“There are simply no words for what occurred yesterday in Longwood. When we cannot protect our young babies from the threat of incessant gun violence then we know we are in a state of emergency. The Bronx deserves regulations and resources that prevent this kind of violence. It is a fundamental right that every New Yorker feels safe in their neighborhood and the proliferation of guns in our city is threatening that right.

As the elected officials representing this area, we will continue to fight this epidemic plaguing our Black and Brown communities. and we offer our heartfelt condolences and prayers of strength and healing to the family of Kyhara Tay. Their loss is unconscionable and unacceptable.

In our continued support of the victims of gun violence, we must demand fixes to a system that has allowed people to carry out acts of violence with little fear of repercussions. We cannot remain silent on the acts of violence that are bringing unimaginable pain to our communities.

We know that the Bronx is not the epicenter of gun violence in our country. On Saturday, we witnessed a horrific mass shooting in a Buffalo supermarket wherein 10 lives were lost. This year alone there have been 203 mass shootings across the U.S. This is a national epidemic. Gun violence has plagued our country since its inception but it ends with us. We will not allow this to continue. We will not allow gun manufacturers and lobbyists to profit at our expense and at the expense of our children.”