Featured Story
This weekend marked five years since a racist domestic terrorist shot and killed 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, the deadliest attack on Latino people in modern U.S. history. Many survivors are still traumatized from the attack, and in many cases, their pain has been exacerbated by politicians’ continued use of white supremacist rhetoric. Most Mexican nationals who survived the attack and sought a special visa allowing crime victims to stay in the U.S. are stuck in the limbo of the country’s immigration application backlog. All but one of the 50 families who applied for the visa still live in Mexico. On Saturday, the city unveiled a new memorial honoring the victims by muralist Albert “Tino” Ortega, who hopes his work will contribute to his community’s healing and empowerment. [El Paso Times/USA TODAY/The Texas Tribune]
From The Trace
Fallout from the attempt to assassinate Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally seems likely to continue for the foreseeable future, as many questions about the lead-up to the shooting remain unanswered. There’s still no full picture of the security failings, nor is there a clear portrait of the shooter himself.
The investigations into those questions are important, write Joshua Horwitz and Tim Carey, of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, but there are other, more structural questions that require attention, too: “How is it so easy for those who want to commit political violence to acquire firearms? And what are we going to do about it?”
In a commentary piece for The Trace, Horwitz and Carey argue that two converging trends in the gun world are eroding the foundation of American democracy — and explain how each can be countered.
What to Know Today
Americans bought an estimated 1.26 million guns in July 2024, according to an analysis of FBI data. That’s up 5 percent from the previous July. [The Trace]
Before an Illinois sheriff’s deputy shot and killed Sonya Massey, who was Black, inside her home on July 6, Massey’s mother called 911 to report that her daughter was experiencing a “mental breakdown,” and asked a dispatcher to ensure that no “prejudiced” officers responded to calls from Massey. The killing has sparked renewed criticism of vetting processes in police hiring: The deputy, Sean Grayson, had been employed by six law enforcement agencies in four years despite apparent red flags in his record, including being discharged from the Army for “misconduct, (serious offense).” [The Guardian/NBC]
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, considered a strong contender for Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in her bid for the White House, was once a darling of the National Rifle Association. But today, he’s a champion of gun safety measures: Last year, he helped push an expansive firearm reform package through the state Legislature, taking advantage of what he called a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to pursue Democratic priorities. When — and why — did his politics change? [The New York Times]
Los Angeles officials have described the work of gang interventionists — a kind of violence intervention worker — as an integral part of crime reduction efforts, and in areas where gang interventionists are active, homicides and nonfatal shootings have plummeted. After years of disarray and low pay, these workers got a wage increase and a plan for the city to infuse resources. But complications persist. [Los Angeles Times]
Dar Leaf, a self-described “constitutional sheriff” who has bolstered conspiracies about the 2020 election and has ties to militia groups, is vying for reelection in what should be a comfortable race in deep-red Barry County, Michigan. But some in his county, including former supporters, have been put off by Leaf’s turn to the far right — and his GOP challengers are ready to turn the page. [Bolts and The Guardian]
Via The Weekly Briefing: Under Mayor Eric Adams, the New York Police Department is piloting an AI-powered weapons-detection technology at select stations in the city’s subway system. The Adams administration claims the tech will keep guns out of the transit system. But some critics contend that it’s a solution without a problem. [Vital City]
Data Point
$60,000 — the minimum salary for sanctioned peacemakers in Los Angeles who complete special training. Before the city raised that salary last summer, many gang interventionists took home less than $40,000, according to the executive director of one interventionist group. The cost of living in LA is 50 percent higher than the national average, and median household income in the city is $69,778. [Los Angeles Times/RentCafe]
