John–
Every time another act of gun violence happens, we're left asking: Could the shooter have been stopped from getting a gun in the first place?
Over the past several years, we've sought to answer that question. Thanks to supporters like you, we've passed red flag laws that are proven to prevent gun violence and save lives in 19 states and the District of Columbia. They empower loved ones or law enforcement to seek intervention that temporarily prevents someone from accessing firearms if they are displaying warning signs that may be a danger to themself or others.
We made even more progress when President Joe Biden recently signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law. It authorizes $750 million in much-needed funding over the next five years to support crisis intervention services—including the implementation of state red flag laws. It will save lives.
But our work is far from over. Learn more about how you can use District of Columbia's red flag law to prevent gun violence.
We're seeing more and more victories in statehouses across the country on red flag laws.
However, these new tools are only helpful if states actually implement and enforce them.
Unfortunately, we recently saw what happens when they aren't.
Both the shooter in Buffalo and the shooter in Highland Park displayed dangerous warning signs before they shot and killed or wounded several people. And in both cases, a red flag order was never sought—even though New York and Illinois have red flag laws on the books.
These shootings serve as painful reminders that our work isn't done. We need to make sure states don't stop at passing red flag laws. They must implement and enforce them as well.
That's where you come in.
With your support, we got the U.S. Congress to authorize millions of dollars in funding for the implementation of red flag laws, an important step in addressing this crisis. Now, we need to keep up our momentum and continue to show our communities that change is possible.
We've got a lot of work ahead of us, and I know together we can get this done and save lives. Take a moment to learn more about how you can use District of Columbia's red flag law to save lives in your community.
Thank you for being a part of this movement.
Monisha Henley
She/Her/Hers
Senior Director
State Government Affairs
Everytown for Gun Safety
