Following the unprecedented #NoBillNoBreak Sit-In by Democratic members of the House of Representatives, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, near the site of Saturday's shooting, gathered elected officials and members of the community on the National Day of Action to Prevent Gun Violence:
"Gun violence has affected families in communities all across the United States. Last weekend's shooting, which took place on the corner of Sutphin Blvd. in Queens, NY, reminded us that this is an issue not only in communities far from us, but also right here in our own neighborhood," Congressman Meeks said. "It is time for us--members of the clergy, community leaders, activists, survivors, and elected officials--to come together to eradicate gun violence in America. We are stronger when we are unified. Though Republican leadership has failed to act in Congress, I will not stop until this problem is resolved."
"The horrors of gun-violence are not limited to the mass shootings we've witnessed in cities across the country over the last seventeen years since Columbine," said Council Member Ruben Wills. "At least eighteen Chicagoans were shot in only the last twenty-four hours, including a four-year-old boy. Our South Jamaica community, itself, has benefited from an overall reduction in gun-violence over the last two years, and not a single shooting has occurred in more than 500 days within the particular area that is overseen by LIFE Camp. Still, the epidemic of gun-violence continues to plague far too many streets and neighborhoods. Whether the act be assault, domestic violence, suicide or terrorism, the common denominator in the majority of these incidents is a gun. This City will continue to support the efforts of fellow Cure Violence groups through its Crisis Management System, to prevent incidents like the one that occurred this past weekend, but federal funding to explore the relationship between gun-violence and public health is essential to breaking this fever. Council Member Jumaane Williams and I are sponsoring a resolution calling on the Congress to enable this research, and I have every confidence that Congressman Meeks will lead that effort in the House."
"We must speak with one voice and then take action, to end the scourge of gun violence across our nation and right here in Queens," said Senator Leroy Comrie. "I commend Congressman Meeks and his colleagues for their recent sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives and stand firmly in solidarity with our faith-based and community leaders on this National Day of Action, as we pledge to work collectively to end gun violence in our community."
"Gun violence is a disease that affects the victim's family and the entire community," said Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman. "Only by working together can we truly address this issue, that's why I provided state funding for the Operation SNUG program to help combat gun violence in our community."
"We've passed some of the strongest gun laws in the nation in New York, but our streets are still plagued with gun violence because of an "iron pipeline' that brings guns from southern states with lax laws into NYC," said Council Member Rory I. Lancman. "We must enact federal gun control laws to shut this trade down and keep us safe."