Columbus
The Trace
The Right’s Favorite Gun Researcher
This story was published in partnership with The New Yorker. In 1957, the small-arms manufacturer Armalite created the AR-15 — short for Armalite Rifle — at the invitation of the U.S. Army, which was seeking an effective lightweight combat weapon. When the Department of Defense reviewed a version of the rifle in 1962, during the early stages of the Vietnam War, its report stated that the gun’s “lethality” and “reliability” were “particularly impressive.” From 49 feet away, it noted, an Army Ranger fired a round into a Vietcong soldier’s head and “took it completely off.”
Why a Promising Violence Prevention Program Failed to Launch in New York
This story was published in partnership with THE CITY, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, digital news platform dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York. On March 15, 2021, moments after Mayor Bill de Blasio and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams announced their plans to launch a new gun violence prevention program, DeVone Boggan’s phone started ringing. The calls were from reporters seeking Boggan’s comment on the news that his organization, Advance Peace, would bring its model to New York City.
Philly, What Do You Want to Know About Gun Violence?
We don’t often hear about what happens right after a shooting, who picks up the pieces, or cleans the scene of the crime. But these moments can forever change how we interact with the city around us. After one of my brother’s friends was gunned down on my mother’s...
In Tight Races, Republicans Refuse to Denounce Alex Jones
More than 70 Republican candidates in competitive congressional and gubernatorial races across the country declined to denounce Alex Jones for popularizing the myth that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting never happened. We reached out to every Republican candidate in a competitive race for Senate, House, or governor — 79...
Philly DA Larry Krasner Is Charging Cops With Murder. It Could Cost Him A Job.
Shortly after he was sworn in as district attorney of Philadelphia in January 2018, Larry Krasner told a room full of judges, lawyers, and activists that, on his watch, cops would no longer get away with murder. He told the crowd that when he looked at the numbers, he saw...
Guns Recovered by Mexico’s Military Come Mostly From U.S. Makers
On September 30, a federal judge dismissed a groundbreaking legal challenge to the gun industry filed by the government of Mexico. The suit laid out an argument that major U.S. gunmakers have knowingly facilitated more than a decade of deadly cartel violence across the southern border. They have done this, Mexico argued, by marketing weapons in a way that attracts criminals and turning a blind eye to those weapons’ diversion into trafficking routes. The judge dismissed the claim on account of a special legal shield enjoyed by the gun industry.
As a Young Journalist, She Reports on Gun Violence. Then Her Classroom Went Into Lockdown.
This story was published in partnership with Scary Mommy. “If it bleeds it leads,” I thought as my professor barricaded me and 20 other students in her office; an armed man was running around our college town’s sewage system, and we were locking down. Emergency alert texts from Indiana University warned that he could emerge from the storm drain by the building we were in.
How Lockdown Drills Can Retraumatize Kids Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence
This story was published in partnership with Scary Mommy. The first active shooter drill that Jane Roberts can remember was in her first-grade classroom. She was 6. Her teacher turned off the lights and instructed the class to line up along the back wall and crouch down in the dark. They were told not to speak or move.
The Unsung Women Healing Chicago
Kendra Snow was working the closing shift at a laundromat in Englewood when her phone began to ring. It was a neighbor, telling her not to panic. Then, the devastating news: Snow’s 16-year-old son had been shot outside of a nearby liquor store. He was alive, but she needed to hurry.
In Philadelphia, Gun Violence Supercharges an Unprecedented Mayoral Race
As September came to a close, Philadelphia Mayor James Kenney attended the funeral of Tiffany Fletcher, a Department of Parks & Recreation employee who was killed by a stray bullet while on the job. The next day he signed an executive order banning guns from city rec centers, playgrounds, and pools.
ATF Revokes 3 Times as Many Gun Dealer Licenses in 2022
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revoked gun store licenses at a higher rate in 2022 than in any year since 2006, according to data published by the agency on October 4. The numbers provide the first indication that federal investigators have cracked down on lawbreaking gun dealers following guidance from the Biden administration ordering the agency to take a stricter tack during inspections.
The Trace Honored With General Excellence at Online Journalism Awards
The Online News Association has named The Trace the winner of two awards in the 2022 Online Journalism Awards, which celebrate ambitious and high-impact digital reporting, audience engagement, and storytelling. At the awards ceremony in Los Angeles on September 24, The Trace joined LAist, Mission Local, and The Boston Globe...
Young People Fear Gun Violence, But Also Think Guns May Keep Them Safe
Nearly a third of young people say they have experienced gun violence personally, and more than half say they think about mass shootings at least once a week, according to a new survey published on September 28. The survey, published by Project Unloaded, a nonprofit organization that seeks to approach...
Apply to The Trace’s New Editing Fellowship
The Trace, America’s only nonprofit newsroom exclusively devoted to covering the gun violence epidemic, is launching a two-year fellowship for early- to mid-career journalists looking to establish themselves as editors. The fellow will receive hands-on training from The Trace’s editors, whose specialties run the gamut from features and investigations,...
The Rittenhouse Shootings Started a Debate in Kenosha That Hasn’t Ended
It’s been more than two years since a police officer fired seven shots into the back of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, Jr., setting off days of protest in the small Wisconsin city of Kenosha, and making it a lightning rod for nationwide tensions. Amid the unrest, a call to arms was made by Kevin Matthewson, a former Kenosha alderman who created a Facebook page called “Kenosha Guard — Armed Citizens to Protect our Lives and Property.” It attracted armed counter protesters, including Kyle Rittenhouse, a teenager who arrived with a semiautomatic rifle and killed two men and wounded a third.
The Trace Hires First Director of People, Adds Three Journalists to Its Newsroom
The Trace is excited to announce the arrival of four new members to the staff of the only nonprofit media organization dedicated to covering America’s gun violence crisis. Three new arrivals will expand our reporting in Philadelphia and on public health and helm our newsletters. The fourth addition is The Trace’s first director of people and operations, who will support our organization as we continue to grow our journalism.
As Midterms Loom, Right Wingers Are Revving Up the Faithful with Talk of Religion and Guns
After the FBI raided former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on August 9 as part of an investigation into the alleged mishandling of classified documents, right-wing candidates for state office across the country took to their fringe social media pages. They posted that the federal government needs to be reined in and even called for the FBI to be abolished.
The Federal Government Is About to Spend $750 Million on Crisis Intervention. Will It Help Reduce Gun Violence?
Kelly Moller, a Democratic state representative in Minnesota, is conflicted. Like every other state, hers is preparing to receive new federal funding for crisis intervention. But with a wide slate of options for using the funds, and relatively vague federal guidance, she isn’t exactly sure where the state should start.
Dealers Are Already Skirting Biden’s Ghost Gun Rule
Ghost gun dealers have already found ways around the Biden Administration’s effort to curb the sale of homemade, untraceable firearms. A rule that went into effect on August 24 requires sellers to serialize “ready to build” ghost gun kits and conduct background checks on prospective buyers. As The Trace and CBS News reported, the impending regulation from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives prompted a fire sale of kits from dealers looking to offload their inventories. Now that the rule is in effect, sellers are simply offering ghost gun parts for sale individually.
The Trace
784+
Posts
3M+
Views
The Trace is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to expanding coverage of guns in the United States.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.