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New NYC gun czar A.T. Mitchell speaks about violence gripping the 5 boroughs

NYC gun czar on root causes of violence
NYC gun czar on root causes of violence 00:50

NEW YORK -- Mayor Eric Adams' newly appointed gun czar said Thursday addressing the issues that create the violence are key to stopping the violence.

Adams and A.T. Mitchell, the co-chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, made the rounds, a day after testifying before the House oversight committee

"What I've found over my career is that we pour more resources into those neighborhoods where those unfortunate guns have made their way. It's unfortunate that young people in communities across the country have more access to guns than they do jobs, opportunities," Mitchell said.

"It is time for us to stop the shootings and placing these guns in the hands of our children. That includes social media. That includes a ban on the AK-47. You don't need an AK-47 to shoot a rabbit. Who are we kidding here?" Adams added.

The mayor is calling for bipartisan gun control legislation, a ban on assault weapons, and federal aid to help cities and states address the root causes of violence.

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