Here is what acting U.S. Attorney Levy plans to do to combat gun violence this summer across Massachusetts

BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced Friday that it has launched a Summer Violence Reduction Initiative to assist and support local communities in reducing gun violence that often accompanies the warmer summer months.

As part of its Summer Violence Reduction Initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is convening a series of regional roundtable meetings with law enforcement in local communities across the state to discuss emerging trends in violence, impacts across the region, resource allocation and potential for collaboration. The goal is to foster cooperation, transparency and data driven solutions.

As part of this initiative, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy is also establishing a Ghost Gun Task Force to address the emerging threat of trafficking in privately made firearms, commonly referred to as “ghost guns.” PMFs are firearms assembled or otherwise produced by a person other than a licensed manufacturer, often without a serial number. According to data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, PMF seizures have increased exponentially in Massachusetts over the last few years. Specifically, PMFs accounted for nearly 10% of total firearm recoveries in 2022, a tenfold increase compared to 2020. In response to this emerging threat, Levy is establishing the GGTF to convene ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Massachusetts State Police and the Attorney General’s Office to act as force multipliers and stem the flow of PMFs and other weapons into Massachusetts.

Additionally, in May 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office convened its eight Project Safe Neighborhood cities, Boston, Brockton, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, Springfield and Worcester. The meeting focused on crime trends, hot spots, targeted enforcement efforts and ideas for sharing resources to reduce violent crime. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, and incorporates research, data analysis and lessons learned from other violent crime reduction initiatives to inform its decision-making on the most effective violence reduction strategies. PSN is customized to account for local violent crime problems and resources, and follows four key design elements: community engagement, prevention and intervention, focused and strategic enforcement and accountability.

Through PSN grants, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is funding youth violence prevention and intervention organizations in Boston, Holyoke, Lawrence and Lowell. PSN funding also supplemented existing resources in several PSN cities to support gunshot detection technology and equipment.

In October 2023, as part of its PSN program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be convening a statewide Gang Investigators’ Summit. One component of the Summit will be statewide training for local and state law enforcement on identifying armed criminals and de-escalation techniques. This training will include tactics to respond to the growing threat posed by ghost guns.

“One of the core missions of the Department of Justice and law enforcement generally is to keep communities safe. As we have learned over the years, the most powerful tool to accomplish that is our strong partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Levy. “With this week marking the beginning of summer, law enforcement is reminded that warmer weather typically correlates with a spike in violent crime, particularly in urban areas. While our PSN initiative packs a powerful punch in combatting violence by ensuring that impacted communities have the necessary tools and resources to reverse the trend and strengthen community safety, it is our hope that the Summer Violence Reduction Initiative will give local cities and towns the increased support and resources they need to have a safe and healthy summer.”

“In the USAO Summer Violence Reduction Initiative, ATF remains committed to identifying and disrupting sources of illegally manufactured firearms in order to stop the cycle of violence in its tracks,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson.

“Homeland Security Investigations is proud to join our federal, state, and local partners to take on the threat to public safety posed by privately made firearms. The proliferation of “ghost guns” as they’re also known, is a complex emerging issue that will require the collaboration of law enforcement agencies each leveraging their unique authorities and expertise,” said Michael Krol, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New England. “Public safety is our highest priority and we are ready to work together to tackle this challenge with our partners to make a safer Massachusetts.”

“The illicit trade of privately made firearms and firearms accessories poses a very real risk to U.S. Postal Service employees and the public we serve. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to working with our partners to identify those involved, remove these weapons from the community, and hold those involved accountable,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty D. Larco-Ward, USPIS Boston Division.

“As we head into the summer, a time when we historically see an uptick in violence in our communities, violent offenders are on notice to put down their guns and stop dealing deadly, addictive drugs. Kids should be able to play in a park, swim at a community pool, or get ice cream on the corner without fear of being shot or poisoned,” said Christopher DiMenna, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI is committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners in this task force to remove dangerous weapons from our streets.”

“The Massachusetts State Police are committed to continuing our work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to investigate and interdict the flow of ghost guns. Too often these weapons, which can be personally manufactured, are used to facilitate illegal narcotics activity and to perpetuate gun violence in our communities. We value these partnerships and the joint efforts that result as we work collectively to make our neighborhoods, our communities, and our Commonwealth safer,” said MSP Colonel John E. Mawn Jr.

“Gun violence is an epidemic that affects us all, and one that tragically tends to spike during the summer,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for establishing a new task force to address gun trafficking and ghost guns as part of their Summer Violence Reduction Initiative. We look forward to a strong partnership, and progress on our shared goal of protecting communities throughout the Commonwealth.”