How gun laws and gun violence impact Middle Tennessee

It is just a reality of living in this country, that not a day goes by without a shooting. Recently mass shootings have dominated the news: a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, then an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois.

However, what’s more common, and receives less media coverage, is the daily incidents of gun violence in our communities.

In this episode, we’ll explain the Tennessee gun laws and its recent changes. We’ll hear from experts about how many gun owners and guns there are in Tennessee, and what kind of gun violence is most common. Also joining us is a Davidson County juvenile court judge and a community activist who’ll have insight on the impacts of gun violence.  

Guests:

• Damon Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter
• John Harris, executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association 
• Becky Bullard, senior director of programs at the Metro Office of Family Safety 
• Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway
• Clemmie Greenlee, founder and CEO of Nashville PeaceMakers and Mothers Over Murder

Additional reading:

• WPLN: Tennessee’s gun laws can be complicated. Here are some of the basics.
• WPLN: Nashville teens are ‘car hopping’ – trying unlocked car doors to see what they can find. Often, it’s guns.