Governor Hochul issues proclamation designating June as ‘Gun Violence Awareness Month’ in New York

ALBANY, NY- A proclamation issued recently by Governor Kathy Hochul designates the Month of June as ‘Gun Violence Awareness Month’ in New York State.

“Since taking office, I have been laser focused on making New York a safer place for all by enacting some of the nation’s strongest gun safety laws — and they’re working,” the Governor declared in a released statement.

“As we remember the victims of senseless gun violence today, we reaffirm our commitment to common sense gun safety and the safety of all New Yorkers.”

According to the Governor's office, the month-long observance is an opportunity to raise awareness, honor the lives lost to gun violence, support survivors and their families, and highlight the continued work by local and state law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations to make New York’s communities safer and stronger.

Governor Hochul recently announced shooting incidents with injury across New York State declined 9 percent during the first four months of this year compared to the same time in 2024, reaching a record low and continuing a three-year downward trend.

Since peaking in 2021, officials say that shooting incidents with injury in communities participating in the state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative declined by more than 50 percent and murders decreased by 30 percent, demonstrating the impact of targeted, evidence-based and data-driven strategies that combine enforcement with prevention and community engagement.

In addition, police departments in GIVE communities report roughly 90 percent of violent crimes involving firearms and 85 percent of violent crime reported outside New York City.

Image via the office of New York Governor Kathy Hochul.