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Records show that a Michigan sheriff, who publicly declared last year that he would not enforce the state’s extreme risk protection order law, was among the first in Livingston County to use the measure to confiscate weapons from a man undergoing an apparent mental health crisis. Sheriff Mike Murphy says he’s “still not a fan of” the law, but “if there’s a tool that we can use in law enforcement to accomplish a goal,” he said, “then why would we not use it?” [Bridge Michigan]
In Guns We Trust
For most of American history, gun ownership was understood to be a collective right tied to militia membership. But that changed in 2008, when the Supreme Court considered District of Columbia v. Heller, a challenge to D.C.’s long-standing ban on handguns. In a seismic decision, justices sided with Heller — and established for the first time that gun ownership is an individual right.
The latest episode of “Long Shadow: In Guns We Trust” (a podcast produced by Long Lead and Campside Media in collaboration with The Trace, and distributed by PRX) examines Heller and its aftermath. Host Garrett Graff speaks with the architect of the case about his search for the perfect plaintiff, and The Trace’s Jennifer Mascia joins the show to discuss the years that followed the Supreme Court’s decision — including an unprecedented boom in gun sales. Listen, or read a transcript of the episode.
The Trajectory
In December, the Biden administration called on states without gun violence prevention offices to establish them — and Maryland quickly answered. At the start of the year, Governor Wes Moore proposed legislation to create the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention; two months later, lawmakers approved it. The center is expected to be operational as soon as October.
The new state office will approach gun violence reduction through a public health lens, a focus that marks a shift away from the state’s tendency to rely largely on law enforcement solutions. For The Trajectory, The Trace’s Chip Brownlee spoke with front-line violence prevention workers and advocates in Maryland about their hopes for the state’s firearm violence prevention center.
What to Know Today
In a museum near downtown Buffalo, New York, an exhibit of poems and paintings by local artists invites visitors to grieve and reflect on the racist massacre at a nearby Tops Friendly Market, which took place two years ago this week. One piece, titled “Salt in the Wound,” depicts the ebb and flow of attention to tragedy — how it wanes in the months after, spikes when a full year has passed, and plateaus immediately after. [Democrat and Chronicle]
In a quest to understand the original meaning of the Constitution, writer A.J. Jacobs undertook an experiment to live as the founders did in the 1790s, adopting technology like muskets and quill pens, and channeling 18th-century mindsets. As part of the project, Jacobs asked ChatGPT to adopt James Madison’s persona — and when he asked the facsimile about how Second Amendment protections for AR-15s, things got interesting. [TIME]
The National Rifle Association’s annual meeting takes place in Dallas this weekend, where attendees will hear from speakers including Texas Governor Greg Abbott and former President Donald Trump. The city and state will pay a combined $1 million in taxpayer dollars to host the event. Per a Secret Service requirement, firearms will not be allowed at the event where Abbott and Trump are speaking. [The Dallas Morning News/WFAA]
Archive
After the Tops Shooting, Residents of Buffalo’s East Side Hoped for Reinvestment. They’re Still Waiting: The tragedy, in which 10 Black people were killed, was a missed opportunity to confront the legacy of segregation, community members say. (May 2023)
