HARRISBURG – CeaseFirePA Education Fund today reacted to the reported drops in gun violence statewide.
Since 2022, there has been a 42 percent drop in total victims of gun violence, and a 38 percent drop of gun deaths by firearm according to an analysis of the Gun Violence Archives by CeaseFirePA Education Fund. The nonprofit collects data on gun violence from over 7,500 law enforcement, media, government and commercial sources daily, which tend to not include firearm suicide a major source of gun deaths in Pennsylvania. Regional data revealed Philadelphia experienced a 52 percent decrease in gun violence over two years, its lowest level in a decade. Allegheny County also saw a remarkable drop, reducing by 30 percent over two years.
“These numbers demonstrate the impact of the significant investment in community violence prevention programs,” said Adam Garber, Executive Director of CeaseFirePA. “Gov. Shapiro’s Administration and General Assembly made significant investments in community-based violence prevention initiatives and public safety programs – and those investments are paying off with lives saved. Now is the time that we should double down on our investments and tackle the policy changes that can improve these results into 2025 and the years to come.”
The 2024-25 state budget included $56.5 million in funding for community based violence prevention. This money supports violence interrupters to de-escalate community conflicts before they become violent, after school programs for at-risk youth, group violence intervention in coordination with law enforcement, and trauma-informed care to prevent retaliation.
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CeaseFire PA Education Fund does not apply for or recieve any of this funding. We are funded by Pennsylvanians who believe life free from gun violence is possible — and work to make it happen.
