Featured Story
The Texas Department of Public Safety reinstated the only officer it had planned to fire over the botched law enforcement response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde two years ago. According to documents written by the agency’s head, the officer, a Texas Ranger, was restored to his position last week at the county attorney’s request after he was cleared of criminal wrongdoing. [Austin American-Statesman]
The Trajectory
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Americans have, on the whole, been safer from violence so far this year than any other since before the pandemic. Homicides have continued dropping in 2024, data shows, building on last year’s already significant decrease in gun deaths. A combination of factors — including a return to pre-pandemic norms and substantial investments in violence prevention strategies — is likely contributing to the decline. But the falling numbers also raise a complex question: Are gun laws playing a role?
Though it’s still too early to tell whether particular laws have had an effect on gun violence, a major update to the most comprehensive look at the effects of gun laws — the RAND Corporation’s “The Science of Gun Policy” report — could help our understanding of their collective impact. For the latest edition of The Trajectory, The Trace’s Chip Brownlee breaks down the new findings and explains how RAND approaches its report.
What to Know Today
Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate in the race for the White House. Of the governors who were on the list of potential contenders, Walz has one of the most unlikely gun reform records. [The Trace]
A years-long court battle between the National Rifle Association and New York Attorney General Letitia James came to a close last week. Where does the gun group stand now? [Courthouse News]
Across the country, schools are declining to open their doors as polling sites, or canceling classes on Election Day. Officials say that heightened safety protocols prompted by school shootings and frequent attacks on voting sites have necessitated the move. [The Washington Post]
At a recent meeting, Seattle residents, including a mother whose child was shot and killed in 2020, made it clear that they feel the city’s Community Police Commission has been falling short of its mission. The commission was established in 2012 in response to a federal consent decree — and since then, it’s been rife with internal and external problems. Why does a key police accountability body keep falling apart? [PubliCola]
Archive
To Guard Against Intimidation, States Explore Banning Guns at Polls
Five states are considering new limits on firearms at polling places, while others look to strengthen or expand already existing laws ahead of the 2024 election. (March 2024)
