MADISON, Wis. — On the heels of several tragic mass shootings across the country, and the start of the annual Wear Orange Weekend that begins Friday, State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski today proclaimed June 3, 2022, as Gun Violence Awareness Day in Wisconsin.

The full proclamation can be found here.

“Our country and our state have watched in horror in just the last few weeks alone as innocent lives are lost in mass shootings from Buffalo to Uvalde to Tulsa. These tragedies continue to devastate communities and families, including here in Wisconsin. Everyone deserves safe communities, and should be able to go to work, send their kids to school, or enjoy an evening out without fear of falling victim to gun violence,” said State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski. “By declaring Gun Violence Awareness Day in Wisconsin, we demand commonsense regulations like red flag laws, a ban on high capacity magazines, and background checks, so we can end senseless gun violence in our state and save lives.”

This Friday marks the start of the annual Wear Orange Weekend, part of a movement that advocates for a future free from gun violence and creates awareness of gun violence in the United States by wearing the same color as hunters in the woods use to protect themselves and others. In the wake of multiple tragedies and the annual Wear Orange Weekend, there will be events throughout the state and the country calling for an end to gun violence in all forms.

It’s important now more than ever to address gun violence in Wisconsin, as:

  • Wisconsin had 717 gun deaths in 2020, an 18.7% increase over the reported 2019 total.
  • Gun deaths are a leading cause of death in Wisconsin among children and teenagers, with 138 children under the age of 18 killed by guns from 2016 to 2020.
  • Between 2016 and 2020, 61 people in Wisconsin were tragically shot and killed by an abusive partner, with women being 79% of those that were killed.
  • More than 110 Americans are killed with guns and over 200 Americans are shot and wounded every day.
  • Across the country, there are approximately $280 billion in lifetime costs associated with gun violence per year, with a total of nearly $4 billion for the state or $670 per Wisconsinite.
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