Top Story
Two weeks ago, Kentucky became a “Second Amendment sanctuary,” meaning that state and local police are barred from enforcing federal gun regulations. Republicans in the GOP-controlled General Assembly championed the policy, and Governor Andy Beshear let the legislation slide into law by neither vetoing nor signing it — an illustration of the Democrat’s centrist stance on guns as he heads a conservative state.
In the immediate aftermath of the mass shooting at a bank in downtown Louisville on Monday, Beshear — who said that a close friend of his was one of the five people killed in the attack — remained cautious, The Washington Post reports, and didn’t mention any impending gun reform efforts. “In the days that come,” he said, during an emotional press conference, “we’ll talk about the issues.”
The shooting marked the 14th mass murder in the U.S. so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines such events as four or more people killed. The five people killed in the shooting have been identified: Thomas “Tommy” Elliott, 63, the governor’s friend; Josh Barrick, 40; James “Jim” Tutt Jr., 64; Juliana Farmer, 45; and Deana Eckert, 57. For more details about the bank shooting, follow the Louisville Courier Journal’s coverage.
What to Know Today
ICYMI: SIG Sauer’s P320 pistol has wounded more than 80 people who say they didn’t pull the trigger — and no U.S. agency has the power to intervene. [The Trace and The Washington Post]
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, called for the General Assembly to pass an “order of protection law” — commonly referred to as a red flag law — and said he would sign an executive order strengthening background checks. Last week, Lee proposed a $205 million school safety program that did not include any gun restrictions. [The Tennessean/Tennessee Lookout]
A majority of Floridians oppose permitless carry, polls show, and voters in the state overwhelmingly support gun safety measures like universal background checks and mandatory waiting periods. So why is Governor Ron DeSantis relaxing firearm regulations? [The Guardian]
One in five American adults has been personally threatened with a firearm, a new survey of nearly 1,300 people reveals. About half of respondents said they or a family member had experienced a gun-related incident. [KFF]
The DNC selected Chicago to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention, ending a battle with rival bidder Atlanta that often focused on Georgia’s gun laws. [Chicago Sun-Times] Context: Two DNC members told The Trace in March that they were worried about the potential for political violence in Atlanta.
The interim superintendent of Uvalde schools called an altercation between the mother of a Robb Elementary mass shooting victim and a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper “an unfortunate situation” and faulted neither party for the incident. Video shows the trooper shoved the mother after she pounded on school doors in an attempt to pick her son up to attend a gun violence protest last week. [San Antonio Express-News/KXAN]
University of Washington researchers found that community-based violence prevention measures, such as parent training and after-school programs, could reduce gun carrying among young people in rural areas by about 30 percent in a single year. [JAMA Network Open] Context: Large-scale traditional academic study of gun violence interruption is rare. Why isn’t there more research?
A grand jury indicted the mother of a 6-year-old who allegedly shot a teacher in Newport News, Virginia, in January. The mother is charged with felony child neglect and a misdemeanor for recklessly giving a child access to a loaded gun. [NPR] Context: A 2021 Harvard survey found that 15 percent of gun owners with kids stored at least one firearm both unlocked and loaded.
Officials in Camden County, Missouri, are refusing to work with the ATF, claiming that the agency is “unconstitutional.” ATF officials say they’re asking the county for zoning information to process applications to open gun stores. [KCUR]
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ruled that prohibiting people who use marijuana from having guns is unconstitutional, joining a number of other courts that have issued similar decisions. [Marijuana Moment]
Data Point
84 percent — the proportion of American adults who have taken at least one precaution to protect themselves or their families from gun violence. For about three in 10 respondents, that precaution was purchasing a firearm. [KFF]
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