TOLEDO, Ohio — Leaders across Northwest Ohio are expressing growing concerns about the rising impact of gun violence in the city, prompting a proactive response. In a significant development, the City of Toledo has partnered with Bowling Green State University (BGSU) to tackle the issue through a collaborative research initiative, supported by a $2 million Department of Justice grant.
Over the next three years, the grant will fund research and analysis to better understand the causes and effects of gun violence in Toledo, with a focus on identifying strategies and partnerships that can help reduce violence in the community. The effort will also build upon existing programs and interventions already in place to curb violence.
In 2023, the Toledo Police Department reported 45 homicides, a number that dropped to 37 in 2024. While the decrease is seen as a positive sign, local officials emphasize that any number of homicides remains unacceptable.
“Any number above zero is not acceptable,” said Josh Davies, commissioner of the school-based Save Our Community initiative. “Young people are impacted by gun violence all the time. Having to deal with that type of loss and then show up to school the next day, I would anticipate there’s not a lot of learning happening.”
The initiative’s focus on young people and schools is particularly relevant as many of the neighborhoods most affected by gun violence also have a significant number of students attending local schools.
Malcolm Cunningham, director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, believes that the work currently being done is making a difference, though he acknowledges there is still much to be done. “The work that we are doing is having an impact,” Cunningham said. “We know that our work is effective, but we also know that it’s not enough, so we need to expand and grow as much as we can.”
Dr. Nichole Fifer, a key leader of the project at BGSU, emphasized the importance of community safety for residents, especially students. “The neighborhoods where gun violence’s rates are happening are also where our students come from,” she explained. “No one wants to be afraid of gun violence in their neighborhood, and we shouldn’t.”
The collaboration between Toledo and BGSU is part of a broader regional push to address gun violence, with hopes that a combination of research, community outreach, and expanded safety programs will help reduce the impact of violence in the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods. While the project is still in its early stages, officials are optimistic about its potential to make a lasting change.
The initiative represents a critical step toward tackling gun violence in Toledo, with a clear message: the community is ready to come together to create safer neighborhoods for all residents.