The Human Cost of Gun Policy Decisions




By Copilot

The Human Cost of Gun Policy Decisions

On July 19, Isaiah Phillip was shot at a pool party in Northeast Harris County. He was 17, a football player at North Shore High—young, full of promise, and gone. It was the third time in three years that gun violence struck the team. Braxton Coles, who lost his own grandson to a shooting last year, spoke from bitter experience:

“You don’t know who you killed. You might have killed the next cure for cancer or diabetes.”
—Braxton Coles, Click2Houston

In the neighborhoods around North Shore, the grief is heavy—and the support systems meant to prevent these tragedies are quietly disappearing.

What Policy Left Behind

In April 2025, the federal government rescinded $158 million in Community Violence Intervention (CVI) grants, cutting off funding midstream for outreach workers, hospital responders, and trauma counselors. In total, more than $811 million in Department of Justice public safety and victim services grants were pulled from cities including New York, Chicago, Memphis, and Baton Rouge (Reuters, Giffords).

The DOJ stated the grants “no longer advance the program's objectives or the agency’s priorities” (Reuters, Council on Criminal Justice). But the cuts arrived quietly—despite mounting evidence that these programs were saving lives.

What CVI Actually Does

Community Violence Intervention teams work directly in neighborhoods most affected by gun violence. They mediate conflicts, support survivors, and offer trauma-informed services and job connections. These approaches are rooted in public health and have shown measurable success (FCNL, Council on Criminal Justice).

“Gun violence is a public health epidemic. These deaths are preventable.”
—Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions (Council on Criminal Justice)

Hospital-based interventions target a critical moment: when a victim first survives a shooting. Outreach at this point can interrupt cycles of retaliation and trauma. Without funding, that window of impact closes.

Handguns: The Everyday Crisis

Most gun violence in the U.S. is not committed with assault rifles but with handguns—and it’s often personal:

  • Handguns accounted for over 53% of gun-related murders in 2023, and a majority of nonfatal shootings (CDC/VPC).

  • Most incidents occur between people who know each other—family, friends, or intimate partners.

  • For women, the majority of firearm homicides are committed by intimate partners, with about 75% involving handguns (CDC/VPC).

This relational nature of gun violence is precisely where CVI strategies are most effective.

Making Money Off Tragedy

Meanwhile, the firearms industry has continued to profit:

  • Companies like Smith & Wesson, Sturm Ruger, and Glock reported combined revenues exceeding $1 billion in 2021 (CDC/VPC).

  • Tactical-style rifles like the AR-15 have become a booming market segment, with sales nearly tripling from 2019 to 2021.

  • Gun sales often surge after mass shootings—a grim pattern that drives industry growth.

  • Firearm marketing frequently links guns to identity—emphasizing toughness, freedom, and self-reliance.

Political Shifts, Unsteady Ground

In 2025, the Trump administration rescinded CVI grants, claiming they “did not effectuate the program’s goals” (Council on Criminal Justice). While some state-level laws—like New York’s red flag protections—remain strong, the loss of coordinated federal support leaves prevention efforts more fragmented and fragile (Giffords).

Guns as Symbols, Not Just Tools

Gun ownership in America is deeply tied to identity and culture. But public rhetoric often obscures the public health reality:

“We don’t need more gun control. We need more idiot control.”
—Senator John Kennedy, C-SPAN

States with looser laws—like Louisiana and Mississippi—experience gun death rates three to four times higher than states with stronger regulations, such as New York (CDC/VPC). Weak regulations also contribute to cross-border trafficking, making local prevention harder to sustain.

Global Views, Local Lessons

After the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, Australia enacted comprehensive reforms—banning assault weapons, implementing mandatory buybacks, and tightening licensing. Mass shootings became nearly nonexistent (Philip Alpers, University of Sydney).

Japan, South Korea, and the UK maintain near-zero gun homicide rates through a combination of legal and cultural norms. Sweden’s recent rise in gang violence reminds us that laws alone aren't enough—but they remain essential foundations for prevention.

The Case for an Assault Weapons Ban

During the 1994–2004 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, the average number of mass shooting deaths dropped to 5.3 per year. After the ban expired, that average rose to 25 annually (Christopher Koper, 2004).

Assault rifles like the AR-15, originally designed for military use, are now disproportionately used in mass shootings:

“The rifle wasn’t designed for hunting. It was designed for war. And now it waits in closets, beside backpacks and textbooks.”

While not a cure-all, the ban effectively reduced access to military-style firearms—and saved lives.

Community, Still Standing

Despite the cuts, some communities are forging ahead:

  • Baltimore expanded its Group Violence Reduction Strategy, combining outreach and accountability.

  • Legal coalitions have filed suit to restore CVI funding (The Trace).

  • In Houston, Braxton Coles launched “Crash Out for Cause,” channeling grief into youth-led action.

Coaches, families, and neighbors continue building safety—despite the loss of federal support.

The Candles Still Burn

In North Shore, the grief is familiar—and so is the resolve. The community endures, even as lifelines are withdrawn.

“You don’t know who you killed. You might have killed the next cure for cancer or diabetes.”

Gun violence is preventable. The programs worked. Their absence is felt—in the silence, in the sorrow, and in the futures that will never arrive.

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