June is Gun Violence Awareness Month in New York State

Governor Kathy Hochul today issued a proclamation declaring June as Gun Violence Awareness Month in New York State. 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. Additionally, Governor Hochul directed 16 landmarks across New York to be illuminated in orange to honor survivors and victims of gun violence and mark the start of Wear Orange Weekend, a national movement to raise awareness and inspire action to end gun violence.

“On Wear Orange Day, I join millions of Americans in wearing orange to remind survivors, family members and everyone who believes in peace and public safety that New York stands against gun violence,” Governor Hochul said. “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. 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.”

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, 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. 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.

The following landmarks will be illuminated the color orange:

• One World Trade Center
• Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
• Kosciuszko Bridge
• The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
• State Education Building
• Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
• Empire State Plaza
• State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
• Niagara Falls
• The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
• Grand Central Terminal – Pershing Square Viaduct
• Albany International Airport Gateway
• MTA LIRR – East End Gateway at Penn Station
• Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
• Moynihan Train Hall
• Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park

Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “As we observe Gun Violence Awareness Month, I want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul and our partners in law enforcement and the community for their ongoing commitment to safer neighborhoods. Our statewide collaboration is driving real progress—reducing gun violence and helping communities heal. We encourage New Yorkers to take part in Wear Orange Weekend as a powerful show of solidarity with survivors and a shared call to end gun violence.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “We are proud to work alongside law enforcement agencies that share the same goal of preventing senseless gun-involved tragedies and improving safety in our local communities. Disrupting the flow of illegal guns and the mission to locate and mitigate their source of supply remains a top priority. I offer my gratitude to Governor Hochul for the resources that are being provided to help us focus on this public safety mission.”

Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson said, “We are proud to stand with Governor Hochul and our fellow state and local partners to raise awareness of the lasting impact of gun violence, especially in communities that experience it most acutely. I want to thank the dedicated victim assistance professionals across New York who meet people in their darkest moments and help them begin to recover. Their compassion and tireless work are critical to the healing process.”

New York State continues to lead the nation in advancing comprehensive, data-driven solutions to gun violence. This includes strengthening the state’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law, improving the background check process, and funding community-based programs like GIVE and SNUG Street Outreach, which focus on neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by gun violence, and the state’s nationally recognized, one-of-a-kind network of Crime Analysis Centers.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) provides critical support to all facets of the state’s criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

The Office of Victim Services (OVS) funds and supports nearly 250 victim assistance programs across the state that provide essential services, such as crisis counseling, support groups, case management, emergency shelter, civil legal help, and relocation assistance, among other assistance, to victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and other crimes, and their families. The agency also provides a critical financial safety net for individuals who have no other resources to pay for expenses they incurred because of the crime. Follow OVS on Facebook, Instagram, and X.