Press Releases

For Release: Thursday, October 1, 2015 Washington, DC — Today, a shooter opened fire at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. Multiple fatalities and injuries have been reported. In response to the shooting, Violence Policy Center (VPC) Executive Director Josh Sugarmann issued the following statement: “Another horrifying act of gun violence in America.  While we don’t know the facts yet, we know all too well the devastating result:  a shooter who was able inflict horrific…

For Release: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 Additional Contact: Julia Wyman States United to Prevent Gun Violence 401-644-9040 Study ranks the states on the rate of women murdered by men in advance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October Washington, DC — More than 1,600 women were murdered by men in 2013 and the most common weapon used was a gun, according to the new Violence Policy Center (VPC) study When Men Murder Women: An Analysis…

For Release: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 Additional Contact: Julia Wyman States United to Prevent Gun Violence 401-644-9040 Study released in advance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October Washington, DC — Nine out of 10 black women murdered by men are killed by someone they know, most often with a gun, according to the new Violence Policy Center (VPC) study When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2013 Homicide Data. The annual VPC report is…

Para divulgación inmediata: martes, 15 de septiembre de 2015 Un estudio clasifica a las entidades federativas del país por sus respectivas tasas de mujeres asesinadas por hombres, previo a la realización del Mes de Reconocimiento y Prevención de la Violencia Doméstica el próximo octubre Washington, DC — En 2013 más de 1,600 mujeres fueron asesinadas por hombres y en la mayoría de los casos se usó un arma de fuego, según revela un nuevo estudio…

WASHINGTON, DC – The Violence Policy Center (VPC) strongly opposes H.R. 2037, a bill designed to shield the firearms industry from accountability for their products. The bill is scheduled for markup in the House Energy and Commerce Committee today. The gun industry produces the only consumer product exempt from federal safety oversight – aside from tobacco. H.R. 2037 would provide gun manufacturers, sellers, and even their trade associations with a special exemption from civil lawsuits. This would…

Legislation Built on Corrupt Foundation of Lies Says VPC WASHINGTON, DC – Following today’s passage of legislation (S. 397) shielding the gun industry from certain types of civil liability, Violence Policy Center Legislative Director Kristen Rand released the following statement: “This bill is built on a corrupt foundation of lies that will leave a legacy of pain and suffering. Proponents claimed that the bill was necessary to protect our armed forces from having to buy…

Para divulgación inmediata: martes, 28 de julio de 2015 Cada año más de 3,000 hispanos mueren asesinados por armas de fuego y de éstos las dos terceras partes son por homicidios Washington, DC — Entre 1999 y 2013 más de 47,000 hispanos fueron asesinados con armas de fuego en los Estados Unidos, con un promedio anual de más de 3,000 muertos por armas de fuego, según indica un nuevo estudio del Violence Policy Center (VPC).…

For Release: Tuesday, July 28, 2015 More than 3,000 Hispanics per year are killed with guns; two-thirds of Hispanic gun deaths are homicides Para la versión en español haga “click” aquí Washington, DC — More than 47,000 Hispanics were killed with guns in the United States from 1999 through 2013, with an average of more than 3,000 gun deaths per year, according to a new study by the Violence Policy Center (VPC). Hispanic Victims of…

For Release: Friday, July 24, 2015 Washington, DC — Following yesterday’s shooting at a Lafayette, Louisiana movie theater reportedly with a 40 caliber handgun that left two dead and nine injured before the shooter killed himself, Violence Policy Center (VPC) Executive Director Josh Sugarmann issued the following statement: “Once again, ordinary Americans just living their lives have been victimized in a vicious gun attack. And while this latest shooting has shaken Louisiana, the sad and all…

For Release: Thursday, July 23, 2015 Washington, DC — Research by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) has found that individuals with permits to carry concealed handguns in public are responsible for at least 568 fatal non-self defense incidents since 2007, a number that likely represents a fraction of the actual total. Details on these fatal incidents can be found on Concealed Carry Killers (concealedcarrykillers.org), an online resource that provides examples of non-self defense killings involving private…

