New Gun Violence Prevention Plan Unveiled After Annapolis Mass Shooting

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Anne Arundel County leaders on Wednesday announced new plans to combat gun violence. The news followed the Annapolis mass shooting that killed three and hospitalized three others after a birthday party parking dispute.

"When somebody is frustrated with their neighbor because they parked 17 inches past the corner of their driveway, if there's a gun in that house, there's a bad outcome," County Executive Steuart Pittman (D) said at a press conference. "We need to reduce the numbers of guns."

Officials plan to launch a program to decrease the number of shootings in Annapolis. The initiative, called Cure Violence Global, uses public health techniques to break violent tendencies in the community. Mediators respond to every shooting to condemn violence, prevent retaliation, mediate long-standing conflicts, manage high-risk cases and promote positive conflict resolution.

Pittman said $700,000 were dedicated to the Cure Violence Global model in the budget passed last week.

The county plans to issue a request for proposals in late July or early August to find a community organization to implement the Cure Violence Global model.

"The City of Annapolis is investing in a targeted program of violence prevention that we hope will ... break cycles of violence before and as they occur," Mayor Gavin Buckley (D) said, also calling for change on the federal level. "We won't give up. And while I know that the challenge is enormous, I take great encouragement from the fact that I have amazing partners in this work."

Existing Gun Violence Prevention

Officials also pointed to existing programs already combatting gun violence.

Leaders highlighted the nearly 1,500 free gun locks distributed at six branches of the Anne Arundel County Public Library. These devices prevent unintended users like children from firing guns.

They also noted the work of the Gun Violence Intervention Team, which debuted in 2019 and released its prevention plan in 2022. The group is housed under the Anne Arundel County Department of Health. Officials want to take a public health and data-driven approach to gun violence, which Pittman has called "a public health crisis."

The Gun Violence Intervention Team posts its resources at aacounty.org/gvit.

Speakers also cited existing initiatives like prison re-entry prevention programs in the county, No Harm in the Robinwood neighborhood and youth boxing lessons in Annapolis to engage police and students.

Laura Morris, Anne Arundel County's co-lead for the anti-violence group Moms Demand Action, spoke at the press conference.

Morris, who said she was previously shot by her ex-husband, thinks one program is not enough to end gun violence.

"The thoughts and prayers aren't enough, and we all need to pull together to end this needless slaughter," Morris said. "No one policy, no one program and no one person can end this. It takes all of us."

Gun Legislation, Court Battles

Elected officials reminded the public of legislation they recently passed to counter gun violence.

Pittman said the county used its red flag laws in 2021 to take guns from 116 owners who may be a risk to themselves or others.

The county executive mentioned that gun dealers are now required to distribute mental health and conflict resolution literature with all sales. That policy was challenged but upheld in court.

The leaders also cheered Maryland's recently signed Gun Safety Act of 2023. Maryland Matters reported that the law prohibits guns in some public locations like preschools, stadiums, government buildings and polling places.

Maryland Matters said the legislation was a response to a Supreme Court ruling last June that overturned a New York law requiring gun owners to show a need to carry their firearms in public. Maryland's concealed carry law was similar to the one overturned in New York, so Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed this bill to limit where public gun carrying is allowed.

Pittman said he remains dedicated to passing gun safety legislation, but he gets discouraged when court intervention stymies those policies.

"It's frustrating as hell that in Maryland when we have strong gun laws, the Supreme Court comes in and says 'Oh no, you're concealed carry laws are not constitutional.'" Pittman said. "Immediately after that, the number of folks in our state with concealed carry permits skyrockets because the standards are lower."

More Gun News:

• Anne Arundel To Offer Free Gun Locks In State's First Pilot Program
• Gun Dealers Must Give Mental Health Info In Anne Arundel, Court Rules
• Anne Arundel County Releases Gun Violence Prevention Plan
• 4 Anne Arundel Gun Dealers Sue County Over New Ordinance
• New Anne Arundel Gun Law Adds Safety Info Requirement For Sellers

Annapolis Mass Shooting

The press conference came 10 days after the Annapolis mass shooting on June 11.

Charles Robert Smith, a 43-year-old Army veteran from Annapolis, is accused of killing:

• Nicolas Mireles, 55, of Odenton
• Mario Antonio Mireles Ruiz, 27, of Annapolis
• Christian Marlon Segovia, 25, of Annapolis

Smith's attorney said the suspect is on five different post-traumatic stress disorder medications and hadn't taken the medicine for several days before the shooting, WBAL reported.

Smith is charged with:

• Three counts of second-degree murder
• Three counts of attempted second-degree murder
• Three counts of first-degree assault
• One count of the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence

Smith could be sentenced to 305 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Mass Shooting News:

• Annapolis Mass Shooting Was Hate Crime, Families Allege At Vigil
• Annapolis Mass Shooting Suspect Is Army Veteran With PTSD: Reports
• Annapolis Mass Shooting: 3 Victims, Suspected Gunman Identified