Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis made a stop to Erie Friday morning.

"The governor and I are laser-focused," Davis said.

Davis, alongside Acting Health Secretary, Dr. Debra Bogen, led a roundtable table discussion at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, addressing gun violence with local community leaders. The issue was discussed on both the local and state levels, with Davis adding that gun violence is an "American problem."

"What I would like to see is more real time and robust efforts happening in our city on a daily basis besides just what law enforcement is doing," said Daryl "Brother D" Craig, founder of the Erie Blue Coats.

The 2024 Shapiro-Davis proposed budget would allocate $100 million dollars to broadly address gun violence across the Commonwealth, including an $11.5 million investment to create a Building Opportunity through Out of School Time, (BOOST) program, for after-school activities.

"We know three to six [o'clock] is a critical time for young people where often those incidents occur," Davis said. "We want to make sure they have a safe and constructive place to go."

Bogen stated that in 2021, "The top three leading causes of death for children ages 10 to 19 and Pennsylvania are unintentional injuries, homicides and suicides."

Bogen and the Department of Health are looking to continue in their efforts with medical professionals and other community leaders, especially addressing the factor of mental health related to gun violence.

"Our gun safety programs are already here giving out gun locks, especially people who have children in their homes or people who are struggling with thoughts of self-harm," Bogen said. "We know that if you're struggling with mental health, having access to a firearm, may increase your risk of using that firearm and making a decision that you can't reverse."

For more information on the proposed $100 million investment, click here.