For Release: Thursday, July 16, 2015 Washington, DC — Following today’s shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee which left four U.S. Marines dead, Violence Policy Center (VPC) Executive Director Josh Sugarmann issued the following statement: “Another day in America, another mass shooting. While we are still learning the facts behind this latest mass murder, easy access to increasingly lethal firearms is the one factor that is almost constant in these attacks. Lives are lost, families are devastated, and…

For Release:  Thursday, June 18, 2015 Washington, DC — On June 17, a man opened fire at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine people, in an incident that law enforcement are calling a hate crime. One of the victims was a state senator, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney. Violence Policy Center (VPC) Executive Director Josh Sugarmann made the following statement: “This gun massacre in a place of worship was an unspeakable act…

For Release:  Thursday, June 4, 2015 Washington, DC — Today, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed a bill into law that strengthens penalties for domestic abusers and sets new restrictions on gun possession for domestic violence offenders, including a lifetime gun ban for the most severe crimes. A major impetus for the legislation was the annual study by the Violence Policy Center (VPC), which has consistently ranked South Carolina in the top 10 states for…

For Release:  Wednesday, June 3, 2015 Washington, DC — Tuesday night, the House passed several gun lobby-supported amendments to the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) appropriations bill including one that would allow convicted felons to obtain firearms following a petition to the federal government. This “guns for felons” program has been prohibited by Congress since 1992. Under the amendment offered by Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), individuals prohibited from buying and possessing firearms could petition the Bureau…

For Release:  Wednesday, June 3, 2015 Washington, DC — Late last night, the House passed several amendments to the Commerce, Justice Science (CJS) appropriations bill that are supported by the gun lobby and would endanger public safety. One of these amendments would make it easier for criminals to obtain the most destructive weapons available to civilians — including fully automatic machine guns — without the background check or certification by law enforcement required by the…

For Release:  Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Washington, DC — Individuals with permits to carry concealed handguns in public are responsible for at least 743 non-self defense deaths since 2007, a number that likely represents a fraction of the actual total, according to updated data released today by the Violence Policy Center (VPC). The latest information on these fatal incidents is detailed on Concealed Carry Killers (concealedcarrykillers.org), an online resource that provides examples of non-self defense killings involving…

For Release: Tuesday, April 7, 2015 Firearms should be regulated for health and safety just like all other consumer products Washington, DC — With the National Rifle Association annual meeting opening in Nashville on Friday, a new analysis by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) finds that gun deaths surpassed motor vehicle deaths in Tennessee and 16 other states, along with the District of Columbia. The VPC analysis refers to gun deaths and motor vehicle deaths in 2013, the…

For Release: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 At Least 29 Mass Shootings Involving Concealed Carry Killers Since 2007 Washington, DC — Today, the Violence Policy Center (VPC) launched a new and expanded version of Concealed Carry Killers, an online resource that provides hundreds of examples of fatal non-self defense incidents involving private individuals with permits to carry concealed handguns. This information can be viewed at concealedcarrykillers.org. The new Concealed Carry Killers website provides easily accessed, state-by-state information on mass shootings, murder-suicides,…

For Release: Tuesday, March 3, 2015 Washington, DC — The firearms industry and gun lobby are fighting a battle of their own creation with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) according to a new report from the Violence Policy Center (VPC), AR-15 and AK-47 Assault Pistols: Rifle Power in a Handgun. As the report details, ATF recently proposed to ban specific types of AR-15 ammunition and establish a framework to determine whether certain…

For Release: Thursday, February 12, 2015 Washington, DC — The man who allegedly murdered three students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on Tuesday had a concealed handgun permit, state records show. It is the 29th mass shooting (three or more victims) committed by a concealed handgun permit holder since May 2007, according to a running tally maintained by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) as part of its Concealed Carry Killers project. In response to this latest high-profile attack…