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WHEREAS, the United States faces a public health crisis of gun violence, causing immense pain, suffering and long term trauma for generations of families and communities across the nation, as it is recognized as one of the leading causes of premature death in the City of Pittsburgh; and,
WHEREAS, beginning in 2015, a national coalition of organizations has designated the month of June as National Gun Violence Awareness Month in honor of Hadiya Pendelton, a teenager who marched in the presidential inaugural parade in 2013 and was tragically shot and killed just weeks later, and in honor of the more than 100 Americans whose lives are cut short every day and the countless survivors injured by shootings every day; and,
WHEREAS, Gun Violence Awareness Month encourages educational initiatives, responsible gun ownership, and support for policy changes aimed at reducing gun violence, with efforts often involving addressing root causes of gun violence like poverty, trauma and inequality; and,
WHEREAS, with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pittsburgh witnessed a marked increase in the incidents of gun violence, peaking in 2022 with a reported 71 homicides and 137 incidents of non-fatal shootings that year; and,
WHEREAS, in response to these alarming trends, the City of Pittsburgh established the Stop the Violence Trust Fund in 2021 and launched the Stop the Violence Community Grants Program in 2022, which awards funding to grassroots community organizations doing violence prevention work with at-risk populations; and,
WHEREAS, since implementation of the program, Pittsburgh has seen a marked decrease in incidents of gun violence, from a peak of 137 non-fatal shootings in 2022 to 85 non-fatal shootings in 2024, and 71 homicides in 2022 to 42 homicides in 2024; and,
WHEREAS, the Stop the Violence Fund has not only impacted the City’s reduced crime rates but has also fostered community resilience, providing vital resources for mental health support, youth engagement programs, and conflict resolution initiatives. These efforts have empowered residents, creating safer neighborhoods and stronger community bonds; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh will not rest and is committed to continuing this work until it reaches the goal of zero-gun violence deaths;
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare the month of June to be “Gun Violence Awareness Month” in the City of Pittsburgh.