Last week, the day after a PPS student was shot and killed outside of Oliver Citywide Academy, while jury selection was taking place for the trial of the Tree of Life shooter, Allderdice students came to Highland Park to have their prom pictures taken with the sound of gunfire ringing in the background. And what's the Mayor's Office doing about the sound of gunfire that rings out over the neighborhood and park? Making more promises that it has yet to keep. On Tuesday, May 9, reporters from WPXI, KDKA, WESA, the Post Gazette, the Tribune Review, and other local media outlets gathered at the Farmhouse Playground to hear community complaints about the sound of gunfire that rings out across the park, Highland Park neighborhood, and other neighborhoods on a regular basis. WPXI: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/demands-highland-park-neighbors-move-shootin... KDKA: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/petition-to-be-presented-to-city-of-... WESA: https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2023-05-10/highland-park-police-firi... PG: https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2023/05/08/pittsburgh-highland-park-... Trib: https://triblive.com/local/highland-park-residents-call-on-pittsburgh-offici... The press conference was organized by the HPCC and with me playing a 30 second audio clip of the gunfire from the range. I explained the history of the range and the community’s concerns - dating back to the 1980s - and emphasized that the HPCC considers it a public health issue, not a police issue. “You can know in your head that it’s our police officers training, but that doesn’t make it a comforting sound, because in your heart what you hear is what sounds like a mass shooting or another act of terrible violence.” Resident Joy Katz, whose petition to close the firing range now has over 1,200 signatures, also spoke about the toll that being exposed to gunfire on a regular basis takes on residents and park visitors. Prior to the press conference, Lisa Frank from the Mayor’s Office met with HPCC representatives. When asked why the administration diverted funding to study possible sites for a new gun range that was in the budget, she said it was because they'd changed their mind about how to use the former VA site (one of several possible sites for a new facility). She promised to provide a written explanation of what they've done so far to reduce the site's use and investigate other options by May 12, and to facilitate a meeting with the range's director so that scheduling modification to reduce impacts on the neighborhood and the park could be discussed. Neither of those promises have been fulfilled. The mayor’s office claims that it can’t move forward now because it doesn’t have the funding. However, that’s a false claim because: (1) as they’ve already demonstrated, they have the ability to move money within their budget during the year, so they could find the money; and (2) initial work *investigating site options and soliciting public input *could be done with existing resources. Additionally, they wrongly lump the firing range with the issue of redeveloping the VA site. However, there are other sites that are feasible to be retrofitted, including space by the airport and in a former industrial site in Council District 2 that Councilwoman Kail-Smith would like the city to consider. Frustrated? Here’s what you can do: - * Keep pressure on the Mayor’s Office.* Call and let them know that the site selection work for a new firing range should start immediately, and that the firing range director should meet with the HPCC to discuss - and implement - changes to scheduling to reduce the burden of gunfire noise on city residents and park users. *412-255-2626* - *Sign the petition for a hearing in front of City Council *on the impact of the sound gunfire on our community and the park. This is a physical petition; if you'd like to sign (indicating that you would be willing to provide a statement in front of City Council), I will be at Tazza from 9 - 10 am this Thursday, or email me directly to set up a time to meet. - Does gunfire outside of business hours seem particularly outrageous? The mayor’s office said that they “*have no control*” over when the range is used - a troubling thought - but to *call 3-1-1 and 9-1-1 when gunfire is heard outside of regular business hours.* All of these calls are documented, and the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so please make these calls. We're doing what we can, but we can't do it alone. Stephanie Walsh HPCC President -- Click here to visit our website <https://hpccpgh.org/>