Noon Edition airs on Fridays at noon on WFIU.   

Recent mass shootings in New York, Texas, and Oklahoma have spurred another wave of conversation about gun violence prevention and legislation in the US.

Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas last week – making it the deadliest attack in nearly ten years. The 18-year-old shooter used an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, which had been legally purchased that month.

Gun violence occurs daily in the US, and emergency rooms saw a 34 percent increase in visits for firearm injuries during the pandemic. That’s despite overall drops in visits during the pandemic. 

NPR reported that auto accidents used to be the leading cause of death for children. But in 2020 gun deaths were the leading cause.

While gun violence and shootings have been on the rise for more than a decade, states have relaxed their regulations requiring people to have a permit to carry in public. Indiana repealed its requirement this year and it will go into effect over the summer.

A bipartisan group of senators met this week to discuss policy targeting gun violence– including incentives for states to pass red flag laws and updates to school safety.

This week we’ll talk about gun violence prevention, legislation, school safety measures being considered, and the impact continued gun violence has on the public consciousness.

You can follow us on Twitter at @noonedition or join us on the air by calling 812-855-0811 or toll-free at 1-877-285-9348. You can also send questions for the show at news@indianapublicmedia.org. 

Guests

Julie Quesenbery, incoming president of the Indiana National Association of School Resource Officers

Chaka Coleman, Paganelli Law Group

Stephanie Whiteside, Carmel Clay Schools mental health coordinator and children's therapist