Erika Diaz, a representative of the Bronx DA’s office emphasized during the 52nd Precinct Community Council meeting, held Thursday, June 24, that although the event is being held in conjunction with the NYPD, similar to others, it is a no-questions-asked event.

 

So far this year, 257 people have been shot in The Bronx. Last year, there were 108 people shot during the same timeframe. As of June 13, in the 40^th precinct, where Christ Church is located, there had been 30 shooting victims, compared to 12 last year as of the same date.

 

As reported by Norwood News, June marks anti-gun violence awareness month and an anti-gun violence rally was also recently organized by the Bronx DA’s office in Fordham Manor. May saw a 271% increase in shooting victims. In the 52nd precinct, year-to-date shootings are at 14, twice that for the same timeframe last year, while shooting victims comprise 16 year-to-date. During the same timeframe last year, there were 7 shooting victims.

As also reported, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and City Councilman Mark Gjonaj joined staff members of Jacobi Hospital during a press conference to mark Gun Violence Awareness Month on Thursday, June 3, 2021, to call on Congress for increased federal funding for the hospital’s Stand Up to Violence program.

 

Later, on Friday, June 14, State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda presented checks to local violence reduction groups, Stand Up to Violence, Save Our Streets and Guns Down Lives Up, to continue their community outreach to curb gun violence.

 

On the same day, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernández, a candidate for Bronx borough candidate, who won 14 percent of the votes after Round 1 after the June 22 primary election, announced the allocation of $45,000 dollars to the Stand Up to Violence Program at Jacobi Hospital. (Leading in the Bronx BP race is District 16 City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson with 39 percent of the vote.)

 

“Gun Violence has been an epidemic in our communities and on our streets that we have been fighting long before the pandemic,” she said. “We must not be complacent and we must take steps to eradicate gun violence in our community. As we transition to normalcy from this pandemic, we need safer streets more than ever to ensure the safety of our neighbors. I am extremely proud and humbled to be able to provide funding to Jacobi’s SUV program and work alongside them to take guns off of our streets.”

 

Jacobi CEO, Christopher Mastromano, said the hospital was grateful to Fernández for her continued support of the program.   “The Assembly Member has not only supported our program financially but she is a constant presence out on the streets, where it matters, helping to unite our communities behind the message that ‘one life lost to violence is one life too many,’” he said.

 

Meanwhile, “Stand Up to Violence” program director, Carjah Dawkins-Hamilton, said he and his colleagues were honored to be one of organizations that had been allocated funds by Fernández to provide more programming in the community. “Since 2014, the ‘Stand Up to Violence’ program has been working tirelessly to reduce gun violence in and around our community,” he said.

 

“We believe violence is a disease, and should be treated with methods and strategies used to fight diseases. Assembly Member Fernández has been a strong advocate of our program. She has marched with us in the heat, rain, cold and snow. Thank you, Assemblywoman, for your financial and physical support and for believing in this work,” he said.

 

Stand Up to Violence is an integral community-based organization whose advocacy efforts have assisted in reducing  gun violence in the community. The funding provided will be allocated to various operations that will allow SUV to continue and expand their presence in The Bronx.

 

Meanwhile, as also reported, in Albany, legislators have pushed to pass first-in-the-nation legislation (A.6762-A Fahy/S.1048-A Myrie) aimed at ending the ‘Iron Pipeline’ or flow of illegal guns into New York from other states. According to a letter signed by a long list of mayors based in various towns and cities in New York State, 74% of all guns recovered from violent crimes and shootings in the State are traced to out-of-state purchases or acquisition. The bill has passed both the Assembly and the Senate and is now pending signature by the governor.

 

The Gun Buyback event will take place at Christ Church, located on 860 Forest Avenue, between East 160^th and East 161^st Streets, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 26, 2021. People who turn in operable handguns or assault rifles will receive a $200 pre-paid card plus a free iPad from the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. The free iPad will go to the first 76 participants, limit one per person. Those who turn in operable rifles, shotguns or airguns will receive a $25 pre-paid card.