The Trace

The Trace is a nonprofit and nonpartisan news outlet focused on enhancing the public's awareness of gun violence in the U.S. There is a critical demand for the insights that public interest journalism can offer, especially given the staggering problem of gun-related incidents—33,000 lives lost and 79,000 individuals injured each year. This crisis is made worse by a lack of comprehensive information on the topic. The Trace aims to address this gap by providing daily news coverage, in-depth investigations, analysis, and opinions on the policies, politics, culture, and industry surrounding firearms in America.

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A Healing Garden in Philly Honors Gun Violence Victims

5 days ago | thetrace.org | Afea Tucker

The Trace On Easter Sunday in 2009, Terrez McCleary’s 21-year-old daughter, Tamara Johnson, was shot and killed over a dispute about a car. Johnson was a nursing student at the Community College of Philadelphia. She had dreams of being a neonatal nurse, but her life was cut short just one month after she turned 21. In the days and months that followed, McCleary felt her daughter’s story had been forgotten, just another statistic in a city known for its gun violence crisis.
Mass Shootings Take A Psychological Toll. Other Forms of Gun Violence May Be Even Worse.

1 week ago | thetrace.org | Alma Beauvais

The Trace Trauma is widespread and difficult to overcome among survivors of gun violence. Sixty to 94 percent of those who’ve experienced a shooting report some form of mental health distress, according to a recent study. But one group tends to suffer longer. The study, published in Nature Mental Health in April, compared responses from people who were present or injured during mass shootings to those who experienced another form of shooting.
States Step Up Gun Violence Prevention as Washington Pulls Back

1 week ago | thetrace.org | Chip Brownlee

The Trace Delaware hasn’t always been known for passing a lot of gun safety legislation. That’s changed in recent years. Since 2018, the country’s second-smallest state has methodically enacted a suite of reforms, from a red flag law allowing the temporary removal of firearms from people in crisis and a ban on the sale of assault-style weapons, to a landmark permit-to-purchase law for handguns.
The Roundup: Catch Up on the Latest Research Illuminating the Effects of Gun Violence

1 week ago | thetrace.org | Fairriona Magee

The Trace A Trace analysis published last year found that the federal government had invested more than $137 million in gun violence research since 2020 — an unprecedented amount. In 2025, there have already been dozens of important studies published in academic journals on pivotal aspects of the toll of the gun violence epidemic including mental, physical, and social health.
Should We Expect a Spike in Gun Violence This Summer?

1 week ago | thetrace.org | Sunny Sone |Jennifer Mascia

The Trace It’s Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer and the time of year when many begin preparing for a seasonal spike in gun violence. As The Trace’s Fairriona Magee has reported, research has linked high temperatures and shootings. A 2021 study found that abnormally high daily temperatures in U.S. cities were associated with higher levels of shootings.
What to Know About Gun Policy and Violence Prevention This Week

2 weeks ago | thetrace.org | Sunny Sone |Jennifer Mascia

The Trace On Thursday, U.S. Representative Andrew Clyde logged a win. The Georgia Republican, who owns a gun shop that sells silencers on its website, took credit for pushing through a provision in President Donald Trump’s tax bill that cut taxes on silencers — one of the most highly regulated gun accessories in the country — and, per Politico, otherwise removes them from being regulated under the National Firearms Act.
Trump Clears Way for Rapid-Fire Triggers. How Much Will It Matter?

2 weeks ago | thetrace.org | Jennifer Mascia

The Trace On May 16, the Trump administration announced an agreement to permit the sale of forced reset triggers, a matchbook-sized device that enables semiautomatic rifles to fire faster than M16 machine guns. The policy shift, reportedly made despite the objections of the chief counsel at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, was greeted with alarm by gun violence prevention groups, but experts are divided over how much practical impact the change will have.
Trump’s Cuts Imperil Life-Saving Prevention Efforts, Lawsuit Says

2 weeks ago | thetrace.org | Chip Brownlee

The Trace Five nonprofits have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Trump administration to restore more than $820 million in federal grants for violence prevention and community safety programs. The lawsuit comes after the Justice Department last month canceled more than 370 grants for violence intervention, addiction recovery, juvenile justice reform, mental health treatment, and victim services.
What Books Are You Reading to Better Understand Gun Violence in the U.S.?

2 weeks ago | thetrace.org | Victoria Clark |Tatyana Turner |Rita Oceguera

The Trace The breaking news cycle would give most consumers whiplash. In just four weeks, a string of rattling, gun violence-related headlines in local and national publications have shifted the landscape immeasurably. In April, the Trump administration announced plans to pull the financial plug on community violence intervention programs, leaving more than 360 initiatives potentially drained of funds. The Supreme Court declined to settle the question on age restrictions for guns.
When Fatal Shooting Victims Are Black, Chicago Police Arrest Rates Drop

2 weeks ago | thetrace.org | Rita Oceguera

The Trace Seven years ago, Zhiene Washington was talking to her mother on the phone when she heard gunshots. Her son, Tre’Velle E. Washington, 25, had just left to buy cigarettes. She threw her phone down, yelled his name, and ran outside. She looked to one side and saw nothing. She turned in the other direction and saw Tre’Velle lying on the ground. He was alive, and she hoped it was not too late. As they waited for an ambulance and police, she kissed his forehead, and wiped away his tears.