on Takeoff's 30th birthday honoring his legacy. Takeoff, Quavo's nephew and bandmate in Migos, was murdered in 2022 in an incident in which he was an 'innocent bystander,' according to local police. Jackson presented Rocket Foundation founder Quavo with the Humanitarian Award at Variety's Hitmakers event last December (pictured above). A gun violence survivor himself, Jackson is a leading voice on gun violence prevention for Black and Brown communities. Prior to the White House, he was Executive Director of the Community Justice Action Fund, which advances policies to address gun violence in these communities. There he led efforts that secured over $12 billion in public funding for gun violence prevention and led to passage of the first gun violence law in 30 years, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. As Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee National Field Director, Jackson ran the largest midterm election voter registration program in U.S. history. 'No family should suffer tragedy or trauma from gun violence like the family of Takeoff endured, but sadly over 40,000 do each year,' said Jackson. 'The courage of Quavo, Titania, Edna and the entire family has been a true inspiration to me. It's an honor to lead this foundation's efforts to make our communities safer and honor the legacy of Takeoff.' 'I am thrilled to have Greg lead the charge for Rocket,' said Quavo. 'He is a longstanding partner of the organization and our persistent work to end gun violence. I know my foundation and Takeoff's legacy are in good hands with him.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Netflix in May 2025 What's Coming to Disney+ in May 2025
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cleveland activists say gun violence prevention efforts are disjointed — but there's a fix
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 8 2025 - Since President Trump eliminated the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, many states are trying to create their own. However, they're noticeably absent throughout the Midwest. Local community leaders in Cleveland have called on the city to create an office of gun violence prevention, stating that a permanent investment in an office would make their work more effective. (Photo by Daniel Lozada for The Trace) This story was published in partnership with The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence. In February, 10-year-old Lorenzo Roberson, dressed in a suit and tie, spoke passionately at a town hall meeting in Cleveland. He was there to address city leaders about how he and other kids feel about safety in their neighborhoods. Most importantly, though, he was there to remember his best friend, Kaden Coleman, who was shot and killed that same month as he sat in the backseat of a car in Mount Pleasant, eight miles south of downtown Cleveland. 'I am Kaden because his spirit now lives within me. I am Kaden because I am 10 years old, too; I get good grades, too,' Lorenzo told a mix of residents and elected officials. 'Will I have a chance to survive? Will my life be cut short, too?' Then he posed a challenge to the audience: 'Will the adults in this room make sure that I have a chance to grow?' His call for safety in the face of rising shooting rates among young people reflects the pervasive fear among people who live in Cleveland's most turbulent neighborhoods, including Mount Pleasant, where Lorenzo lives. Despite a recent decline in shootings across the city, a handful of neighborhoods — Central, East Cleveland, Mount Pleasant and others — experience disproportionate levels of violence. Homicide rates in those areas range from 25 to 57 per 100,000 residents compared to places that are as low as 0 to 15. All of the struggling neighborhoods are majority Black. To combat the burden of shootings on those communities, local leaders and activists have worked hard for decades to fill gaps, establishing intervention and prevention programs, doing outreach work among young people, and providing mental health support to those in need. Those methods seem to have contributed to the city's overall decline, especially in the last few years. But people working to tackle gun crimes in Cleveland said local groups have fallen into silos as they each vie for funding, creating a competitive, uncoordinated response that they see as inadequate for addressing the shifting crisis. A localized Office of Gun Violence Prevention, they said, would help address that isolation — and curb shootings. 'We've seen how successful (these types of offices) have been in other cities. I think it would make a real difference,' said Laron Douglas, the executive director of Renounce Denounce, a community-based gang intervention program that works with kids in Cleveland. Many cities across the country have created offices of gun violence prevention over the past several years. They coordinate local initiatives, fund programs, and help drive policy changes. Since President Donald Trump eliminated the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention in his first month in office, dozens of municipalities are proposing or creating their own, but local offices are notably scarce throughout the Midwest, where gun violence rates are higher than in some of the country's largest cities. Several states in the region, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Wisconsin, have successfully established them; Allegheny County, where Pittsburgh is located, is one of the few counties to host one. 'Having one dedicated gun violence prevention office will make us more intentional. The office would be able to call a family and deploy resources effectively,' said Myesha Watkins, who runs the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, an anti-violence group established in 2009 among a handful of still-active community groups. 'There's too many people who don't know where to go for gun violence prevention.