Most D.C. residents were not permitted to keep firearms in their homes, let alone carry loaded pistols in public, until a landmark 2008 Supreme Court decision declared an individual right to gun ownership. ADThe District’s police chief has made illegal firearms in the city a top priority for cutting crime. While overall violent crime has dropped 34 percent in D.C. since 2015, homicides fueled by illegal firearms continues to be a problem. A total of 2,299 illegal firearms were seized in the District in 2019, a 19 percent increase over the previous year. Nolt, a gun violence prevention activist, said the presence of more guns in the city, including legal ones, makes her feel less safe.

Source: Washington Post March 13, 2020 18:00 UTC