Officials and survivors of gun violence vow a safer summer

NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Dozens of community leaders, lawmakers and survivors of gun violence vow this summer will be safer.

They stood in solidarity on the steps of City Hall to thank the city for its resources and to show the success they are having so far.

Shooting incidents are down year to date more than 12% in the city, according to the NYPD.

Sheena Wright, First Deputy Mayor, Co-Chair of Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, A.T. Mitchell, Co-Chair of Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, Keith Howard, Commissioner, NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Representatives from New York State Department of Health, New York State Office of Victim Services, and New York State Office of Youth Justice Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS)/Crisis Management System (CMS) community organizations and survivors of gun violence representing all five boroughs kicked off off National Gun Violence Awareness Month  in June on a positive note.

Mitchell said, “the community has always been the secret weapon to public safety.”

Jonathan Kimble is an advocate in the Bronx, doing outreach in hopes of changing his own community. Kimble is also a victim of gun violence, shot 17 years ago.

He says talking about his own experience is not only therapeutic but inspiring to young people.

Keith Howard, DYCD Commissioner said the city has added more resources to community groups and programs to give the youth an alternative, including after school programs, summer jobs, camps just to name a few.