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New Recording Shows NRA Treasurer Plotting to Conceal Extravagant Expenses Involving Wayne LaPierre
This story was published in partnership with ProPublica. At a meeting in June 2009, the treasurer of the National Rifle Association worked out a plan to conceal luxury expenses involving its chief executive, Wayne LaPierre, according to audio of the meeting obtained by The Trace and ProPublica. The recording was unknown to New York’s attorney general, who is pursuing the NRA and LaPierre over a range of alleged financial misdeeds. It shows, in real time, the NRA’s treasurer enlisting the group’s longtime public relations firm to obfuscate the extravagant costs.
What Can We Learn From the Nation’s Historic Decline in Murders?
The end of 2023 provided the first clear signal that the wave of violence that swept the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic is beginning to abate. Statistics compiled by the consulting firm AH Datalytics, founded by the crime researcher Jeff Asher, show that in 175 cities, murders fell by an average of 12 percent compared to 2022. In Los Angeles, murders dropped more than 16 percent; in Houston, more than 20 percent. In Philadelphia, where the pandemic period saw killings climb to an all-time high, they plummeted more than 24 percent.
Wayne LaPierre, Architect of the Modern NRA, Resigns Ahead of Corruption Trial
Wayne LaPierre, who transformed the National Rifle Association into a feared political machine and oversaw its recent decline, is resigning as CEO of the organization. LaPierre, 74, cited unspecified health reasons for his resignation, which is effective Jan. 31. The news comes as New York Attorney General Letitia James’s case...
Do Gun Regulations Equal Fewer Shootings? Lessons From New England
In February, as the New Hampshire House of Representatives debated a bill to prohibit guns in school zones, a gun owner opposed to the bill stepped up to the dais and handed the committee members a printed table of data showing violent crime rates in New England over two decades.
The Trace Is Hiring a Director of Development
The Trace is looking for a director of development to help sustain and expand our high-impact, award-winning reporting on gun violence. At our nonprofit media organization, we’re building the only team of journalists dedicated to reporting on one of the most critical issues facing our country. Our stories are making a difference and our financial support has remained steady during these uncertain times. As we plan for the future, we are seeking a talented development leader to accelerate our fundraising.
Gun Violence by the Numbers in 2023
The United States may have moved past the devastating surge of gun violence sparked by the pandemic, with preliminary data suggesting that homicides in 2023 declined by a record amount. Gun injuries have also dropped, and a growing list of states now have tighter laws on gun sales, which are at a four-year low.
The Trace’s Best Stories From 2023
The end of the year can be particularly grim on the gun violence beat, as national death tolls and mass shooting counts are finalized, and communities across the country remember those who have been lost. Hard-won research shows more people than ever are being affected by gun violence and that, since 2020 especially, children are among the most vulnerable.
Reflecting on a Season of Growth in Philly
This post was adapted from our local Philadelphia newsletter. You can subscribe via this link or the signup widget below. I can’t believe that this is my last update of 2023. It’s been an emotional journey exploring the love, pain, hope, and joy of our neighbors and friends. This year was a big one for us, and with your help, we were able to do some incredible things in Philadelphia. It’s been a season of growth. Readers like you, along with our partners, ambassadors, and supporters, have helped me gain a better understanding of what’s really going on in our distinct communities and how to do a better job covering the gun violence crisis.
The Most Memorable Gun Violence Journalism of 2023
At the Trace, we are dedicated to full-time coverage of gun violence, but we are far from alone in covering this confounding problem. In recent years, many newsrooms in the United States have stepped up their coverage, as well. Here, in our round up of these stories, readers will find a curated package of must-reads, investigations, and essays. These articles cover everything, including where the bullets used in mass shootings are manufactured, profiles of the unexpected people who hold power, and innovative programs that try to prevent gun violence. Some of these stories are heartbreaking but others — and this is so important — offer hope and solutions to what seems like an unsolvable problem.
The Year in Gun Violence Solutions
Seven months ago, I published the first issue of The Trajectory. Fifteen editions later, we’ve covered a lot of ground, from local efforts to prevent suicide and community violence, to the federal government’s efforts to implement the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. It can be easy to move...
