Resolution recognizing June as Gun Violence Awareness Month in New York City.

Res. No. 640

Resolution recognizing June as Gun Violence Awareness Month in New York City.

By Council Members Williams, Cabrera, Chin, Constantinides, Eugene, Johnson, Rose, Cohen, Rodriguez and Rosenthal

Whereas, Gun violence is a national and local problem affecting many Americans and New Yorkers on a daily basis; and

Whereas, According to the Gun Violence Archive, there were 51,377 incidents of gun violence in the United States in 2014, resulting in 12,518 deaths and 22,886 injuries; and

Whereas, National attention is often drawn to large scale tragedies, yet there are gun violence injuries occurring every day throughout many American cities; and

Whereas, In New York City, while the number of murders dropped to 328 in 2014, the lowest since records began in 1963, the number of shootings increased from 1,103 in 2013 to 1,171 in 2014; and

Whereas, In the first two months of 2015 in New York City, there were 151 shootings, an increase of 19.8% compared with the same period in 2014; and

Whereas, Close to 75% of the murders in the City during the first two months of 2015 involved the use of a gun; and

Whereas, Gun violence disproportionately impacts certain neighborhoods and populations in the City; and

Whereas, In 2013, 74.4% of the City’s shooting victims were Black and 21.6% Hispanic; and                     

Whereas, It is therefore clear that gun violence is a serious problem in our communities that must be addressed; and

Whereas, Furthermore, gun violence and the resulting injuries and deaths typically increase substantially in the summer months; and

Whereas, It is important for the City of New York to once again work to increase public awareness about guns and the severity of their impact on our communities; and

Whereas, Recognition of the month of June as Gun Violence Awareness Month by local and state officials will increase efforts to protect all New Yorkers, especially those who are disproportionately affected by such violence, by furthering the dialogue with our local, state and federal partners to help examine the causes of gun violence and create meaningful solutions in an effort to prevent the violence from peaking again in the summer; now, therefore, be it

           Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York recognizes June as Gun Violence Awareness Month in New York City.

LW

LS 3899

3/11/2015