Justice
How a Low-Crime City Became the New Center of America's Gun Debate
Sunnyvale doesn't have much of a gun violence problem. But the NRA is worried anyway.
SUNNYVALE, Calif.—Legend has it that in 1898, builder W.E. Crossman peered out at the 200 acres of fields he’d purchased in California’s Santa Clara Valley, noted the sun shining overhead and declared, “Let’s call it Sunnyvale.”
The name stuck. Over time, Sunnyvale transformed from a swath of orchards and farms to a high-tech magnet of about 140,000 residents in the thick of Silicon Valley. Situated just miles from San Jose, its reputation hinges on high quality of life and low crime. Aeronautics giant Lockheed Martin is the largest employer, Yahoo’s headquarters are based here, and Nokia recently set up its North American base of operations downtown.