After Federal Court Decision, New York’s Religious Leaders Face a Thorny Gun Problem
On December 8, a federal court upheld several key provisions of New York’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act, which prohibits guns in “sensitive places,” including government buildings, bars, restaurants that serve alcohol, medical facilities, public demonstrations, and Times Square. The decision by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals...
Chicago Shooting Survivors, In Their Own Words
Published in partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Reader, South Side Weekly, and Block Club Chicago. This fall, I attended a support group for parents who’ve lost children, mostly to gun violence. The monthly gathering is hosted by Elizabeth Ramirez with Parents for Peace and Justice and Rincon Family Services. Eight parents, each at different phases in their grief, attended that night. Some were open about their children, the lives they lived, the things they accomplished, the dreams they left waiting. Others were more reserved, choosing to listen, searching for comfort from fellow travelers. One woman, C, shared something I hadn’t heard put into words before. When her son was killed, she wasn’t ready to not be his mother. Years later, she still wants to be his mother. She still is.
I Left My Neighborhood Due to Gun Violence. How Many Others Have Done the Same?
On March 20, 2023, I got a call telling me that my dear friend Kim “Casper” Williamson was shot and killed. I met Casper in the early 90’s after my family moved to Woodlawn from Hyde Park. At first, I couldn’t process his death. I’d like to think it was my body protecting me.
The Healthcare System Failed Me
It was a beautifully warm summer evening in June 2021. I was eight months pregnant and still queasy most days, but I decided to get some tacos from a restaurant in West Englewood that I visited often. I took a shower, threw on my favorite black sundress and matching Ivy Park slides, and headed out into the perfect Chicago summer night.
‘True Love Almost Killed Me’: On Life After Loss
Every June, the streets of Humboldt Park in Chicago are filled with people coming to celebrate the Puerto Rican parade. Flags fly, horns beep, and people brim with pride. Carnival rides, food vendors, and neon lights are visible throughout the neighborhood. But many who visit Humboldt Park once a year don’t see the decades of gang warfare that plague these streets. I’m telling the story of that hidden warfare and how I got swept up in it because I want to show that there is life after losses and there is life after incarceration. However, in order for people to truly heal, we need more help. There needs to be more investment in victim services in communities where gun violence is common.
My 16-Year-Old Was Shot and Killed. What Does Justice Look Like?
I arrived at my daughter Janyah’s high school graduation on a warm day in May. When I stepped into the building, staff began shutting all the doors to the auditorium where the ceremony was taking place because people were sneaking in without tickets. I started to worry. As I fought back tears, I thought to myself, “Jaree, you need to get in there to see your baby girl get her diploma because you won’t be able to see your son walk across the stage next year.”
After I Was Shot, My Friends Wanted Retribution. I Chose Empathy.
I always knew I would get shot. It wasn’t a question of if, but when. I was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago in West Chatham and in Woodlawn. I became involved with a street tribe at a young age. The block we lived on and who my friends and family were determined my affiliation. I witnessed the kind of things you might see in a movie: drug trafficking, gambling, shoot-outs, fights. I was deeply entrenched in the heart of conflict, destruction, and mayhem. Because of that, I’ve suffered a lot of loss and grief — and gained a well-rounded understanding of why people shoot.
How to Have Better Conversations with Survivors of Gun Violence
Last spring, we brought together a group of gun violence survivors who wanted to tell their stories. Each writer received months of storytelling coaching and in-person writing workshops. Today, we publish their powerful collection here on our site and in partnership with an exciting group of media partners, including the Chicago Reader, the Chicago Sun-Times, South Side Weekly, and Block Club Chicago.
Chicago’s Experiment to Aid Gun Violence Survivors Is Actually Helping
Tennile Brown and her 2-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son, Jacari Brown, lived in her grandmother’s home in East Garfield Park when her life turned upside down. On August 14, after a weekend of shopping for the new school year, Jacari and his 9-year-old cousin spent the evening playing together. Just before dawn, a gunshot rang out inside the home.
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