New York Governor Cuomo and Eric Adams discuss "sickening" NYC gun violence after more shootings
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, Eric Adams, discussed gun violence at a press conference on Wednesday, as police investigate three more shootings that happened in the city overnight.
The governor said New York State is going to announce 4,000 summer jobs and full-time jobs with training for youth, to provide them with alternatives to criminal activity.
"We have more people dying of gun violence than COVID," Cuomo said.
Seventy-seven percent of gun violence victims are Black and Brown, he said, calling it a "major civil rights issue."
Eric Adams, who is Brooklyn Borough president, said earlier this week New York City needs a "joint gang and guns" task force. On Wednesday he stressed the need for intervention and prevention, and said the city needs to turn the page on policing and community relationships.
He mentioned the case of a 13-year-old who was shot and killed in the Bronx on Sunday, calling him a baby who was assassinated.
"It's sickening how often we are seeing headlines like this. Ending gun violence must be our priority," he tweeted earlier this week.
The city saw more violence overnight. Three people were shot around 2:15 Wednesday morning during a fight in Jamaica, Queens. One person was taken to the hospital in critical condition, and the others were listed as stable, CBS New York reported.
Police also responded to shots fired around 12:40 a.m. in Times Square. No one was injured, but it startled tourists.
Around the same time, a driver was gunned down on the Washington Bridge, connecting Washington Heights with the Bronx. Investigators say four people drove up on dirt bikes and fired into the man's car, causing him to crash. The suspects then stole his vehicle, which has since been recovered. The man was hospitalized in serious condition but has been upgraded to stable.
The shootings are part of a rising number of incidents. There have been more than 900 shooting victims in the city already this year.