Horsford Statement on UNLV Shooting

NORTH LAS VEGAS - Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) released the following statement after the tragic events at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas yesterday:

“I am heartbroken that our community is once again dealing with a tragic, devastating, and preventable mass shooting. Like others, I was shaken up to hear about this latest incident and had loved ones and friends who were on campus at the time. I returned to my district to be a support to my community in this difficult moment. 

"My heart goes out to so many friends and families, as well as students and colleagues experiencing loss and the trauma as a result of this tragic incident.  My office will continue to be a resource for those who need help in the coming days and weeks as we process and heal together. 

"In Congress, I will continue to advocate for gun violence prevention and community violence intervention programs to be passed because all of our communities deserve to be safe, safe from the gun violence culture that has impacted far too many lives and communities, including my own.”

Gun violence is a personal issue to Congressman Horsford, whose father was taken by gun violence at the age of 19. During his time in Congress, he has been a leader in fighting for gun safety. Horsford is a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He has been a champion for universal background checks, Extreme Risk laws, and banning assault weapons. In his capacity as the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Horsford has held events around the country to spotlight violence and bring providers together to work on solutions.

In July, Horsford re-introduced The Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which proposes to authorize $6.5 billion over 8 years to invest in effective community-based violence intervention programs and provide jobs to opportunity youth between the ages of 16-24:

• $5 billion over 8 years for a competitive grant program to community-based organizations and local units of government that develop effective, prevention-oriented violence reduction initiatives focused on young people at highest risk for violence, and
• $1.5 billion over 8 years for the Improving Approaches for Communities to Thrive (IMPACT) grant for eligible organizations and units of local government to provide job training, education, apprenticeship, skilled trades training, or other paid and unpaid work experiences for opportunity youth in communities disproportionately affected by gun violence.

In 2022, the Break the Cycle of Violence Act passed in the House of Representatives. Parts of the bill were included in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that was signed into law last year.

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