Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Suspect Identified in Ambush Shooting That Killed 2 Idaho Firefighters

5 hours ago

Will Valadao Spoil Trump’s Plan for July 4th ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Signing?

6 hours ago

Shaver Lake and Reedley 4th of July Shows Are Wednesday. Who Else Is Celebrating?

10 hours ago

Elon Musk Says Senate Bill Would Destroy Jobs and Harm US

10 hours ago

Israel Strikes Pound Gaza, Killing 60, Ahead of US Talks on Ceasefire

11 hours ago

Trump’s Administration Finds Harvard Violated Students’ Civil Rights, WSJ Reports

11 hours ago

How Did the Supreme Court Rule? Here’s a Look at the Big Cases

2 days ago
Dyer Answers Critics With Renewed Call for 'Sensible' Gun Control Measures
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 3 years ago on
June 9, 2022

Share

 

A CNN appearance this week in which Jerry Dyer advocated for sensible gun violence reduction measures is drawing criticism from gun-rights activists, the Fresno mayor said Thursday.

“Boy, have I taken some criticism because I’m trying to promote sensible restrictions on who accesses firearms in our country and to eliminate the manufacturing of guns or parts that allow for what’s called ‘ghost’ guns or firearms out there that are not traceable by law enforcement,” Dyer said at a Fresno City Council meeting.

Ghost guns are firearms assembled from individual components purchased online or from private parties. They are unregistered and don’t have serial numbers.

In a recent interview with ABC30’s Dale Yurong, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama cited ghost guns as a challenge to reducing violence.

Balderrama said that 20% of the guns taken off the streets by Fresno officers are ghost guns.

“They’re called ghost guns because you can’t trace them,” Balderrama said. “They’re like ghosts.”

FILE – “Ghost guns” are displayed at the San Francisco Police Department on Nov. 27, 2019. Law enforcement leaders say that regulating firearms parts and requiring dealers to stamp serial numbers on ghost guns will help drive down violence and aid investigators in solving crimes. Gun groups, however, argue that the government is overreaching and that its rule violates federal law. (AP File)

Dyer Urges Senate to Pass Background Check Bills

Dyer said he spoke out nationally because of the mass killing scourge in the United States. His comments came several days after he joined more than 250 U.S. mayors in calling on the Senate to adopt bipartisan legislation passed in the House that would eliminate loopholes in federal background check laws.

“As a former police chief, I spent far too many nights in hospitals with families who were grieving the potential loss of their children,” Dyer said Thursday. “And, although it’s never happened to me, I’ve had that firsthand look.

“We must do something then. These extremist views that occur from the left to the right are creating a paralysis in our country that is preventing (us) from doing the right thing.”

The mayor pointed out that his thoughts about gun control haven’t changed since he was Fresno’s police chief and the changes he’s calling for are endorsed by other big-city police chiefs.

“It is important that we speak out, that we recognize the victims behind these senseless acts of violence,” Dyer said. “We are going to take action here locally, but I’m going to allow my voice to be heard nationally.”

Local Efforts to Reduce Gun Violence

The mayor’s spokeswoman, Sontaya Rose, pointed to putting police officers back in middle schools, adding 37 officers in the proposed 2022-23 budget, and efforts to combat gang activities as examples of Dyer’s local commitment to reducing gun violence.

Rose also said that homicides are down by 34.3% and shootings have declined 28.4% in Fresno this year.

 

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Clovis Police Seek Public’s Help in Finding Missing 82-Year-Old Woman

DON'T MISS

Fresno Woman Killed in Head-On Collision, CHP Investigating

DON'T MISS

Musk Vows to Punish Lawmakers Who Back Trump’s Spending Bill

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for $4.2 Million Tech Startup Fraud

DON'T MISS

Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty in Murders of Four Idaho Students, ABC News Reports

DON'T MISS

Wildfire Near Lake Madera Country Estates Burns 12 Acres, Now 100% Contained

DON'T MISS

Fresno County CHP Arrest Two in Interstate 5 Drug, Gun, and Counterfeit Money Bust

DON'T MISS

California Seizes Over 600,000 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks. Newsom Calls for Safe Celebrations

