Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that he has appointed a “gun violence czar” to tackle a scourge of Big Apple shootings that is only expected to worsen as the summer heat approaches.
Adams tapped Andre T. Mitchell — the founder of Brooklyn anti-violence group Man Up! which city investigators previously concluded had misused funds — for the role.
“Today I am announcing a new task force … that will be co-chaired by A.T. Mitchell,” Adams, a former cop and state senator, said during a gun violence awareness month rally outside City Hall, touting his 20 years of experience in anti-gun violence efforts.
The task force — formed via Executive Order 19 signed Thursday — will be co-chaired by Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Sheena Wright, and all of his deputy mayors will be on the panel, Adams said.
“This is an all-hands-on-deck moment,” the mayor told the crowd, noting the involvement in the new initiative of every city agency via a liaison.
According to the executive order, the Task Force will meet every week to:
- “Learn from communities most impacted by gun violence
- Inventory existing programming and services and identify the need for any additional programming and services
- Identify and recommend opportunities to expand successful programs into new neighborhoods and communities
- Coordinate actions and responses among City agencies
- Facilitate community-driven solutions and direct new investments
- Ensure collaboration between City government and impacted communities
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SOURCE: New York Post, Tina Moore, Bernadette Hogan and Sam Raskin
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