Media Advisory

We stand in solidarity with Antioch High School. We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a young woman’s life, the devastating decision made by a 17-year-old, and the trauma thousands of students experienced on Wednesday.

One life was lost, but the ripple effects of this tragedy will be felt by thousands of students, their families, staff members, and the community. At Safer TN, we firmly believe firearm tragedies like this are preventable.

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has a fund set up for those directly impacted by school violence in Nashville, and is currently raising money to help those affected by the Antioch High School shooting.

The Mayor’s office has also provided a list of mental health resources for Nashvillians in need.

You can also support Safer TN’s efforts to prevent firearm tragedies by hosting a gathering or using our legislative guide to reach out to your representatives. We’ll provide talking points to make your message impactful.

School shootings have skyrocketed

There were at least 330 school shootings in 2024, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, and so far there have been at least nine nationwide so far this year. 

This database tracks events where a gun is fired, brandished with intent to harm, or when a bullet strikes school property, regardless of victims, time, or day. It includes gang violence, domestic disputes, shootings during sports events or after-hours school activities, suicides, disputes escalating into gunfire, and accidental discharges.

A 2023 report by the Tennessee Office of the Comptroller analyzed the K-12 School Shooting Database and found most Tennessee school shootings occurred at high schools, primarily due to escalated disputes or accidents. Escalated disputes involve physical or verbal altercations that lead to gunfire, while accidental shootings occur when a gun is unintentionally fired (e.g., showing off a weapon or a gun discharging from a backpack).

Three Tennessee school shootings qualified as “active shooter” events, based on the FBI’s definition: individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill in a populated area. 

Nearly half of these incidents were committed by students, who should not have had a weapon.

In a comprehensive study of adolescent school shootings from 1990 through 2016, researchers found most firearms were procured via theft, predominantly from family or relatives. These findings stress the critical importance of secure storage, especially in households with children and adolescents.

The Ad Council has provided this compelling secure storage video and additional resources include:

• Where to find free cable locks in every county in Tennessee.
• How to safely store your weapon using a lock box, cable lock, gun safe or off-site storage since nearly 1 in 4 children report having handled a gun in their home without their parents knowing.
• The National Shooting Sports Foundation has a comprehensive guide to effective firearm storage options and how to use them.
• How to talk to your children about guns and what to do if they find one.
• How to ask your family and friends about how they store their firearms.

The first firearm bills have been filed

So far, 10 bills related to firearms and ammunition have been filed by lawmakers this year. With a filing deadline of February 6, lawmakers have two more weeks to introduce bills this session. 

• Several of the bills are versions of legislation that failed to advance in prior sessions. 
• Each bill needs a House and a Senate version to be considered; not all of these bills have a House or Senate companion yet. 
• Safer TN will be closely monitoring new legislation and will finalize our strategy and bill positions following the deadline. 
• Find the bills by following this link to the Tennessee General Assembly website.

On Monday, January 27, a special session on school vouchers, disaster relief and illegal immigration will begin. Firearms legislation will not be discussed. Regular session will likely begin week of February 3.

Governor Lee’s State of the State address is currently scheduled for February 10, which is when he will unveil his proposed budget and legislative priorities for the coming year.

Our Legislative Learning Session pulled back the curtain.

On Jan. 8, Safer TN hosted an informative panel discussion that offered valuable insights into the legislative process and how the organization will define success in 2025. 

With the start of the legislative session, the conversation served as a crucial opportunity to understand the pathways for impactful advocacy and the strategies Safer TN plans to pursue in the coming year. 

Panelists shared their expertise on how laws are shaped, the importance of voter engagement, and the need to build coalitions to strengthen firearm safety legislation. The recording remains available to you to help you stay informed and ready for action. 

Violence forced her family to flee Guatemala. Then she died in Antioch High School (Newschannel 5 Nashville)

The 114th Tennessee General Assembly opened on Tuesday, kicking off a four-month legislative session. The Safer TN team was there for the start, and will be present every step of the way, working to advance policies and programs that create safer communities. Our priorities remain unchanged:

• Expanding background checks to prevent firearm access for those legally prohibited, such as felons, convicted domestic abusers, and youth. 
• Increasing secure firearm storage through education and the availability of affordable, accessible storage options to reduce accidents and theft. 
• A process for temporary firearm transfer that establishes a court procedure, ensuring due process, to temporarily restrict access for individuals who may pose a risk to themselves or others.

