"We're losing youth here": Bronx residents speak out after wave of gun violence kills, injures teens
NEW YORK - As celebratory Fourth of July fireworks went off Tuesday night, so did gunfire in the Bronx.
Two people were killed and 11 others injured in nine overnight shootings across New York City. The violence is shaking up communities that are still reeling from the gun violence that happened over the weekend.
"My son stays upstairs playing video games. He's 17 years old. He will not come out here," said Fordham Heights resident Hector Santana.
"I'm just going to come out when I need to go out shopping," said Ramona Brown, who also lives in Fordham Heights.
The remanence of July 4 still remained scattered on the block Wednesday, where firework festivities turned into a deadly scene.
"We're losing our youth here, you know," said Santana.
CBS New York obtained surveillance video showing teenagers around 2 a.m. walking along Morris Avenue near East 183rd Street, when a white vehicle pulls up and begins shooting.
Police say an 18-year-old was killed and a 19-year-old was shot in the hip.
- Related story: 2 dead, several others wounded as gun violence breaks out after 4th of July in the Bronx
"Fourth of July, we know fireworks, noise, they know them sounds are no difference than gunshots," said Michael Rodriguez, a Director at B.R. A.G., Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence.
Rodriguez says his group prepared for youth violence during the holiday. NYPD officials said on Monday shooting incidents are down by 25% so far this year in New York City. But Rodriguez explains there are factors making the fighting worse.
"Social media plays a big role. So if there's a conflict going on, the first thing so many people in our communities do is open their phones and want to record," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez says when shootings happen, their interventions begin when victims are recovering in the hospital.
"The golden hour is when the victim usually sees he's patched up, his injuries are not fatal. He's angry, he wants get back, and we come in and we tell him, 'Look at you. You almost lost your life last night,'" he said.
The NYPD said on Monday they're seeing high rates of youth as victims and the ones pulling the triggers in these incidents. Residents are calling on elected officials to help get teenagers off the streets as these summer days continue.
"We don't have enough for the young people to do ... It's the government and the mayor, they got to do more, a little bit more. Get them youth jobs, get afterschool programs," said Brown.
Rodriguez tells CBS New York they work to bridge the gap between community and police. They tell us through their work, they hope to get the community back to where it used to be.
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