Title
To recognize June as Gun Violence Awareness Month in the City of Columbus and recognize the work of Moms Demand Action
Body
WHEREAS, beginning in 2013 to honor 15 year-old Hadiya Pendleton, a girl shot and killed in Chicago, June 4, also known as Wear Orange Day, is a moment to remember the lives lost to gun violence and raise awareness of gun violence in our communities; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, gun violence killed 48,830 individuals, with 20,958 being murdered in a case involving a firearm and 26,328 gun-related deaths as a result of suicide; and,
WHEREAS, as of 2022, gun violence the number one cause of child mortality, having been responsible for roughly 19% of deaths; and,
WHEREAS, gun related violence has dramatically increased since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in many major U.S. cities; and,
WHEREAS, In the City of Columbus, 85 percent of homicides were the result of gunshot wounds in 2020, and from 2018 to 2022, 1,117 gun related deaths occurred in the city; and
WHEREAS, 67 homicides have occurred in the City of Columbus as of May 31, 2023; and
WHEREAS, federal, state, and local government must work together to enact policies seeking to prevent gun violence by encouraging gun safety and responsible gun ownership; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus City Council remains dedicated to pursuing public safety measures that reduce gun violence, and continues to collaborate with community organizations, such as a Moms Demand Action, to heighten gun violence awareness; and,
WHEREAS, Moms Demand Action is a national organization dedicated to preventing gun violence in communities by encouraging a culture of responsible gun ownership through education and outreach with community members and by advocating for public safety measures aimed at protecting people from gun violence; therefore, and
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby, recognize June as Gun Violence Awareness Month in the City of Columbus and recognize the...
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