Data shows these areas have the potential to enhance safety across our state. We’re grateful for your support as we advocate for these initiatives and explore innovative solutions to make our communities safer.

What to expect this legislative session

1. Leadership has been elected, continuing with the same leadership teams as in the last session:
   • House: Speaker Cameron Sexton, Majority Leader William Lamberth, Minority Leader Karen Camper
   • Senate: Lt. Governor Randy McNally (serves as Speaker of the Senate), Majority Leader Jack Johnson, Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari 
     
2. Committee Chairs and Members have been announced and can be found here for Senate and here for House.
   
3. Gov. Bill Lee has called a Special Session to begin January 27, which will be focused on passing his school voucher proposal, disaster relief, and measures to address illegal immigration. A special session allows the governor to limit discussion to specific topics under an expedited process.  
   
4. Regular session will likely begin the first week of February, but this is still fluid.
   
5. The bill filing deadline is still fluid, too.
   
6. This year, several House committees are being merged after a rule change was passed. Committees that handle civil and criminal judiciary matters, education administration and instruction, and state and local government issues, which were split in 2011 and 2015, will now be combined.
   • Under the rule changes, reunified House Education, Judiciary and State and Local Government committees will once again come into being. 
     
7. The Governor’s budget will be unveiled sometime in February when he delivers his State of the State address. For more about the budget process, The Sycamore Institute offers this helpful budget primer.

The Makeup of the Legislature

Our new tool helps you advocate at the Capitol and beyond!

Safer TN has launched a new tool to help you connect directly with your lawmakers. It provides step-by-step instructions and helpful tips on what to say when reaching out to your representatives.

Here’s how to connect with your legislator:

• Representation is based on where you live. We can help you identify your representatives and give you talking points with our new tool. 
• To schedule a meeting, contact their legislative assistant by calling their office.
• If you visit in person, politely ask if they have time to meet.
• Always be respectful and clearly explain what you’re advocating for and why it matters to you.
• For inspiration, check out the sample talking points that follow our contact tool. And remember to follow Safer TN on social media and read the Tracker weekly for information on specific bills we support or oppose.

Are you interested in advocating in person at the Capitol with Safer TN?

If you’re passionate about advocating for firearm safety and safer communities, Safer TN invites you to join us at the state Capitol in Nashville, especially if you’re outside Davidson County. Your participation can drive change and raise awareness on critical issues affecting our state. If you’re interested in getting involved, please email our volunteer coordinator, Carolyn Taylor, at carolyn@safertn.org, and we’ll provide all the details you need.

 Are we coming to your civic organization or social club?

Safer TN has been meeting with civic groups like Rotary Clubs and League of Women Voters chapters across the state, from West to East Tennessee, and we’re eager to connect with more organizations. If your civic group, faith community, or social club would benefit from learning about our work and how to support safer communities, we’d love to visit. To schedule a meeting, email us at info@safertn.org or reach out directly to Emily Ezell at emily@safertn.org.

We put a collection of graphics together with key takeaways from Tennessee’s State of the Child report, which reveals firearm injuries are still the leading cause of death.

TCCY is a nonpartisan agency dedicated to improving the health, well-being, and development of children and youth in the state. Read their full report here.

Tennessee legislature: Meet the 12 new members starting work in 2025 (The Tennessean; subscription)

Man arrested for shooting at family sledding in East Tennessee (WATE)

We asked Tennessee legislative leaders what their priorities are for 2025. Here’s what they said (NewsChannel 5 Nashville)

Nashville airport is near the top of the list for gun discoveries (Axios)

What We Learned From Analyzing 10 Years of Shooting Data (The Trace)
“You’re more likely to be shot in the rural South than in big cities like Chicago. Gun violence is often associated with urban areas, but in our review, we found that half of all shootings occurred outside large cities, in communities of fewer than 1 million people. Thirteen of the 20 towns and cities with the highest rates of shootings were located in the South.“

Voices for a Safer Tennessee hosted a hybrid event Wednesday aimed at deepening community understanding of Tennessee’s legislative process and spotlighting Safer TN’s 2025 policy priorities. 

Held at Belmont University’s Center for Interprofessional Engagement and Simulation at the Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine and streamed online, the Legislative Learning Session featured an insightful panel discussion with former Tennessee lawmakers Rep. Sam Whitson (R-District 65) and Sen. Lowe Finney (D-District 27). They were joined by Safer TN Policy Director Erin Rogus, and the discussion was moderated by WBIR News Anchor Abby Ham.

