THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

City Hall New York, NY 10007 (212) 788-7116 **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

April 9, 2012
Contact: Stefan Ringel: (917) 608-8784 (Council Member Williams) Pierina Sanchez (347) 903-2874 (Council Member Cabrera)

JOINT STATEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBERS FERNANDO CABRERA AND JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS, CO-CHAIRS OF CITY COUNCILS TASK FORCE TO COMBAT GUN VIOLENCE
Re: Shooting of four NYPD officers early Sunday morning in Sheepshead Bay Our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery go out to Captain Pizzano, Detectives Keenan and Ayala and Officer Granahan and their families. These officers showcased incredible bravery and our city looks forward to having them back on the beat guarding our safety. Eight NYPD officers have now been victims of gun violence since January of this year, with one officer, Peter Figoski, losing his life in the line of duty. This should alarm us all and make us outraged at the prevalence of illicit guns in this city. Too many New Yorkers are dying, including the men and women who serve and protect us. Gun control is suffering from lack of appropriate federal oversight from Washington and New York City feels it. We need leadership from Washington that provides common-sense solutions to improve background checks and curb illegal trafficking. These are costing lives on our streets every single day. There is much we can do in New York City to combat gun violence, but without the partnership of state and federal electeds, our communities will be in danger. We stand with Mayor Bloomberg and his campaign, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, on this critical issue. We hope that, considering his oft-stated commitment to combating gun violence, he will stand with us on restoring and increasing funding to key youth service programs that intervene with some of our young people before tragedy strikes. He can help our city and our nation by setting a strong example on how a multi-faceted approach works to save lives and save communities. ###