Austin A. Davis 35th Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Department Of Education
One year after Governor Shapiro signed Executive Order 2024-02 to re-establish the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP), the Shapiro-Davis Administration is marking progress by holding the office's first Advisory Group meeting. The event brings together stakeholders from across Pennsylvania to discuss strategies for reducing gun violence.
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who serves as Chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), said, "Today's convening marks a key step in our fight against gun violence and highlights the critical work that we've done over the past year to better understand and address the trends. By bringing together committed individuals from every corner of the Commonwealth, we are turning research and stakeholder input into real strategies that will save lives and make our communities safer."
According to state data, Pennsylvania saw a 23 percent decrease in homicides in 2024, surpassing the national decline rate of 15 percent. Thirty counties experienced reductions in homicides during this period. Philadelphia reported a 36 percent drop last year and an additional 22 percent decline so far in 2025.