“The recent string of violent incidents we have seen this past week has been heartbreaking and I am devastated by the loss of so many innocent lives. I am asking the public to keep these families in your prayers at this time as we work collectively to fight for the stability of our neighborhoods to ensure our children, our mothers, fathers, grandfathers, and grandmothers are safe while traveling to and from their homes. When our older adults are unsafe running errands in the mid-afternoon and an 8-year-old is an innocent victim of a crime exiting a school bus, we have problems that must be addressed. This violence is a call to action and attention.
We also must acknowledge the tragic death of a 1-year-old baby while at daycare. As a Borough and City, we cannot accept this violence as normal. We are better than this and must continue to demand better and invest in our communities. Peace is a lifestyle that we all must work towards achieving. The work continues.”