Mayor's Office

Every year 39,000 American are killed due to gun violence and 85,000 more are non-fatally shot and wounded through gun fire. That is unacceptable. As we approach month two of 2021, it’s devastating to note that more Americans are killed with guns by February 1st each year in the United States, than in an entire year in peer nations. As we continue our work to lower these numbers and end this tragic tradition we are dedicating the week of February 1st as National Gun Violence Survivors week – a week to commemorate those lost and honor those that have survived gun violence.

We join cities around the country this coming week to raise awareness and inspire action to end gun violence across the country. We must keep working to keep firearms out of the wrong hands and keep encouraging responsible gun ownership to keep communities safe.

This is not a niche issue. Gun violence in its many forms - including homicides, suicides, shooting by law enforcement, and unintentional shootings - are experienced by 58% of the population. These numbers are even higher in the black and latinx communities. In a recent PSA condemning gun violence that the City of Madison partnered with the District Attorney’s office to create, it’s said that “bullets have no names.” Regardless of age, race, ethnicity, party affiliation, religious background or anything else, gun violence can affect you and the ones you love. We invite you to join us in our fight to end gun violence.

We join this national fight for common sense gun laws not only for all those who have witnessed, been threatened by, been wounded by, or had someone they love killed by a gun violence, but especially for our children and teens – a demographic who’s leading cause of death is gun violence.

There are many reason to join us in this fight to end gun violence. I am proud that Madison will be joining cities across the country in America’s first ever National Gun Violence Survivors week.