'No Community is Immune to the Threat of Gun Violence'

Statement by Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr. on Today's Gun Legislation Press Conference

Queens, NY – New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr., who serves as a ranking member of the Senate’s Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee, released the following statement following today’s noon press conference at City Hall with his colleagues in the State Legislature (Senators Michael Gianaris, Liz Krueger, Jose Peralta, Gustavo Rivera, Daniel Squadron, Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, City Councilman Jumanne Williams) who have introduced packages of bills to address gun control; The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence; New Yorkers Against Gun Violence; law enforcement officials and labor advocacy groups:

  

I want to thank my fellow elected officials for their efforts in addressing the critical issue of gun violence. From coast to coast, and certainly within our city and state, no community is immune to the threat of gun violence.

The legislation proposed by my colleagues is not seeking to impede upon the 2nd amendment, but to save lives. The 2nd amendment does not grant rights and protections to a person who criminally kills people in movie theaters, religious sites, parks or anywhere at any time.

We must do what we can to protect people, give law enforcement the resources they need, address the issue of a mentally ill individual who owns a gun, and illegal out-of-state gun and ammunition transactions.

As elected officials, we can either sit on the sidelines and do nothing but watch the bullets fly, or stand up and do something about this serious issue. I choose to stand up and do something about gun violence. I am hopeful other elected officials join me.