Indiana’s children need gun reform before it’s too late 

I am a long-time resident of this great Hoosier state, born and raised here in Indianapolis. Too often, I read the names of students from Indianapolis public schools, not because of their academic achievements, but their premature deaths due to guns. I have learned of similar stories across the state, where too many members of our communities are lost and harmed by gun violence. These are not isolated incidents; the data shows that the problem of gun violence is only growing:& In Indiana, the rate of gun deaths grew 51% and the rate of homicides grew 93% between 2012 and 2021 Guns are the leading cause of death in teens and children in Indiana, and 64% of those deaths are homicides. 79% of all homicides in Indiana involved a gun. I have worked in my professional career to help people from many different backgrounds and life experiences work through the trauma of gun violence. More of our community, and too many of our children, are forced to face the reality of unchecked gun violence everyday, leaving physical and mental scars. I have worked to help my community as a psychologist, but my experiences compel me to fight for broader, more...