Attorney General Bonta and Community Leaders Engage in a Roundtable Discussion Addressing Gun Violence in San Bernardino

SAN BERNARDINO — As part of a statewide effort to address gun violence, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today was joined by gun violence prevention leaders from across the Inland Empire for a roundtable discussion. The roundtable in San Bernardino is the fifth in a series of community events led by Attorney General Bonta across the state to bring together leaders of community-based organizations to discuss best practices in addressing gun violence. The primary objective of the roundtables is to convene violence intervention experts and survivors, uplift effective approaches for addressing gun violence, foster knowledge about accessible resources for the public, and enhance partnerships statewide to prevent shootings and interrupt cycles of trauma and violence.
 
“As California Attorney General, I am doubling down on California’s gun safety efforts: I am defending our commonsense gun safety laws in court, cracking down on enforcing those laws, and working in collaboration with local community violence intervention and prevention experts to disrupt cycles of gun violence,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Preventing gun violence must begin in our communities by strengthening relationships and fostering an environment of support and collaboration. I’m proud to stand with our local partners to identify best practices, foster community involvement, and work toward community-driven solutions to eliminate gun violence and protect survivors.”

“IE Rebound is committed to helping to reduce gun and gang violence with our community partners,” said Owen Duckworth, CEO of Inland Empire Rebound. “We are ensuring that we offer total wraparound services with the intention of reducing gang and gun violence within our communities.” 

"Today is an exciting day as we come together to have a round table discussion with Attorney General Rob Bonta and our Inland Empire Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Leaders,” said Pastor Rick Alanis Jr., CEO of HOPE Culture. “I am honored to participate in this discussion with these community champions. I look forward to continuing to collaborate and work alongside each of them as we strive to make a more safe and prosperous Inland Empire."
 
Organized by DOJ’s Office of Community Awareness, Response, and Engagement (CARE) and Office of Gun Violence Prevention, today’s event in San Bernardino was the fifth in a series of gun violence prevention roundtable events the Attorney General has convened in communities around the state this year. Many roundtable speakers have launched or expanded community-based gun violence prevention programs in recent years supported by new investments in the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Grant Program. Speakers highlighted the important impact of those investments in reducing gun violence and interrupting cycles of retaliatory shootings, and discussed recommendations for addressing ongoing challenges and barriers to success.
 
As part of the effort to advance justice for all Californians, Attorney General Bonta took quick action upon entering office to establish the Office of CARE within the California Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2021. CARE works directly with community organizations, state and local elected officials, and members of the public to help ensure the inclusion of diverse perspectives in the state’s work. Specifically, CARE focuses on cultivating relationships with historically marginalized and underrepresented communities in line with DOJ’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of its work on behalf of the people of California, including in the fight for environmental, economic, and social justice.
 
In September 2022, Attorney General Bonta announced the launch of DOJ’s first-in-the-nation Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP), a unit dedicated to developing strategies and working with stakeholders statewide to address the gun violence epidemic. The office, dedicated to developing strategies and working with stakeholders statewide to address the gun violence epidemic, is the first in the nation established within an attorney general’s office. The office has published three data and policy reports on The Impact of Gun Violence in California, the intersection of Domestic Violence and Firearms, and a guide to utilizing California’s nine court protection orders to prevent gun violence. 
 
Attorney General Bonta stands with partners throughout the state to continue tackling the issue of gun violence strategically and aggressively by:

• Defending California’s commonsense gun laws, including its assault weapons ban and restrictions on large-capacity magazines.
• Educating the public on gun violence prevention through the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, including through data reports issued by the office to provide a robust review of gun violence and gun-related domestic violence data in California and throughout the U.S. and to help guide policy and strategy discussions related to reducing gun violence.
• Advocating for gun laws including by sponsoring Assembly Bill 1594 to increase accountability for the firearm industry and supporting The Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act (AB 28) to make long-term investments in community-based gun violence prevention programs, school mental health, gun crime investigations, and victim services.
• Working to strengthen federal laws to protect the public from ghost guns, and successfully defending California’s laws to prevent gun violence.