CA Attorney General Bonta visits Central California to address gun violence prevention

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Thousands of lives gone too soon due to gun violence across the state.

Attorney General Rob Bonta says every life means something, which is why he held a roundtable -- hosted by Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission, to discuss more ways to address the ongoing epidemic.

"Our gun death rate in California is 40 percent lower than the national average, over the course of 30 years we became one of the states with the highest gun death rates, to one of the states with the lowest," said California Attorney General, Rob Bonta.

The EOC's -- Advance Peace Fresno Program director, Aaron Foster, is just one of those people impacted by the shooting death of a loved one.

"Yesterday was the anniversary of my daughter being killed and 4 days before that was my son," said Foster.

Foster is not alone.

The Fresno County Sheriff's office has investigated 5 homicides so far this year, in 3 -- a gun was used.

Last year, there were 20 homicides, and a gun was used in 11 cases.

Meanwhile, in the city of Fresno, overall shootings are down.

So far this year there are 101 shootings, last year there were 170, and in 2022 -- there were 201 shootings.

Bonta says that decrease is what he wants to capitalize on. Thursday's discussion with community organizations marked his 4th across the state.

He says the meetings help him learn that the people impacted and healed from gun violence are the best people to help stop it.

"Those folks need funding to do their work, and are deserving of it, and are accomplishing what we want in our communities -- safer communities, gun violence prevented, lives saved," said Bonta.

For Foster, that money is crucial in his work with Advance Peace and getting people to put their guns down.

"They don't settle disputes with gun's they have alternative's and there are many, we want to have a gun not even be a part of a solution," said Foster.

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