SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KERO) - In light of this week's deadly mass shooting in San Jose, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday commented on his state's gun control laws, saying opinions that California's strict gun laws don't work are simply not true.
Taking to Twitter, Newsom said, "In 1993 California had the third-highest rate of gun homicides in the country and the 16th highest rate of gun deaths overall. Since then California has become a national leader on gun safety. The most recent CDC data shows California has the seventh-lowest gun death rate in the nation."
Newsom went on to say that California's gun-related death rates are 40% below the national average and that gun homicides among 15-24 year olds fell to the lowest rate since 1970.
Newsom added that unfortunately that the state's laws "tragically cannot prevent all shootings - but they have saved thousands and thousands of lives."
He also called for action on the federal level.
THREAD: Some people (...meaning the @GOP and @NRA) like to point to horrific shootings like yesterday’s and say CA’s strict gun laws don’t work.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) May 27, 2021
The reality is that is simply not true.
A quick review...
In 1993, CA had the 3rd highest rate of gun homicides in the country and the 16th highest rate of gun deaths overall.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) May 27, 2021
Since then CA has become a national leader on gun safety.
The most recent CDC data shows:
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) May 27, 2021
- CA has the 7th lowest gun death rate in the nation
- CA’s gun-related death rates are 40% below national average.
- CA’s gun homicides among 15-24-year olds fell to the lowest rate since 1970.
CA’s laws tragically cannot prevent all shootings -- but they have saved thousands and thousands of lives. Imagine if we experienced that nationwide.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) May 27, 2021
We can’t do this alone.
We need ACTION on the federal level. No more stale rhetoric. We need commonsense gun laws -- NOW.
