"Weekend of Violence"

Elected Officials Respond   
Regarding Recent String of Violence in The Bronx

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ

RE: Shooting of Five-Year Old Hailey Dominguez

“I am deeply saddened to hear that a five-year old girl was shot in front of her parents and siblings on Hughes Avenue in Tremont Sunday. It completely breaks my heart to know that little Hailey Dominguez fell victim to senseless gun violence.  I will keep Hailey and her family in my prayers as we hope for her quick recovery.

“It is extremely disappointing that gun violence continues to plague our Borough, especially during this holiday season where families should be looking forward to spending time together and enjoying the warm feelings brought on by the holidays rather than watching over their shoulders in fear.

“This violence must stop, and my office is committed to continue to work to take as many illegal guns off of our streets as we possibly can to keep our children and families safe.

“Ending gun violence has been a top priority of mine since I became an elected official, and it will continue to be a top priority of my administration during my quest for re-election.
“Gun violence is a national problem that urges us to revisit the Second Amendment and the true meaning of what it was intended to protect so we can better prevent firearms from ending up in the hands of the wrong people through both legal and illegal means.

“I urge all Bronxites with knowledge of illegal guns in their community to call 866-GUN-STOP to anonymously report those guns to the police, a program that my office continues to promote through our ‘Peace in our Streets’ campaign,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

More information on the 866-GUN-STOP program can be found at the following link:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/home/rewards.shtml

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Statement by Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo 

First and foremost, my condolences and prayers are with the families of Destiny Sanchez, Madonna Martin and all other victims of the recent string of violent acts across the borough. 

I share the outrage and disbelief that so many in our communities feel due to the various violent acts that occurred during and just after our Thanksgiving holiday weekend. When a natural disaster destroys homes and claims lives, we all come together to lend a helping hand and demonstrate our respect for one another.  It is my hope that we can also feel this same sense of urgency when confronted by death and destruction inflicted by a handful of criminals. Our communities must stand united against these heinous crimes and demand an end to this violence. 

I commend the NYPD for the swift investigation and arrest in some of these cases, but I urge those responsible or anyone with information regarding Destiny’s murder - or any other crimes - to come forward, assist the police in their investigation, and ensure the swift punishment of those who committed these acts. 

Furthermore, I hope the State and City of New York recognize the plight of our families and communities, and through our difficult economic times, make the necessary investments in resources, personnel and programs we need to help address these issues. These investments must be made simultaneously in various areas such as education, after school program, not-for-profit organizations and other community-oriented services in order to reach the root of some of these problems.

As a community, we must not let the few individuals and groups who through violent behavior, terrorize our neighborhoods, and behave illegally and irresponsibility while putting our families in danger, to feel comfortable and immune from justice. Let’s set a stronger standard for our communities, let’s call out the criminals, and let’s ensure a safer place to play, live and work for our children and families.