BP MARKOWITZ STATEMENT ON BROWNSVILLE
SHOOTING AND EFFORTS TO CURTAIL VIOLENCE IN BROOKLYN
(released 7/30/12)
"Last night's drive-by shooting in Brownsville that wounded six people, including 2-year-old Ariyanna Prince, her father Michael, 13-year-old Kentrell Simpson and three other residents, is yet another senseless act of violence involving guns, innocent bystanders and apparent gang activity paralyzing some of our Brooklyn neighborhoods. The fact that residents in certain communities can't even walk to the corner store or to and from school without the threat of being shot or killed is unacceptable and absolutely won't be tolerated. The NYPD has done an admirable job in bringing down overall crime rates in Brooklyn and New York City to historic lows, and I have every confidence they will continue their valiant work and track down the person or persons responsible for this despicable crime. But while Brooklyn is justifiably being lauded as one of the greatest places to live, work, play and visit in the world, not everyone is sharing in our borough's incredible growth and progress. Brooklynites--particularly our younger residents--shouldn't have to live in fear and fall prey to what amounts to terrorism in their own backyards. It's critical that our schools, parents and guardians be vigilant in observing anti-social behavior and violent tendencies early on, so that we can stop the cycle of violence before it even has a chance to take hold.
It's also imperative that we create jobs in our most economically-challenged communities--particularly good-paying manufacturing and warehousing jobs that give residents a means to support themselves and their families, stay away from a life of crime, and enjoy a sense of hope for their future. But we can't tackle this problem on only one front. Yes, creating jobs and carefully monitoring our youth are important, but ending America's love affair with guns must be a top priority. A deadly weapon in the hands of an already unstable criminal is a lethal combination, and the sad reality is that most of the crimes committed on our Brooklyn streets involve guns brought in from other states. Congress can no longer sit idly by--the federal government must enact the strict national gun control laws that Mayor Bloomberg and others have been fighting for. We must also invest in our communities, which is why I supported the Center for Court Innovation's Brownsville Community Justice Center, which will rethink the way the criminal justice system deals with offenders by giving them the tools necessary to become law-abiding members of society. I was also proud to support, at the request of Greg 'Jocko' Jackson, of blessed memory, the much-needed renovation of the Brownsville Recreation Center, which provides a pool and other amenities to neighborhood children with so few recreational options. And over the past few years alone, my office has allocated millions of dollars in additional capital funding for community enhancement projects in Community Board 16, including schools, playgrounds, community centers and affordable housing.
My office is also moving ahead with plans to repurpose the Bedford-Union, Bedford-Atlantic and Sumner armories as community centers to keep our kids off the streets and ensure that residents have access to the resources and help they need. We have also been developing a long-term community-based initiative at Borough Hall that addresses these critical issues and provides a support network for residents in our most vulnerable neighborhoods. And late last year, in response to another shooting in Brownsville that left a mother of twelve dead and two others wounded, including an 11-year-old girl, I convened a meeting of community leaders and elected officials to discuss actions we can take to stem the tide of violence in Ocean Hill-Brownsville and beyond. We simply can't wait for the next shooting to act; the violence in Brownsville this past weekend must provide a renewed 'call to action' for government, community groups, law enforcement and all Brooklynites who say enough is enough--it's time to return the streets back to our residents so they can hold their heads up high and live in peace and with dignity."