Grand Rapids Mayor Takes Cover After Saying Gun Owners Should be Ashamed

One day after Grand Rapids, Michigan Mayor David LaGrand initially ran for cover after stating during a public meeting Monday evening that gun owners should be ashamed—initially telling a reporter through a spokesperson that he “respectfully declines to be interviewed” about the controversy—he issued a lengthy statement in an effort to justify his remarks.

A video of LaGrand making the comments has gone viral across social media. The Democrat mayor was not reserved about his feelings toward gun owners.

In the video, Mayor LaGrand stated, “Nobody gardens with a gun, right? Nobody changes their tire with a gun. What they’re for is killing human beings and so it’s really hard. I think as a community we have to start having some shaming around gun possession. I think if you’ve got a gun, you should be ashamed of yourself. I really do.”

“Now, I’m sorry, that’s gonna be the soundbite of the night,” he continued, “and the NRA, the NRA is gonna be mad at me, but like, you know, I, I get that we got a Second Amendment, I get it. But, you know, you also should be ashamed of yourself if you smoke. That’s not against the law. I think if you own a gun, you should be ashamed of yourself, and you should really do some self-reflection. And I think that’s, I, I just see so much more harm just like cigarettes. I see so much harm, more harm done than benefit.”

NEW: The video of Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand blasting gun owners has surfaced.

When asked if law enforcement should be disarmed following an officer-involved shooting, he stated: “I think if you’ve got a gun you should be ashamed of yourself. I really do.”

Estimates show… pic.twitter.com/K3NkXhJDus

— Grand Rapids Businessman (@GR_businessman) February 24, 2026

The video was posted to Facebook, where it had gotten some 77,000 views at the time this story was filed.

But late Wednesday, LaGrand’s office provided this statement to Ammoland News:

“I want to clarify my recent remarks regarding gun ownership to ensure my intent and perspective are clearly understood by the community. We must be willing to confront the reality of gun violence in our city, and I hope we can move forward together to find solutions that keep our families safe. As a former prosecutor, I saw firsthand that handguns are used disproportionately in the commission of crimes, domestic disputes and suicides, leading to devastating injuries and the tragic loss of life. Now, as Mayor, I continue to bear witness to the aftermath of that violence. I see the pain it causes families and the damage it inflicts on the fabric of our neighborhoods. I am fully aware that the Second Amendment and state law limit the policy options available to a municipal leader. I cannot legislate this pain away. Therefore, my comments were not a signal of impending policy, but an expression of personal frustration and deep sorrow. My goal was to shift our community conversation away from the status quo and toward a serious, honest dialogue and provide an opportunity for all of us to reflect on what truly responsible gun ownership looks like.”

It is not an apology, nor does he back away from his initial comments about gun owners being ashamed.

The event was described as a regular forum called “Mayor Monday,” during which LaGrand apparently also declined to talk about the recent fatal shooting of a black man by Grand Rapids police. When AmmoLand reached out to the mayor’s office both by telephone and email, there was not an immediate response.

A subsequent call from city spokesman Steve Guitar lasted less than a minute. After delivering the mayor’s message, he added, “That’s all I’m going to say.” Later, Guitar notified a reporter that the statement would be forthcoming.

LaGrand’s “shame” comments have apparently generated a lot of heat, and not just within the state. His remarks about “shaming” gun owners hit a nerve with gun owners across the country. Whether his subsequent statement will make any difference remains to be seen.

There is no telling what full impact LaGrand’s comments might have on Grand Rapids or the entire Wolverine State. In an email sent to LaGrand, these questions were asked:

• Why do you believe gun owners should be ashamed for owning firearms?
• What is your interpretation of the Second Amendment?
• Article 1, Section 6 of the Michigan state Constitution says, “Every person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of himself and the state.”  Why should Michigan residents, or anyone else, be ashamed for exercising a constitutionally enumerated right?
• This year, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will receive $23,914,949, its annual share of the federal Pittman-Robertson federal aid to wildlife conservation program, funded by a special excise tax on firearms and ammunition. Hunting and shooting contribute millions of dollars to the Michigan economy each year. Why should all of those outdoorsmen and women feel ashamed over that?

Nothing in LaGrand’s statement responds to any of these questions. Here are some facts dug up by Ammoland: Michigan fields about 550,000 to 600,000 hunters annually, and according to the Lansing State Journal, last year saw a lower deer harvest than during the 2024 season, based on data from the Department of Natural Resources. The harvest last year was about 129,000 deer, while hunter numbers over the past two decades appear to have declined about 30 percent, according to published reports.

Still, that’s a lot of Michiganders who own guns.

According to the annual concealed pistol license report from the Michigan State Police (MSP), for 2024-2025, the total revenue from fees paid for CPL applications came to $16,460,062.00, which is above the five-year average of $12,009,968.00. According to an email from the MSP, there are currently 845,237 approved CPLs in the state. The Crime Prevention Research Center’s most recent annual report on concealed carry shows between 10 and 15 percent of eligible Michigan adults are licensed to carry.

Translation: Firearms-related activities contribute considerable amounts of money to the Michigan economy, while Mayor LaGrand thinks all of those people who own guns should be subject to shaming by their friends and neighbors.

At the same time, gun ownership and concealed carry appear to be healthy in the state, Michigan homicides have declined. Last year, according to the Detroit News, homicides in the Motor City fell to their lowest point in several decades, with 165 slayings logged last year.

About Dave Workman

Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.