Skip to content

Easter Weekend of Deadly Gun Violence in Cities Across the Country Underscores Urgent Need for Action on Gun Safety

4.1.2024

NEW YORK – The Easter holiday weekend marked yet another deadly weekend in the U.S. as gun violence killed and wounded hundreds of people across the country. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there were at least 248 shootings over the holiday weekend in which at least 90 people were shot and killed and 228 others wounded. This number includes the devastating shootings that occurred in cities across the country; at least 33 people were shot in Chicago alone, highlighting the importance of addressing city gun violence. 

A snapshot of the weekend’s gun violence:

“The fact that celebrating holidays in America is consistently accompanied by overwhelming gun violence is simply unacceptable,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “We witnessed over 200 shootings this Easter weekend, with extensive suffering in cities like Chicago, New York City, and Portland. This does not have to be our reality. Our hearts are with the communities who have been impacted as we continue fighting for proven solutions to this crisis – including meaningful investments in community-based violence prevention initiatives in cities across the country.”

To save lives, lawmakers at every level must take meaningful action to prevent access to guns by those who are a danger to themselves or others, invest in community-based violence intervention programs that do life-saving work in the nation’s hardest hit communities, and reject any efforts to pass gun-lobby-backed bills that would weaken lifesaving gun laws. 

Community Violence Intervention (CVI) organizations leverage earned trust and credibility to identify and engage high-risk individuals with evidence-informed approaches like street outreach and hospital-based violence intervention programs. These programs are on the frontlines in the cities with the highest gun violence and communities experiencing the disproportionate impact of gun violence. While historic investments have been made at all levels of government, CVI organizations still struggle to access promised funding and when they do, funding is restricted to programmatic expenses, preventing them from increasing staff, building their capacity or scaling to more people and places in need. Information about CVI investments can be found here

To speak with a volunteer with Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action, or a community violence intervention organization please do not hesitate to reach out.