Fiscal Note
No City appropriation required.
Title
Mourning the loss of life and injuries suffered from gun violence and urging the Wisconsin State Legislature to enact common sense gun control.
Body
WHEREAS, on Monday, December 16, 2024, the Madison community experienced a horrific case of gun violence with the mass shooting at Abundant Life Christian School; and,
WHEREAS, a student and a teacher at Abundant Life Christian School lost their lives as a result of gun violence, in addition to the perpetrator, with six others being victims of injuries, including two of whom were in critical condition and now are in fair condition; and,
WHEREAS, in Madison, there were over 450 shell casings recovered by police on average per year between 2019 and 2022, a marker of the number of gunshots fired; and,
WHEREAS, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, there have been at least 205 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in the United States in 2024, with six of those occurring in Wisconsin; and,
WHEREAS, since the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, more than 338,000 students in the United States have experienced gun violence at school; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, for a third consecutive year, gunshots were the leading cause of death among children, with higher rates than other common causes such as car crashes and cancer; and,
WHEREAS, on average, each day 12 children die and another 32 children are injured as a result of gun violence; and,
WHEREAS, an estimated 4.6 million American children live in a home with at least one firearm kept both loaded and unlocked, which have contributed to school shootings, suicides, and other forms of gun violence; and,
WHEREAS, nearly half of all parents with a weapon in the home incorrectly believe that their children do not know where a gun is stored; and,
WHEREAS, disadvantaged children and adults - whether it be based on economic, racial, gender, sexual orientation, or mental health factors - experience gun violence at higher rates; and,
WHEREAS, gun violence has an average cost of $1,448 per resident of Wisconsin each year; and,
WHEREAS, Everytown for Gun Safety categorized Wisconsin as being in the “Missing Key Laws” category in their ranking of states based on gun law strength; and,
WHEREAS, these key missing laws include, but are not limited to, background checks and purchase permits, as well as Extreme Risk Laws, commonly known as red flag laws, which allow law enforcement to petition for a court order to temporarily prevent someone in crisis from accessing guns; and,
WHEREAS, in November of 2019, the Wisconsin State Legislature gaveled in and gaveled out of a special session ordered by Governor Tony Evers in an effort to avoid consideration of bills mandating universal background checks and allowing Extreme Risk Laws; and,
WHEREAS, gun violence is preventable and should be prevented;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Madison Common Council mourns the loss of lives and the injuries suffered from gun violence at Abundant Life Christian School, as well as from gun violence beyond this horrific incident, both locally and globally.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Madison Common Council urges the Wisconsin State Legislature to enact common sense gun control including, but not limited to, universal background checks and red flag laws.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Governor Tony Evers and the Madison legislative delegation.