Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. Joins Prosecutors Across the U.S. To Announce New Coalition Aimed at Curbing Gun Violence

Staff Report

In a groundbreaking effort to combat gun violence, District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. joined 22 prosecutors representing major jurisdictions throughout the United States to announce the formation of PROSECUTORS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE (PAGV), an independent, non-partisan coalition organized to identify and promote prosecutorial and policy solutions to the national public health and safety crisis of gun violence.

“Gun violence is a serious issue in our community,” said District Attorney Howard. “Unfortunately, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office has been personally impacted by the tragic effects of this epidemic. One of my employees was senselessly shot several times during an act of domestic violence. It is my hope that the proactive approach offered by this group of prosecutors will lead to effective programs, policies and activities that will stem the tide of gun violence in our community.”

PAGV was formed and co-chaired by Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. The group will convene the first-ever prosecutorial summit on gun violence prevention in Atlanta on October 21st and 22nd, focusing on best prosecutorial practices, gang violence reduction, illegal weapons trafficking, the nexus between domestic violence and gun violence, the link between mental health issues and gun violence, and other initiatives. PAGV will announce additional summit details shortly.

“For prosecutors, gun violence is not a partisan issue,” said District Attorney Vance. “It’s a public health andsafety crisis that claims lives and destabilizes communities in every jurisdiction in America. By coming together to share intelligence and advocate for pragmatic, non-partisan solutions, law enforcement officials can achieve lasting progress on gun violence.”

“Together, prosecutors across our nation can make a major impact on the gun violence afflicting our communities,” said City Attorney Feuer. “Our members will draw from our colleagues’ most effective strategies and join forces to advance policies that can save lives. Prosecutors have expertise and credibility that are hard to dismiss.”

The growing coalition includes prosecutors from Atlanta, Boston, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Manhattan, Miami, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Portland, Queens, San Antonio, San Francisco, Seattle and Staten Island.

To stay up to date with PAGV’s progress, join the mailing list at ProsecutorsAGV.org, and follow the organization on Facebook and Twitter.