California Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Respond to Shooting in Richmond, Calif that Killed 3 and Wounded 5 More

The California chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statements after eight people were shot, three fatally, at a party in Richmond, California last night. Richmond is the latest city in the state to see devastating gun violence in 2021. Details of the shooting are still unfolding. 

“Father’s Day should be a joyous occasion celebrating with friends and family — not spent experiencing senseless gun violence,” said Alex Navarro, a volunteer leader with California Moms Demand Action. “As gun violence continues to plague our communities, it’s important to remember that we don’t have to live this way. We can’t normalize this type of violence in our communities. There is more to do to combat this public health crisis — and we are more committed than ever to get it done.”

“Unfortunately, Richmond is no stranger to gun violence,” said Jade O’Connor, a volunteer with Students Demand Action in California. “As our city mourns the lives taken by gun violence at this party, we should also focus on how to stop daily violence in our communities by seeking solutions at the local, state, and federal level so that no other families have to live through what this family has.” 

What to know about recent gun safety wins at the local and state level: 

• Locally, the San Jose City Council passed a new ordinance last week that requires additional regulations for gun dealers to conduct more efficient processes, including targeting illegal gun trafficking and addressing suicide by firearms.
• Statewide, the state legislature passed the proposed state budget from Governor Gavin Newsom last week. This year, Governor Newsom included $200 million for California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (CalVIP) funding in the 2021-2022 May revise budget proposal, in the form of a baseline funding of $9 million plus an additional $200 million infusion over the course of the next three years. Last year, Governor Newsom allocated a total of $9 million for CalVIP funding.

What to know about gun violence in California: 

• In California, on average, over 3,000 people are shot and killed and over 6,800 others are wounded by guns every year.
• An average of nearly 1,600 people in California die by gun suicide every year. Gun suicide accounts for over 50 percent of all gun deaths in the state. 
• Gun violence costs California $22.6 billion each year, of which $1.2 billion is paid by taxpayers.
• Homicide levels in major cities in California, including Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego, have risen over the past year, as the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the root causes of gun violence and brought unprecedented challenges to the work of local gun violence intervention programs. 
• In the state, Black children and teens are six times more likely than their white peers to die by guns.

Statistics about gun violence in California are available here, and Everytown’s Gun Law Navigator – which shows how California’s gun laws compare to those of other states – is available here. If you are interested in speaking with a California Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action volunteer, please don’t hesitate to reach out.