The Fourth of July was founded to celebrate our independence as a country, John. Yet this past July 4, we were reminded that we are far from being free from our nation’s gun violence epidemic. In Highland Park, IL, a young man used a Smith & Wesson M&P15 assault rifle to fire 80 rounds into a crowd of innocent parade-goers. He killed seven people, injured 55 others, including children, and stained the community of Highland Park for a lifetime. 

This week, we filed a lawsuit against Smith & Wesson, the maker of the assault weapon, on behalf of Highland Park victims and their families. 

"You don't expect to go to your child's first parade and leave with something other than happy memories, but instead, I left with shrapnel permanently lodged in my body. This lawsuit will hopefully keep other families and communities from suffering the same way that we and the Highland Park community have suffered." — Liz Turnipseed, plaintiff and victim of the Highland Park mass shooting 

We allege that Smith & Wesson's marketing campaign for the M&P15 assault rifle (M&P stands for Military and Police) specifically targets youth who are enamored with military combat. It’s no coincidence that the gunmen behind the massacres in San Bernardino, Aurora, Parkland, and Poway all used this assault rifle. It’s past time we take action to prevent similar tragedies — and you can help us, John.

You have my word that we will fight like hell to hold Smith & Wesson accountable in the courts. But as with any legal battle against the multi-billion dollar gun industry, we face a long, uphill path to justice. Will you consider supporting our life-saving legal effort today? Your donation allows us to support victims and survivors of gun violence pro-bono, free of charge, and make life-saving changes to keep our communities safe.

We can accomplish so much together — from supporting victims and survivors of gun violence, holding the gun industry accountable, and making this a nation a place where we are free from the epidemic of gun violence. Please join us today.

In solidarity,

Kris Brown,

President,

Brady

Honor With Action: Five Years Since the Las Vegas Shooting

Five years ago today, a gunman used an assault weapon to carry out the deadliest mass shooting in American history, murdering 60 people and injuring upwards of 800 more at the Las Vegas Route 91 festival. Today, and every day, we call on Congress to ban assault weapons to prevent massacres like 1 October.

We’re also calling attention to a recent development spearheaded by Guns Down America and Amalgamated Bank that could have flagged the Vegas gunman's suspicious behavior: a new merchant category code (MCC).

The MCC allows financial institutions to identify and report to law enforcement suspicious purchasing patterns related to firearms and ammunition.  

In the year before the shooting, the Vegas gunman spent more than $90,000 on firearms and equipment. If these suspicious purchases had been flagged by the same types of systems used to detect patterns of behavior associated with credit card fraud and human trafficking, the authorities could have been notified of this alarming pattern and moved to prevent the attack.

We will never be able to bring back the victims of 1 October. But we are proud to have helped paved the path for credit card companies to have tools to aid law enforcement in preempting mass shootings and firearms trafficking. Please join us in honoring the 1 October victims today. 

🎧 Episode 205: The Myths and Reality of Preventing Youth Suicide

There are a lot of myths about youth suicide — from the belief that simply talking about suicide will encourage harm or that there is no way to "stop" someone from experiencing suicidality. Allowing these myths to be perpetuated is hazardous to young people. Over the past decade, youth firearm suicide has reached record levels and the firearm suicide rate among children and teens has increased faster than any other age group. This week, we're joined by Dr. Laura Erickson-Schroth, chief medical officer at The Jed Foundation, to discuss the myths and reality of preventing youth suicide.   

A Highland Park Shooting Victim is Suing the Company That Made the Gunman’s Weapon, Vanity Fair

His Sister Died in the Parkland Massacre. He Wants the Gunman to Live, The New York Times

‘It Kills the Same People’: Mass. Lawmaker Wants Stronger Regulation of Ghost Guns, NBC Boston

Groups Debate Illinois Gun Laws, Effingham Daily News

As we close out Suicide Prevention Month, Brady would like to recognize the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH), a philanthropic foundation aimed at creating equitable health outcomes for all Missourians. We developed End Family Fire Missouri in collaboration with MFH and the Ad Council in an effort to curb gun suicide in the state. Suicide is the leading cause of gun deaths in Missouri and nationwide. 

Over the past few months, we’ve worked together to address the state’s gun suicide crisis by promoting safe firearm storage. We know that by safely storing firearms — locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition — we can prevent “family fire,” or a shooting involving an improperly stored or misused gun in the home that results in death or injury. 

This life saving-work in Missouri would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of our partners at MFH. Together, we can take a nonpartisan approach to save lives and create a blueprint of success for other states to follow.

Thank you for supporting Brady and our work to prevent gun violence and save lives. We rely heavily on the generosity of activists like you to fund our work to create a safer America. If you're in this fight, please join Brady today by making a gift.

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