In 2022, 26,993 people in the United States died by suicide with a firearm, and according to recent data, 4,193 Texans died by suicide in 2021. While all suicide attempts have an 8.5% death rate, those involving firearms are the number one cause of suicide death and have an 89.6% mortality rate. These numbers are startling, and we’re committed to improving them.
Save the date for Texas Gun Sense’s annual fundraiser, A Safer Texas: Celebrating Successes and Charting A Bold Future on November 8, 2023, at KMFA Studios in Austin, where we will gather to pause, reflect, and celebrate progress that can only be made together.
The recent launch of a Texas non-profit by Kyle Rittenhouse is a stark reminder that we must continue to push back against powerful extremism.
An important part of our work includes honoring the far too many people impacted by the gun violence crisis that claims the lives of more than 4,000 Texans every year and injures thousands more
For teens who want to get involved, there are so many ways you can help. Even if you can’t vote for policymakers who would support common sense gun reform
In case you missed it, last week Texas Gun Sense hosted a powerful virtual event to recap our advocacy for gun safety during the 88th Legislative Session. We brought together passionate individuals and expert speakers to share insights and explore solutions. Thank you to all who attended!
Watch our engaging and informative virtual panel discussion Gun Safety: Unpacking the 88th Texas Legislative Session originally recorded on Thursday, July 13th, 2023. Our moderator is Nicole Golden, Texas Gun Sense Executive Director. Guests include Representative Vikki Goodwin, Dr. Lauren Gambill, and Christina Delgado from Community Justice Action Fund.
By guest author Dr. Angel Durr. "My heart aches with an indescribable pain that never fades. My 54-year-old mother was taken from me and my family in April 2021 by a senseless and preventable act of gun violence." READ MORE
Unsecured firearms in the home can result in suicides, homicides, and unintentional shootings. Thousands of unsecured firearms are stolen in Texas each year and used in crimes. Safe storage education and strong child access prevention laws are critical to protecting families and communities.
Texas experienced one of the deadliest school shootings in United States history in 2022 when a gunman murdered 19 children and two educators and injured 14 others at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.
We know that creating stronger vetting requirements to purchase semi-automatic rifles like AR-15s is a necessary step for making Texas safer. We cannot ignore the fact that nearly every mass shooting is carried out with a semi-automatic rifle, and many are perpetrated by people under the age of 21.
Texas should join other states that have adopted an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law, allowing civil court judges to temporarily remove firearms from individuals threatening to harm themselves or others. This constitutional process saves lives and helps people in crisis access support. This measure could have prevented the 2019 mass shooting in El Paso.
In 2021, more than seventy percent of domestic violence victims were killed by a firearm. Texas should ensure domestic abusers prohibited from possessing firearms by law do not have access to them. A comprehensive statewide protocol for the relinquishment of firearms would make our existing laws more effective and prevent domestic homicides.
The state should invest in community violence intervention by creating a statewide office of violence prevention and supporting local community violence intervention programs. These proven efforts target resources to individuals who are at the greatest risk of gunshot victimization — reducing gun violence and deaths.
Suicide is preventable; nine out of ten people who unsuccessfully attempt suicide will not go on to kill themselves. In taking efforts to prevent gun access to those at risk of suicide, Texas can save lives.
Currently, Texans can obtain guns through private sales and gun shows to avoid federal background check requirements. We know the firearms used for mass shootings and many other gun deaths were purchased through these private sales. Seventy-eight percent of Texas voters support strengthening background checks, recognizing that we must do more to keep guns out of the hands of individuals with dangerous histories.