Last week several elected officials and candidates for elected office hosted events, conferences, and community conversations involving guns and gun violence around Westchester County.
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than any other year since the CDC began tracking the data in 1981. 3,500 shooting victims were in New York alone, with approximately 4 deaths per every 100,000 residents in Westchester County. Just a little over a year ago, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a 104% increase in gun seizures reported by State Police in 2022, prompting the New York State legislature to pass new gun safety legislation and Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah introduced a Gun Safety Plan. Each level of government agreed to the necessary actions around this issue, however our elected officials still have varied positions.
Conference with County Executive and Legislators
On Tuesday, March 26, Westchester County Executive George Latimer and County Legislator Shanae Williams held a press conference to announce the newly formed Westchester County Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce (WCGVPT). As one of his first acts as County Executive, Latimer signed an executive order on his second day in office banning gun shows from the County Center and all county-owned properties. The County Center stopped hosting shows following the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, but resumed under the Astorino administration. In 2013, a scheduled gun show was canceled following the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012. Latimer said “the County was endorsing gun culture by allowing shows at a family-friendly building…” and during the conference, Latimer was also quoted saying: “Gun violence is not a major problem in Westchester County.” however, many disagreed. Gun violence is the leading cause of death among all children and teens across the country since 2020. So, it seems clear that gun violence is a major problem across the country and Westchester is no exception.
The task force will consist of volunteers representing various backgrounds and one of the goals of the WCGVTF is to “change the social conditions and address the influences that lead young people to resort to gun violence.”
Legislator Shanae Williams said: “Yonkers is a relatively safe city for its size, but gun violence is still an issue. A few years ago, there was a shooting in front of my building in Getty Square. This incident made me consider ways to address the problem holistically in my community.” County Legislator James Nolan who also represents Yonkers added: “As someone who lost their brother to illegal gun violence, I know what its impact on a family and a community looks like.”
Watch the complete news conference in the video below or by clicking here.
Community Conversation with Congressman Bowman
On Wednesday, March 27, Democratic Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (CD-16) hosted a community event at the Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon that was a youth-focused conversation on violence prevention. In attendance were Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, former City Council President Lisa Copeland, Deputy Director of the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau Dena Williams along with more than 50 community stakeholders, youth, and young adults.
Following a brief introduction, Congressman Bowman shared how he was personally impacted by gun violence with an experience dating back to his youth. Rep. Bowman then asked for a show of hands from those who had been personally affected by violence, the response was almost unanimous. As a member of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Rep. Bowman distributed literature to those in attendance that detailed his violence prevention efforts since being elected to Congress while also explaining the specifics of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) which was signed into law in 2022.
Nakia Hiland, Director of Safe Place for our Girls, a pilot program with a mission consistent with the program’s name facilitated discussions related to the causes of violence and potential solutions in small groups. The participants returned to the larger circle to review the varying perspectives and viable solutions for eradicating poverty with collaborative efforts including elected officials and community leaders which is critical to ending violence.
City Council Majority Leader Rubbo Hosts Raffle for Glock Give-A-Way
Only weeks ago, Majority Leader John Rubbo was one of the six votes to remove former Majority Leader Tasha Diaz from office because of her violent threats towards fellow Council Member Corazón Pineda-Isaac. Then on Friday, March 29, he hosted the Yonkers Women in Law Enforcement at his personal business, the Yonkers Brewing Company. At an event advertised as a Women’s History Month Celebration, attendees paid a mere $50 for access to a 3-hour open bar with a chance to win a semi-automatic weapon in a raffle.
The flyer posted on the Councilman’s social media page promoted the Glock 43 giveaway, despite recent conversations regarding gun violence and an accused teen pleading “not guilty” to a recent shooting in Yonkers.
Nevertheless, the concern for a sitting Council Member to support and promote raffling a semi-automatic weapon to off-duty officers and/or licensed holders at a bar where alcohol is being served went unaddressed and seems incongruent with the two prior anti-gun violence events. We contacted the Majority Leader for his comment on the gun raffle.
As a Democratic Councilmember, I believe it’s essential to uphold the law, and in New York State, raffling firearms to law enforcement and licensed holders is legal under certain regulations. While I acknowledge the concerns surrounding firearms, I support the women in law enforcement who organized this fundraiser to aid their organization, which champions the efforts of hardworking women in the law enforcement community. It’s important to balance lawful activities with community support and empowerment initiatives.
John Rubbo – Yonkers City Council Majority Leader
We reached out to members of the organization, specifically YPD Officer Nicole Molinaro who coordinated the event, but did not receive a response. Lastly, we also circled back with former Yonkers City Council Member and County Legislator Shanae Williams as this event was held just days after the press conference announcing the task force, she also declined to comment.
We note that we found no endorsement of the gun raffle event by the Yonkers Police Department itself.
Candidates for County DA Awarded Candidate Distinction
Two of the three candidates for Westchester County District Attorney announced that they have received the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate Distinction. Both Susan Cacace and William Wagstaff, Esq., have confirmed their commitment to improving public safety if elected. Cacace, referenced the tragedy involving two minor children in the state capitol, a result of an unsecured firearm found in the home. This event prompted her to include stronger penalties under Safe Storage law to her approach to “Gun Safety Education.” While Wagstaff expressed excitement in joining Moms Demand Action on the “front lines of advocating for common-sense gun safety measures” which he believes to be a “critical component” of improving public safety in and around the county.
Considering the recent confluence of events regarding gun violence in our community, the danger appears to be front-and-center in our social and political discourse–whether some choose to acknowledge it or not.
