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After a noticeable increase in gun violence in Tampa, State Attorney Suzy Lopez has expanded the county’s gun violence unit. She’s putting a renewed focus on an issue the U-S Surgeon General is calling a “public health crisis”.
Last week was a violent one in the Tampa Bay region.
Several gun-related incidents brought unrest to the community.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez spoke on WMNF’s Wavemakers Tuesday.
“And right now, what we’re seeing is, we’re seeing guns in the hands of people who shouldn’t have guns.”
Lopez says improperly stored guns are being stolen from cars, and ending up in the hands of kids and convicted felons.
So she is restructuring a Gun Violence Unit.
It will include a total of five attorneys who will exclusively handle gun-related crimes.
“And so if a shooting occurs in the middle of the night, our prosecutors are getting a call, whether its from the sheriff’s office GRIT team, or from TPD, their getting a call, really just moments after the trigger is pulled, after law enforcement arrives on scene.”
Earlier this week, the U-S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis.
Murthy says it poses a quote serious threat to the health and well being of our country.
On Wednesday, Governor DeSantis said that Florida “will not comply” with the U.S. Surgeon General’s declaration that firearm violence is a public health crisis, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
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