Williams Responds to Flatbush Shooting

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East Flatbush City Councilman Jumaane Williams vowed renewed efforts to utilize the Cure Violence system instituted by the de Blasio Administration last year following the shooting of a 17-year-old youth in his district yesterday at about 4 p.m. as the victim walked home from school. The victim was taken to Kings County Hospital and is expected to to recover.

“I am deeply saddened that another young person in my district is lying in the hospital suffering from gunshot wounds that could have very well ended his life. My prayers for comfort, peace and healing are with the victim and his family after this tragic incident,” said Williams. “After speaking to the victim’s father at the hospital last night, it pained me to hear of the circumstances that resulted in yesterday’s incident. As we wait for further details to unfold, we must not accept this incident as the norm, and must continue to demand that real, concerted efforts must be made to limit these horrific acts.”

 Williams said in 2015, the city needs to redouble its efforts to ensure young people have safe places to learn and grow, while simultaneously combating gun violence by dealing with our City’s supply of guns, and the demand and penchant for violence.

Williams noted the de Blasio Administration recently bolstered its efforts to combat gun violence by expanding the Cure Violence system throughout the city, including the 67th Precinct where this tragedy occurred.

This system employs evidence-based community interventions, anti-violence messaging, and support services to put an end to senseless shootings in the city.

“As the expansion gears up, we expect to see the same kind of decrease in gun violence we’ve seen in areas the program has previously been implemented in. It’s my hope that with a combined community effort, we will stop seeing incidents like the one we saw yesterday,” Williams said.