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The city has a variety of official violence prevention strategies, including the Neighborhood Safety Fund to invest in community violence prevention work; Cleveland Thrive, the city's community-based violence intervention coalition; and the Mayor's Office of Prevention, Intervention, and Opportunity, one of several offices addressing root causes of youth violence under the mayor's 'all-of-government' approach. Cleveland has also deployed a street outreach team from the Community Relations Board to do violence intervention work, and the Neighborhood Resources and Recreational Centers are involved with providing activity space for kids. Those efforts are helpful, but they're not strategic enough, said City Council Member Richard Starr, who is a native of Central and represents several neighborhoods struggling with gun violence. 'They don't have a plan right now,' Starr said, noting the city's handful of initiatives but lack of a concrete plan for tackling gun violence or measuring its trajectory. According to city data, Cleveland had a firearm death rate of 45 per 100,000 residents in 2023, the most recent year full data is available, an increase from 39 in 2022. In 2024, homicides declined to 113, from 156 in 2023, according to data from the city's police department. Still, residents warn that the data doesn't tell the full story. Data is 'either going to create chaos or it's going to create hope, and depending on the narrative, it can do either or it can do both,' Watkins said. 'If we're talking about our community members, they'll see a post that homicides are down, but they're not feeling that when they walk outside their homes.' Local leaders say the encouraging numbers shouldn't dissuade engaged citizens from creating an office of violence prevention, especially when considering the areas most affected. Michael Houser, the Cuyahoga County Council Member for District 10, which includes some of Cleveland's most gun violence-plagued neighborhoods, including East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, and St. Clair Superior, has been pushing the county to build an office of violence prevention since his election last year, and hopes to work in partnership with Starr at the city-level to create one. The County Council is in talks to create one, but the question is how they're going to fund it. 'We find money to fund everything else,' Houser said. 'So hopefully we will be able to find the funding for this very important initiative.' In Cleveland, Council Member Starr led the effort to declare gun violence a public health crisis, legislation which passed in the city council yesterday. Starr will now be able to use state and federal resources to fund an office. 'You look at some of these other cities, they have plans and investment in how they're going to curb violence. Cleveland is behind on that,' Starr said, pointing to Columbus, one of the few Midwest cities to have such an office. Since its municipal office was created in 2023, Columbus has achieved what Starr and others hope to. They've taken a public health approach to gun violence, helped coordinate and strategize violence reduction programming between different local groups, and begun to measure and assess their progress (a report is coming in the next few months). 'Columbus is flooded with (violence intervention groups) and we needed a way to streamline these groups to make sure they're most effective and have access to funding,' said Rena Shak, the executive director of the Office of Violence Prevention in Columbus. That sort of strategizing is exactly what people want to see in Cleveland. 'We have individuals and we have groups doing great work, but we need to find a way to bring people together,' said Michelle Bell, founder of M-PAC Cleveland, which provides resources to families and friends who've lost loved ones to gun violence. Bell remembers feeling like there was nowhere to turn after her son was shot and killed in 2019. 'If people are saying we need this office, our officials and local leaders need to listen.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats react to Trump closing Office of Gun Violence Prevention
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Friday marks seven years since the tragic Parkland School shooting at a time when Democrats worry President Trump is rolling back policies that curb gun violence, but the Trump administration says they're taking steps to protect 2nd Amendment rights and combat gun crime. The Biden White House had an Office of Gun Violence Prevention, however President Trump took steps to eliminate that office. Democrats say that was a mistake. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) claims the office was making meaningful progress to bring down homicide rates. 'The minute that Donald Trump was sworn in that office vanished, that office vanished. Because the gun lobby is back in charge of the White House,' Murphy said. Senator Murphy and Congressman Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) have introduced a bill to re-establish the office. 'It wasn't a political office about Democrats versus Republicans. It was about the people versus the problem,' Frost said. With Republicans in control of the White House and Congress their legislation faces an uphill battle. 'Maybe, maybe under the right circumstances, we can get a handful of our colleagues to move, but more likely we're going to be able to have a public conversation.' Murphy said. A White House official told Nexstar that the Office of Gun Violence Prevention didn't actually do anything to combat gun crime. John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, agrees with that. 'It's not focused on actually dealing with criminals and putting criminals behind bars. It's focused on quote on quote solutions that would only impact law-abiding gun owners,' Commerford said. He argues the new administration is doing the opposite, pointing out that President Trump signed an executive order directing his attorney general to protect and expand 2nd Amendment rights. 'It's an excellent start to restore the rights of gun owners that were trampled on by the Biden Administration,' Commerford said. Gun control advocates see the actions differently. 'We should be safe and have the truest freedom of all: the freedom to live without getting shot,' Frost said. Commerford says the Trump White House is using better strategies to fight crime and put violent people in jail. 'So, law abiding citizens are safer out there. But the answer is never to restrict the rights of the law abiding who just want to provide for their own self-defense and provide for the protection of their families,' Commerford said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
