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Missoula leaders proclaim June 7 National Gun Violence Awareness Day; local group urges safe storage
Summary
Missoula County commissioners and the City of Missoula issued a proclamation naming June 7 National Gun Violence Awareness Day. A volunteer from Moms Demand Action urged residents to wear orange, practice safe firearm storage and attend a Saturday awareness event.
Missoula County commissioners and the City of Missoula issued a proclamation June 4 declaring June 7, 2025, National Gun Violence Awareness Day, citing statewide and national firearm mortality statistics and urging safer storage and awareness.
The proclamation, read at the start of the Missoula County Board of County Commissioners meeting, noted that firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens nationally and that Montana ranks among the top five states for suicide rates, with 82% of firearm deaths in the state identified as suicides. It was signed by Andrea Davis, mayor of Missoula, and county commissioners Juanita Vero, Josh Slotnick and Dave Strohmeyer.
Roxanne Weichel, a volunteer with Moms Demand Action in Missoula, spoke during the proclamation and public comment. She asked residents to “wear orange to demand a future free from gun violence,” and described recent local incidents that underlined the group’s concerns, including a reported unintentional shooting of a 3-year-old in Libby and a murder-suicide in Kalispell.
Weichel noted a state-level cost estimate cited in the proclamation: “Gun violence costs Montana $3,000,000,000 each year, of which $30,900,000 is paid by taxpayers,” and emphasized safe-storage practices, saying the “best practice is to keep all guns unloaded, locked up, and separate from ammunition.” She also urged parents to verify the presence and status of firearms when children visit other homes.
Weichel invited community members to a Saturday, June 7, gathering at 10 a.m. on the Bearcat Bear Tracks bridge above the Clark Fork Market to raise awareness; she said organizers will provide placards and encouraged participants to wear orange. She left educational materials with county officials and said local youth are involved through Students Demand Action.
The proclamation and comments were informational; no legislative action or policy change was taken at the meeting.
Community members seeking more information were encouraged to contact Moms Demand Action or Missoula County offices.
