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Introduction: Why This Matters Now
On August 22, 2025, tragedy struck at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit when employee Latricia Denise Brown was murdered in her workplace. Police say her ex-husband pulled the trigger. Reports show she had sought court protection before the attack — but the intervention came too late.
This devastating event is not an isolated incident. It highlights the urgent link between domestic violence and gun violence — and the pressing need for prevention programs like Beyond the Trigger to stop these tragedies before they happen.
Domestic Violence and Guns: A Deadly Connection
- When an abusive partner has access to a firearm, the victim’s risk of being murdered rises fivefold.
- Firearms are used in over half of intimate partner homicides in the United States.
- The U.S. Secret Service reports that 41% of mass attackers had a history of domestic violence.
- Homicide is one of the leading causes of death during pregnancy and postpartum, with most of these deaths involving firearms.
These statistics reveal what the Henry Ford Hospital case painfully illustrates: domestic violence combined with gun access is a public safety crisis.
Why Current Prevention Efforts Fall Short
Many victims take every possible step — filing protective orders, alerting employers, confiding in loved ones — and still fall through the cracks. The problem? We rarely intervene with the perpetrators themselves.
Protective orders and legal measures are important, but without addressing:
- Distorted thinking
- Uncontrolled anger
- Retaliatory mindsets
- Lack of coping skills
…the cycle of violence continues until it ends in tragedy.
How Beyond the Trigger Offers a Solution
The Diversion Center’s Beyond the Trigger: Gun Violence Intervention curriculum targets high-risk individuals — including domestic violence perpetrators and incarcerated individuals with violent histories.
This evidence-based program reduces re-offending by focusing on the skills and beliefs that fuel violence:
- Anger Management & Mood Management: CBT-based tools proven to reduce violent recidivism.
- Conflict Resolution & Assertiveness: Replacing retaliation and “street cred” with de-escalation skills.
- Domestic Violence & Trauma Modules: Addressing coercive control, family dysfunction, and PTSD triggers.
- Cognitive Distortions & Accountability: Correcting hostile thinking and building responsibility.
- Social-Emotional Learning & Self-Esteem: Strengthening empathy, impulse control, and positive decision-making.
- Life Skills (Budgeting, Professional Development, Self-Care): Building stability to prevent relapse into chaos and violence.
By equipping perpetrators with these tools, Beyond the Trigger breaks the cycle of domestic violence and reduces the likelihood of lethal outcomes.
Why the Community Must Act Now
The Henry Ford Hospital shooting is a wake-up call: domestic violence doesn’t stay behind closed doors — it spills into workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods.
Every delay in implementing interventions puts more lives at risk. Research is clear: skills-based programs like Beyond the Trigger reduce re-offending, improve emotional regulation, and disrupt the path from domestic violence to homicide
Order copies here: Gun Violence Intervention Program (Physical Workbook) – Private Label Books
For more information email Dr. Derek Collins at dcollins@thediversioncenter.com
Need an evaluation or class?
Talk to The Diversion Center — virtual and in-person across Georgia.