Key takeaways:

• The most effective advocacy comes from voters in legislators’ home districts. That’s why you should know who your state Representative and Senator are, and contact them periodically to let them know firearm safety is a priority. Contact them again when a relevant bill is working its way through the legislative pipeline, and encourage others to do the same. Find your legislators here and follow Safer TN for information on important bills.
• Build coalitions in your district. Engage other people and organizations that might have a stake in firearm safety, like your school district, local healthcare providers, clergy, civic groups and businesses. Legislators pay attention when they see people from many segments of the community coalesce around an issue and proposed solutions.
• The Governor’s budget is crucial. Even the best bills may fail because they involve costs that are not budgeted, so planning ahead is important. In 2024, for example, Safer TN worked with the Governor to include funding to add needed personnel to strengthen our background check system.
• Stay positive and committed. Change takes time and persistence. We’re in this for the long haul.

Read more here.

What To Know Heading into the 114^th Tennessee General Assembly

Safer TN has outlined what to expect in the coming weeks as the legislative session begins. The Tennessee General Assembly will gavel in at noon on Tuesday, January 14 in Nashville. 

• The first order of business is the swearing in of the members-elect.
• Next, each body adopts its rules of procedure to be followed for the next two years, which determine how the Senate and House will conduct business. 
• The membership of each body then elects a presiding officer or speaker for a two-year term.
• The Speakers in each body appoint the officers of each standing committee and the membership of the standing committees.

The above organizational business will be completed by Thursday of that week. At that point, the legislature typically has a two-week recess before convening in regular session and beginning to act on legislation.

• This year, the Governor may call a special session during the typical recess period for members to reconvene under special rules to consider school voucher legislation. 
• Regular session will likely begin the first week of February, but this is still fluid. The bill filing deadline for House and Senate bills will likely fall then (deadlines will be finalized when each body adopts its rules). 
• The Governor’s budget will be unveiled sometime in February when his State of the State address is given. 

The Makeup of the Legislature: 

The General Assembly has 33 Senators and 99 Representatives.

• The 114th General Assembly Senate is composed of 27 Republicans and 6 Democrats, elected to four-year terms.
• The 114th General Assembly House of Representatives is composed of 75 Republicans and 24 Democrats, elected in even-numbered years to two-year terms.

Learn more at the Tennessee General Assembly Website.

Support policy change with Safer TN Merch!

Show your legislators and neighbors you care about creating safer communities. By purchasing and proudly displaying and wearing our items, you can help raise awareness and demonstrate your commitment to policies that protect lives and respect the Second Amendment. All this month, get free shipping on the items you purchase!

We offer yard signs, car magnets, buttons, mugs, travel tumblers, and hats. JUST IN: Trucker hats in brown or green camo!

Proceeds from your merchandise purchases go toward education and advocacy. Visit our store today and take a stand for the change you want to see!

Our annual report is live!

Safer TN is proud to present our first annual report, which showcases key achievements ranging from coalition growth to financials. 

Find the annual report by clicking here.

Your generosity was overwhelming

With your help, Safer TN raised $240,000 through our end-of-year giving campaign. That is money that will help us with expanding education and outreach to our 30,000 members and beyond, while conducting data-driven research and polling on firearm safety. Additionally, we advocate for policies and programs that prioritize the safety of our communities while respecting the Second Amendment in this upcoming session.

You can still make a tax-deductible donation to our 501(c)(3) fund, hosted by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, by clicking this link. To learn more about the impact of your donation, visit this link. 

Statewide organization asks legislators to pass firearm safety laws (WKRN Nashville)

7-year-old dies after accidentally shooting herself (Fox13 Memphis)

Shootings at Walmarts in Halls, Clarksville, and Lebanon, TN (WBIR Knoxville, WKRN Nashville & WGNS Radio)

Latest workplace shooting in TN highlights ongoing concerns of violence (WKRN Nashville)

11-year-old shot, is one of more than 140 treated for gunshot wounds at children’s hospital (Fox13 Memphis)

48-year-old woman killed outside her home near Opry Mills (WSMV Nashville)

Hendersonville man shoots at deer from truck while intoxicated (WKRN Nashville)

Bojangles employee, a minor, shoots at two men who pull weapons on him (WREG Memphis)

Man shot after accidentally merging in front of another vehicle (Fox13 Memphis)