"This weekend, dozens of New Yorkers were victims of the ongoing epidemic of gun violence - I pray for them, their families, and their communities. The staggering national increase in shootings over the last year coincided with the pandemic, but the trend continues today. I fear that as temperatures rise, so will those numbers, and the lives they represent. And I know, as this occurs in a city with the largest police force and budget in the country, that no amount of headcount or funding is the solution.
"On the eve of the anniversary of George Floyd's murder, this is a reminder of the reality that communities of more color are squeezed by both street violence and police violence, and that we should not have to choose between addressing one or the other. New York has an opportunity to lead, and I want to hear from the current leadership, and everyone vying to succeed them, about how they plan to keep New Yorkers safe with a holistic approach to public safety and without the past models that rely on oppressive overpolicing that we know destroy community trust and threatens community safety."