In response to a shooting in the head of a 20-year-old woman in Mount Vernon, Westchester, at around 2.30 a.m. on Saturday morning, Sept. 25, various U.S., New York and Westchester elected officials issued a statement on Saturday afternoon, together with representatives from various community and faith-based organizations.

“This morning, we were devastated and heartbroken to learn that a 20-year-old woman was shot in the head in Mount Vernon early Saturday. Our offices will continue to work with the mayor and other elected officials to end incidents of gun violence in Mount Vernon.”

The statement continued, “Every life is sacred, and it is going to take all of us to get this done. Every elected official, every member of the clergy, every educator, community member, health care provider and resident must work together to stop the violence in Mount Vernon and beyond. There is so much good work already happening in Mount Vernon, and that needs to be recognized, uplifted and multiplied. Every life is precious and every life is worth saving. Let us work together to save lives.”

They urged anyone with any information regarding the incident or on the potential for future incidents of violence to text 914-314-5091. They said this was a non-police, confidential private line. “We aim to stop violent incidents before they occur and create nurturing environments where every person in Mount Vernon can thrive.”

The statement was issued on behalf of Congressman Jamaal Bowman, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, State Sen. Jamaal T. Bailey, State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, State Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow, Mount Vernon City Council President, Marcus Griffith, Mount Vernon City Councilman Derrick Thompson, and Mount Vernon City Councilwoman Janice Duarte, and Darren M. Morton, senior pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church.

News 12 The Bronx reported that the shooting took place on South Third Avenue in Mount Vernon and that the victim was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx with serious injuries. They also reported that Mount Vernon police, along with county police and the FBI were on the scene Saturday morning.

In a statement provided to News 12 The Bronx, the mayor of Mount Vernon, Shawyn Patterson-Howard, said, “I literally live one block away from the scene. I was up reading and preparing for some work, and I heard the shots ring out,” she said. “We always want to make sure we’re partnering with people who have additional resources so we can bring closure…and people will get federal time when the ATF and the FBI are involved…Last year in 2020, we closed over 80 percent of our homicide cases, and we are on track to do the same thing this year.”

News 12 also reported that police have not yet determined the cause of the shooting or said if the woman was the intended target. The woman’s condition was also not confirmed.

Patterson-Howard is asking anyone with information to call Mount Vernon police at 914-665-2500 or to text anonymous tips to 847-411.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.