Mass shootings leave a devastating impact in their wake, not only for the victims and their families, but also for the communities in the cities where the tragedies occur. in January 2020, the United States Conference of Mayors convened with nine mayors in attendance whose cities have experienced mass shootings in recent years. These nine mayors were asked “to describe their personal experiences in response to the shock, confusion, pain, anger, and action that followed these attacks in which more lives were lost, wounds were inflicted, and families and communities were shattered.”

In collaboration with the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the U.S. Conference of Mayors created a report summarizing the experiences of these nine mayors, and their recommendations for future response. Titled Mass Shootings in American Cities: Mayors’ Experiences and Lessons Learned, the report is meant “to provide guidance on the preparation that should take place in anticipation of an incident occurring, the critical importance of communication during the response to an incident, and the wide range of tasks that must be anticipated in the incident’s wake.”

For more information on topics related to this piece, please visit the HSDL In Focus on Active Shooters.