The mayors of the four largest cities in Missouri, signed a letter addressed to governor-elect Mike Kehoe, asking him to take a concrete step to protect minors against the dangers of firearms.
COLUMBIA — The mayors of the four largest cities in Missouri signed a letter addressed to Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe asking him to take a concrete step to protect minors against the dangers of firearms.
Kehoe won’t be sworn in until Jan. 13, 2025, but leaders from around the state are already speaking out about what could change in their communities.
The letter, dated Nov. 15, was signed by Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, with co-signatures from Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones.
Buffaloe told KOMU 8 that she wants her signature to let “the governor-elect know the mayors of the four largest cities are ready to collaborate on some of his public safety initiatives.”
The current Missouri constitution does not set a minimum age to possess a firearm, and Buffaloe said she thinks in this case, Missouri’s law should match the federal law.
One advocacy group told KOMU 8 that it has made its mission to end gun violence. Kristin Bowen, a Columbia-based volunteer of Mom’s Demand Action, said she feels personally drawn to the issue because of her kids.
“It’s personal for me,” Bowen said. “Our kids have been trained since kindergarten on how to handle themselves in an active shooter situation, it makes me angry that we put so much on our teachers and our kids and our schools to protect our kids.”
From 2023 to 2024, both victims and offenders of firearm related crimes from the ages of 10 to 17 years old increased, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The number of victims increased from 37 to 51, and the number of offenders increased from 44 to 54.
Bowen said her organization’s message gets lost at times, and is labeled with an “anti-gun” position. To her, Mom’s Demand Action is actually pro-gun ownership.
“We support the second amendment and the right for private citizens to keep and bear arms,” Bowen said. “It’s a misconception that we oppose the second amendment, that I think is a distraction from the real issue.”
Bowen wants to see real solutions and progress, and hopes that with a new administration, this issue will be less politicized.
“I wish that we could at this moment — where we’ve got new administrations coming in to office — step away from this as a political issue,” Bowen said. “And take seriously what works.”
