Bronx Community Marches Against Gun Violence Amidst Rising Shootings

Gun Violence Awareness Month Declared

• 🗓️ Governor Kathy Hochul declared June as Gun Violence Awareness Month with a proclamation.
• ⚠️ This announcement follows a particularly violent 48-hour period in the Bronx.

Recent Shootings in the Bronx

• 🚨 Police presence was high in the Bronx due to multiple shootings.
• 🤕 In a 48-hour span, at least five shootings occurred, injuring six people.
• 💔 Victims included teens shot in the hip, neck, and arm, as well as a woman grazed by a bullet.

Community Response and Activism

• 🕊️ Community members organized a march and planted orange flowers for peace at St. Mary's Park.
• 💬 The focus was on honoring victims and families impacted by gun violence.
• 🗣️ Residents shared personal stories, like Manuel Yambo, whose daughter was shot three years prior.
• 😥 The ongoing violence is described as devastating, with concerns about the safety of young people.

Crime Statistics and Trends

• 📈 Despite recent incidents, shooting incidents and victims are down by at least 18% in the Bronx compared to the same period last year, according to police statistics up to June 1st.
• ⚠️ However, these statistics do not include the shootings from the past five days.