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With mass shootings becoming the “norm” in America, society seems to no longer flinch when news breaks that there has been either a mass shooting or victims have died from gun violence, including children.

In April 2025, the City of Cleveland City Council took a major step in an effort to try to curb the increasing gun violence in its borders—declaring gun violence a public health crisis.  This was largely result of the concerning statistics in the deaths from gun violence, particularly among youth.  At the time of passage, one of the resolution’s sponsor, Councilman Richard A. Starr, provided the following statistics:

“Between 2019 to 2024 there has been 953 homicides in the City of Cleveland,” Starr said. “Of that 953 there has been 825 that were Black people in the City of Cleveland, young, middle aged, all different age range where they are being victimized by gun violence.”

A public health crisis declaration for gun violence involves the following as reported by :

“By classifying gun violence as a public health crisis, Cleveland aims to mobilize resources and partnerships across various sectors, including law enforcement, healthcare, education, and community organizations, to develop comprehensive and proactive strategies to address the issue.” --Statement by Cleveland City Council

The resolution also recognized the first week of May as Gun Violence Survivors Week.

First, this program aims to provide a glimpse into the national landscape involving gun violence through the lens of public health through recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions impacting this issue.  This program then aims to discuss the City of Cleveland’s efforts to lessen and eliminate gun violence by its efforts to pass regulations on the local level that were impeded by Ohio law resulting in litigation.  Finally, this program aims to provide additional perspectives on gun violence from health professionals including trauma physicians and mental health professionals as those involved in treating both gun violence victims and individuals either engaged in committing this violence or determining an individual’s likelihood of committing these acts of violence.