Bay Area Gun Violence

An epidemic of mass shootings, including the brutal killings of 20 children and six adults from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, has shaken the nation. But some urban communities live with the relentless reality of gun violence every day. Here in Northern California, in places like Oakland, San Jose, Richmond, Vallejo and Fresno, a recent violent crime surge has made residents anxious. We devote our full program this week to the topic of gun violence in our communities.

Soldiers Against Violence Everywhere

In the past five years, there were more than 550 homicides in Oakland, most in shootings. According to data compiled by the Urban Strategies Council, 143 Oakland residents age 17 and under were shot in 2011 -- six of them fatally. A group of committed demonstrators are pleading to be heard by the police, policymakers, and their own community. The group calls itself SAVE, an acronym for Soldiers Against Violence Everywhere.

Newsmaker interview:  William Bratton 

An interview with Oakland's controversial new police consultant Bill Bratton, as he prepares to tackle the violence on the streets of one of the country's hardest hit communities.

• Interactive Map: Oakland's Gun Problem - 11 Firearm Crimes a Day
• KQED State of Health: Learning to Live with Guns
• Oakland North
• California Report: A Mother's Hopes, Son's Dreams Ended by Stray Bullets
• California Report: Gun Violence as Public Health Issue
• Forum: Living with Gun Violence
• PBS: After Newtown Series