June 3, 2025

Board to Proclaim June as Gun Violence Awareness Month, Highlight Programs Aimed at Saving Lives

Los Angeles, CA — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is voting on a motion authored by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda L. Solis to declare June 2025 as Gun Violence Awareness Month, part of a broader County-wide effort to reduce gun deaths and promote community safety.

“The tragic murder of Baldwin Park Police Officer Samuel Riveros is yet another reminder of the toll gun violence continues to take on our communities,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Gun violence is preventable—and LA County is taking action. We’re investing in real solutions, getting guns off the streets, and putting safety tools into the hands of families.”

The County’s coordinated gun violence prevention strategy brings together public health, law enforcement, and community outreach—anchored by the Department of Public Health’s Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) and championed by Supervisors Hahn and Solis. In recent years, Hahn and Solis have spearheaded stronger County gun safety policies and expanded access to practical tools residents can use to help save lives.

“Gun violence is not just a public safety concern; it is a public health crisis that demands bold, urgent, and sustained action,” said Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “I’m proud to co-author this motion and stand with Supervisor Hahn in promoting real, life-saving strategies. Just as we mourn the devastating losses, like the recent murders of a beloved police officer and innocent bystander in Baldwin Park, we must also act. That’s why we’ve distributed over 28,000 free gun locks countywide, because we know safe storage saves lives. We must keep pushing for common sense legislation, community investment, and healing, especially for our youth and communities of color who bear the heaviest burden of this violence. Gun violence is preventable—and together, we can build safer, healthier communities for all.”

What LA County Residents Can Do Right Now:

Get Free Gun Locks

Gun locks can help prevent suicides, accidental shootings, and youth gun deaths. In LA County, a child is killed or injured by gun violence every 30 hours. Since April 2024, the County has distributed over 28,000 free gun locks at hospitals, libraries, and through the mail.

Residents can request two free locks by mail at: publichealth.lacounty.gov/ovp/GunSafety.ht

Turn In Unwanted Firearms

Supervisor Hahn has hosted 14 Gun Buyback events, collecting and destroying 2,388 firearms—many from homes where they were no longer wanted and not safely stored.

Hahn’s next Gun Buyback event is scheduled for Saturday June 28, 2025 from 8 am to 4 pm at Admiral Kidd Park in Long Beach. Guns can be turned in anonymously in exchange for gift cards—no questions asked.

“These gun buy back events save lives,” said Hahn. “Each gun we remove could be a tragedy prevented.”

Learn About Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVROs)

The County has launched an effort to raise awareness and use of gun violence restraining orders (GVROs). GVROs, which can be filed by law enforcement or members of the public when they believe a person they know is a danger to themselves or others and must be approved by a judge, can prevent a person from purchasing or posessing a gun, ammunition, or magazine for a specified length of time, between 21 days and five years. Despite their life-saving potential, they are severely underutilized in Los Angeles County.

As part of that effort, the office has created a webpage: www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/ovp/GVROs.htm. It includes information about what GVROs are, who can file for them, videos about how to file GVROs in both English and Spanish, and a list of legal aid organizations that can assist. The webpage also includes information about possible warning signs for both suicide and potential mass violence.

Join Wear Orange Weekend – June 6–8

LA County is joining communities across the country for Wear Orange Weekend, honoring the lives lost to gun violence and standing in solidarity with survivors. The campaign began in memory of Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old student fatally shot in Chicago, and has grown into a national call to end gun violence. Residents are encouraged to wear orange as a symbol of awareness and hope.

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Click here to read the full Board motion: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/185967.pdf