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Dallas County proclaims National Gun Violence Awareness Day; advocates urge prevention and behavioral-health investments
Summary
Commissioners unanimously adopted a proclamation declaring June 5th National Gun Violence Awareness Day in Dallas County. Survivors, public-health advocates, and law-enforcement partners urged support for community-violence intervention, behavioral-health services, and suicide prevention.
The Dallas County Commissioner's Court unanimously adopted a proclamation recognizing National Gun Violence Awareness Day during its June 16 meeting, and several community advocates addressed the court to press for prevention and behavioral-health investments.
Commissioner Price introduced the proclamation noting national and state statistics cited in the text. Miriam Sharma, a nurse and community-safety advocate, thanked the court, highlighted that firearm injuries were described in the presentation as "the leading cause of death for children and teens in Texas and in the United States," and urged a focus on behavioral-health and suicide-prevention measures. "We must acknowledge that gun suicide accounts for 58% of all gun deaths in Texas," Sharma said during her remarks.
Scott Sprier, representing a gun-owner safety coalition, described himself as a Texas gun owner and Vietnam veteran who supports common-sense measures that do not infringe on the Second Amendment; he urged the court to back community-focused prevention strategies such as community-violence intervention programs and mental-health resources. Sheena Ori, focused-deterrence program manager at the District Attorney’s office, outlined local partnerships between the DA’s office, Dallas Police and Garland Police and promoted focused-deterrence strategies as evidence-based approaches that have been implemented in partnership with law enforcement.
Commissioners and speakers repeatedly framed the proclamation as a statement of solidarity and a call for coordinated, evidence-based prevention work rather than immediate legislative measures. The court encouraged community participation (for example, wearing orange on the awareness day) and publicized an upcoming local forum on June 7 at First United Methodist Church.
Next steps: the court recorded the proclamation as adopted and county staff said they would continue to coordinate community awareness events and follow-up with partners on prevention initiatives.
