PROJECT SUMMARY Gun violence in the United States remains a persistent and escalating public health crisis, resulting in over 100 deaths each day. This burden is disproportionately concentrated in communities experiencing socioeconomic hardship, where factors such as poverty, limited educational opportunities, and other social determinants of health (SDoH) converge. These determinants are closely linked to where individuals live, work, and spend time, highlighting the importance of incorporating place-based factors into firearm violence research. This proposed project addresses that need by investigating the spatial and temporal dynamics of gun violence at the neighborhood level in Washington, D.C. from 2014 to the present. My long-term career goal is to become a leading interdisciplinary researcher in firearm injury and mortality prevention, focusing on the spatial, behavioral, and environmental contributors to firearm risk. Through this K18 proposal, I will pursue a career development plan that strengthens my expertise in spatial science with targeted training in gun violence research to complement my growing experience in these areas. My mentoring team offers the breadth of interdisciplinary expertise necessary to support my development and transition to an independent investigator working at the intersection of spatial science and firearm violence research. The proposed study uses publicly available criminology, Census, and SDoH data to (1) develop an analytical approach to detect emerging spatial-temporal clusters of gun violence incidents at the neighborhood and weekly levels in Washington, D.C.; (2) develop a spatial-temporal regression model to examine the impact of SDoH and other place-based factors on gun violence risk; and (3) examine potential spatial-temporal associations between gun violence incidents and alcohol outlet access and hours of operation. Aim 1 hypothesizes that anomalous clusters of gun violence will be identified throughout the study area and time period after adjusting for covariates and baseline conditions. Aim 2 hypothesizes that (a) variation in neighborhood-level SDoH is strongly associated with gun violence risk and (b) neighborhoods adjacent to high-risk areas will exhibit spatial spillover effects. Aim 3 hypothesizes that (a) alcohol outlet access is associated with elevated gun violence risk and (b) outlets with longer and later operating hours will be linked to increased incident rates. The frameworks and findings from this research will enhance our understanding of the spatial and temporal determinants of gun violence and. This work will lay the foundation for future research efforts and larger funded proposals (e.g., R01), and we will collaborate with local partners in Washington, D.C. to support the dissemination and application of key findings related to community safety and surveillance.