The COVID-19 pandemic that rocked New York City in 2020 came with a different lethal side effect: an incredible rise in gun violence across the city.
After dealing with hundreds of shootings in the months that followed, the city is finally on track to return to a pre-pandemic level of violence, Mayor Bill de Blasio indicated at his Oct. 6 press conference. He touted the efforts of both the NYPD in making hundreds of gun arrests as well as groups like the God Squad, a group of faith-centered violence interrupters in Brooklyn, appear at his press conference to describe what’s happening on the ground.
“I want to say thank you to New York City, thank you to the mayor, to the police commissioner for really working with community groups,” said Pastor Gil Monrose, one of the God Squad leaders.