DON'T MISS

Where Trade Talks Stand With Major US Partners Ahead of Tariffs-Hike Deadline

DON'T MISS

Labor Icon Huerta Breaks Ground on Fresno Park Bearing Her Name

UP NEXT

Fresno Woman Killed in Head-On Collision, CHP Investigating

UP NEXT

Musk Vows to Punish Lawmakers Who Back Trump’s Spending Bill

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for $4.2 Million Tech Startup Fraud

UP NEXT

Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty in Murders of Four Idaho Students, ABC News Reports

UP NEXT

Wildfire Near Lake Madera Country Estates Burns 12 Acres, Now 100% Contained

UP NEXT

Fresno County CHP Arrest Two in Interstate 5 Drug, Gun, and Counterfeit Money Bust

UP NEXT

California Seizes Over 600,000 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks. Newsom Calls for Safe Celebrations

UP NEXT

Where Trade Talks Stand With Major US Partners Ahead of Tariffs-Hike Deadline

UP NEXT

Labor Icon Huerta Breaks Ground on Fresno Park Bearing Her Name

UP NEXT

DOJ Announces Arrest, Indictments in North Korean IT Worker Scheme

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

Fresno Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for $4.2 Million Tech Startup Fraud

3 hours ago

Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty in Murders of Four Idaho Students, ABC News Reports

3 hours ago

Wildfire Near Lake Madera Country Estates Burns 12 Acres, Now 100% Contained

4 hours ago

Fresno County CHP Arrest Two in Interstate 5 Drug, Gun, and Counterfeit Money Bust

4 hours ago

California Seizes Over 600,000 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks. Newsom Calls for Safe Celebrations

4 hours ago

Where Trade Talks Stand With Major US Partners Ahead of Tariffs-Hike Deadline

4 hours ago

Labor Icon Huerta Breaks Ground on Fresno Park Bearing Her Name

4 hours ago

DOJ Announces Arrest, Indictments in North Korean IT Worker Scheme

4 hours ago

Fresno Man Arrested in Clovis for Sex-Related Crimes Against Minor

5 hours ago

Dyer’s Lobbying Works. Fresno Gets $100M for Downtown From State

5 hours ago

Clovis Police Seek Public’s Help in Finding Missing 82-Year-Old Woman

The Clovis Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating an at-risk missing adult last seen on Thursday. Pathmani Goonawarde...

2 hours ago

Clovis Police are searching for Pathmani Goonawardena, 82, who went missing nearly three weeks ago and was last seen driving a white Volvo near Copper and Auberry, possibly en route to Coarsegold. (CHP)
2 hours ago

Clovis Police Seek Public’s Help in Finding Missing 82-Year-Old Woman

fresno
2 hours ago

Fresno Woman Killed in Head-On Collision, CHP Investigating

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk attend a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 30, 2025. (Reuters File)
3 hours ago

Musk Vows to Punish Lawmakers Who Back Trump’s Spending Bill

3 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years for $4.2 Million Tech Startup Fraud

Bryan Koberger, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students, listens during a hearing to overturn his grand jury indictment in Moscow, Idaho, U.S., October 26, 2023. (Reuters File)
3 hours ago

Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty in Murders of Four Idaho Students, ABC News Reports

The Blanca Fire, burning 12 acres northwest of Lake Madera Country Estates in Madera County, remains active with 0% containment and no reported injuries or structural damage as the cause is under investigation as of Monday, June 30, 2025. (CalFire)
4 hours ago

Wildfire Near Lake Madera Country Estates Burns 12 Acres, Now 100% Contained

Fresno County CHP arrested two on Interstate 5 after finding about one kilogram of suspected cocaine, a loaded ghost gun, and counterfeit money during a vehicle search on Sunday, June 29, 2025. (CHP)
4 hours ago

Fresno County CHP Arrest Two in Interstate 5 Drug, Gun, and Counterfeit Money Bust

Gov. Newsom warns Californians to celebrate the Fourth of July safely, emphasizing zero tolerance for illegal fireworks which have surged to over 600,000 pounds seized this year. (Shutterstock)
4 hours ago

California Seizes Over 600,000 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks. Newsom Calls for Safe Celebrations

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend