Gun Violence Prevention Summit held in East Austin

Gun violence prevention summit in Austin

The fourth annual Gun Violence Prevention Summit in East Austin heard conversations about gun violence and how to prevent it on Monday,

AUSTIN, Texas - The fourth annual Gun Violence Prevention Summit in East Austin heard conversations about gun violence and how to prevent it on Monday afternoon. 

Organizers specifically addressed violence in the Austin-Travis County region and how to make neighborhoods, streets, and schools safer. Those were some of the tough topics leaders tried to tackle. 

Conversations of gun violence

What they're saying:

"The impact of gun violence extends far beyond the immediate victims, leaving long-lasting trauma on families, neighborhoods, and communities." 

The 2025 summit also included panels with students who shared their personal stories, experiences, and messages of encouragement to other teens who might be struggling. 

"There's more to life than violence, there's more to life than picking up a gun, there's more to life than fighting every minute you get." 

The discussions came on the heels of the three-year mark since the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. It was on May 24, 2022, when an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 students and two teachers. 

"Our teens have to live with the trauma of going to school and not knowing what may happen next." 

Adults practiced fire or tornado drills in schools, and now their children are learning active shooter drills. 

"My granddaughter talks about all the time how they think about their violence plan, how they're going to get out when an act of violence happens."

Organizers hoped to form solutions to reduce and prevent violence. 

"In 2021, the Office of Violence Prevention was started here in Austin, which was a huge accomplishment and an achievement by the city to be able to say, we see violence going up, and we want to do something about it." 

The summit is held in June to mark Gun Violence Awareness Month.