Arizonans for Gun Safety

More than 900 Arizonans die from gun violence annually.  Thirty-two children under 18 died from gun violence in 2012, up from 23 a year earlier.  Arizona receives an "F" grade for having the 49th weakest gun laws in the nation.  What's more, Arizona's gun death rate is 40% higher than the national average. 

AzGS is dedicated to preventing gun violence through -

• partnerships with public health, law enforcement, and community agencies,
• grassroots prevention campaigns in high risk neighborhoods, 
• promoting non-violence and peaceful ways to resolve conflict among teens, 
• gun buybacks to remove unwanted guns from our homes,
• distributing free gunlocks and gun safety messages to gun owners, and
• advocating for common sense gun policies such as  background checks for all gun sales at the state and national levels.  

 

Following the Newtown mass shooting, AzGS brought together organizations, supporters, and survivors from across the Arizona community including national gun violence prevention groups to form the Arizona Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. The Coalition is promoting smart gun policies at the Arizona legislature and grassroots education and support statewide.

Last year in partnership with Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and the Phoenix Police Department, AzGS organized the largest gun buyback in Arizona history collecting close to 2,000 unwanted firearms.  All were destroyed except for a few found to be stolen weapons.