With the presidential elections around the corner, gun control remains a pressing issue for Indiana voters.
Indiana, like much of the U.S., grapples with rising gun violence, and the state’s laws regarding firearms have come under increasing scrutiny. The debate over how best to balance gun rights with public safety is intensifying, with advocates on both sides citing statistics and recent trends to support their views.
Gun violence has been steadily increasing in Indiana in recent years. According to the latest data from the Gun Violence Archive, Indiana experienced over 600 firearm-related deaths in 2023, a significant increase compared to previous years.
Indianapolis has been particularly hard-hit, recording more than 200 homicides involving firearms in the past year alone. These numbers mirror the national trend, where gun violence has surged in both urban and rural areas.
Gun-related injuries, including non-fatal shootings, have also risen sharply. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that firearm-related deaths have seen a marked increase in patients treated for gunshot wounds, citing 1,211 firearm-related deaths in 2022 (or 17.4 per 100,000.)
While some argue that this spike in gun violence highlights the need for stricter gun laws, others point out that many of these incidents involve illegal firearms, suggesting that more comprehensive enforcement of existing laws may be the solution.
One of those people is governor candidate Jennifer McCormick.
“We will protect the 2nd Amendment by collaborating with law enforcement, elected officials, advocacy groups, gun violence survivors and community leaders to secure sensible gun violence prevention measures that are overwhelmingly supported by Hoosiers,” McCormick said in a statement.
One of the key issues in Indiana’s gun control debate is the prevalence of illegal firearms.
Law enforcement agencies The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) and the Indiana State Police (ISP) reported an uptick in arrests related to illegal firearm possession. Agencies seized nearly 3,000 illegal firearms in 2023, an increase of about 20% from the previous year. Many of these weapons were traced back to thefts or illegal sales, highlighting the difficulty of regulating the flow of firearms within the state.
Indiana’s position as a neighboring state to Illinois, which has stricter gun control laws, further complicates the situation. Many firearms used in crimes in Chicago and other parts of Illinois are sourced from Indiana, where background check requirements and regulations around private sales are less stringent.
Efforts to address the issue of illegal firearms have led to initiatives like “Operation Legend,” a federal program that focused on reducing violent crime in cities, including Indianapolis. The program led to hundreds of arrests, many involving illegal firearms, but critics argue that these measures only scratch the surface of a much larger problem\
Indianapolis resident Duane Bean has been concerned by gun violence, as it has affected him personally.
“I have had family members lose their lives to gun violence,” Bean told the Indianapolis Recorder. “I don’t think everyone should have access to firearms. People misuse them all of the time.”
In recent years, Indiana has seen significant changes in its gun laws, sparking both support and opposition.
In 2022, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill into law that eliminated the need for a permit to carry a handgun in public. The new law, known as “constitutional carry,” allows any legal gun owner over the age of 18 to carry a handgun without a permit. This move was hailed by gun rights advocates as a victory for the Second Amendment but criticized by gun control advocates who warned it would lead to an increase in violence.
Opponents of constitutional carry point to other states that have enacted similar laws and seen increases in gun-related crimes. A 2023 study by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions found that states with permitless carry laws have experienced a 13-15% increase in gun homicides compared to states with stricter permit requirements.
Bean went on to say that the current gun laws could revert us to the rambunctious days of old.
“I don’t believe this country should be the ‘wild west’ again,” Bean said. “I do believe there is room for safe gun control and regulations; I just don’t think we need AR-15’s on the street.”
At the same time, Indiana has maintained its red flag law, which allows law enforcement to temporarily confiscate firearms from individuals deemed to be a threat to themselves or others. First enacted in 2005, Indiana’s red flag law was one of the first of its kind in the country and has been credited with preventing potential mass shootings. In recent years, the law has been used more frequently, but critics argue that it does not go far enough in addressing gun violence.
Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) is also running for governor, shared his stance on gun control.
“The Constitution protects our God-given rights to live our lives and raise our families as we choose,” Braun said in a statement.
Braun’s campaign said that the senator will “never waver when it comes to defending every Hoosier’s rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
As Indiana voters head to the polls on Nov. 7, gun control will undoubtedly be one of the many issues on their minds, including Duane Bean.
“I will be using my voice,” Bean said. “I hope everyone who wants change gets out to vote.”
Contact multi-media & senior sports reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more news, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
