Mass shootings in New York

Mass shootings have become a major crime in New York and other parts of the United States. On July 27th, 2019, one person was shot to death while 11 others were injured when shooters opened fire as a massive block party was going on (Chiusano, 2019). The incident had the most injuries resulting from mass shootings in the United States and also increased the number of gun violence death and injury-related cases in Brownsville’s 73 precincts (Chiusano, 2019). The shooting took place as the Brownsville Old Timers Day block party was coming to an end. At 11 p.m, at least two gunmen opened fire at Hegeman Avenue and Sackman Street, killing one man and injuring seven men and five women.

    The shooting is said to have had the highest number of people injured as a result of mass shootings in the city of New York in 2019 (Southall, 2019). Despite measures being taken to prevent mass shootings in the area, the reaction from the police department may have contributed to the high number of victims especially because of how they responded to a request from the eagle for previous data on shootings in the boroughs. Before the July shooting, mass shooting crimes in the 73rd precinct had gone down by 29 percent. Before the shooting, 22 people had been shot in the precinct, which was a decline from the 31 who had been shot in 2018 (Southall, 2019). The shooting, however, raised the number to 34 in 2019 and this was an indication of an increase in the overall crime shootings in the precinct.

    When conducting investigations, the police department tried to find a connection between the July 27 shooting and gang activities in the precinct. This was especially because half of the shooting and violence-related crimes are a result of gangs and crews that operate in the area (Chiusano, 2019). The crime triggered a bit of disagreement as some considered it a mass shooting while others, like the mayor, refused to acknowledge the incident as a mass shooting. This was despite the high number of people that were injured by guns when the gunmen indiscriminately shot into the crowd. Although there is no clear definition of what qualifies as a mass shooting, people in the United States have come to refer to any shooting that results in four or more people being injured or losing their lives (Chiusano, 2019). The definition is retrieved from the Gun Violence Archive which keeps records of incidences that involved gun violence such as mass shootings. The Stanford Mass Shootings of America also defines mass shootings as any shooting that results in the death or injury of three or more people. The second definition has an added provision where the shooting can be as a result of organized crime, drug, or gang-related shootings thus making the July 27th shooting a mass shooting.

    Despite failing to make any arrests on the day the shooting occurred, police carried out investigations, and a man was arrested in connection to the shooting. Kyle Williams, a 20-year-old was arrested and later confessed to being involved in the shooting (Southall, 2019). The individual confessed to being a gang member and confessed to having opened fire and injured several people during the Old Timers Day event. He was later charged with attempted murder, murder, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a weapon. He was tied to the 9mm handgun that investigations indicated was fired 10 times and the bullets were responsible for killing one individual and wounding others (Chiusano, 2019). The arrest was greatly facilitated by the assistance provided by members of the public who had crucial information regarding the incident. People called the police with information that led to the identification of two women that present during the shooting. Once pictures of the two women were made public, the police department received more tips that led to the arrest.

    In 2019, there were 442 shooting incidents and 521 people had been victims of shootings in New York by July. The figures were an increase from those recorded in 2018 where 413 incidents were recorded and 501 people were shot (Moore, 2019). Despite the high numbers, the incidents are more common in some areas than others. Regions such as Manhattan and Queens were yet to record any shootings while 24 people had fallen victim to the mass shooting in Brooklyn’s 79th precinct alone (Moore, 2019). New York is ranked number six out of 50 in regards to states with strict gun laws. It, however, comes 48th out of 50 in relation to states that have the lowest number of deaths related to shooting incidents. In 2018, there were 7885 crimes that involved the use of guns and over 4000 of the crimes took place in the boroughs (Moore, 2019). It was also discovered that most of the guns used were purchased from regions with less strict gun laws and then used in New York.

    Based on statistics of mass shootings in the area, the July 27th shooting was a common occurrence that could have been predicted. At the time of the shooting, mass shootings and gang violence were the most common crimes in the neighborhood (Manskar, 2019). The person who confessed to the shooting was a member of the gang and the shooting occurred due to conflict between two rival gangs. One of the victims who was shot and killed, MR Pang, was also a gang member of the group Bloods (Manskar, 2019). The incident may have started as a disagreement between the two rival gangs and in an attempt to shoot each other, innocent bystanders leaving the ceremony got caught in the crossfire.

     The information on gang-related crimes and mass shootings should have been used to better prepare law enforcement officers from preventing such an incident from happening especially during the celebration. The event was held annually to commemorate the resilience of the African American community (Manskar, 2019). Despite the success of the event in its years, the rise in criminal activity should have warranted more vigilance from law enforcers and the general public. The increased gang-related crimes should have pushed law enforcement to put more officers on duty during the event to prevent any innocent bystanders from getting injured in case of incident occurred (Southall, 2019). Since some of the gang members are already known in the region, more vigilance from the police and members of the public would have helped to identify the incident early enough to take action before more people got injured.

    The approach that the New York Police Department took to handle the incident was in line with the police protocol that dictates their operations. When the incident occurred, the police could only investigate the area where the crime took place. They interviewed witnesses that were present including the victims to get information on what exactly happened (Paybarah, 2019). The investigation further involved collecting evidence such as bullet casings and the guns used to commit the crime. The information collected led to the arrest of one of the shooters who was later charged with various crimes including murder and illegal possession of a firearm (Paybarah, 2019). Like most law enforcers, the NYPD has a set of guidelines that dictate how police officers go about investigating a crime and making arrests. The police officers followed the protocols and were able to arrest a suspect who was later found guilty.

    When the crime occurred, the region employed the use of gun control and the ‘violence interrupters program’. Gun control entails policies enacted by the government not just in New York, but throughout the United States that aim at controlling access to guns. Through it, those wishing to own a gun have to go through various tests and pass various qualifications to ensure that only responsible individuals are allowed to carry weapons (CCCHRI, 2014). The violence interrupters program, on the other hand, was started to discourage people from engaging in criminal activity or purchasing firearms. Although the two approaches were in use during the time the shooting took place, their implementation made it difficult for them to yield the expected results. Despite having strict gun laws in New York, guns could easily be purchased in other states and then used in New York (CCCHRI, 2014). The violence interrupters were also not as thorough and more manpower was needed to ensure that such events were well covered and that people were discouraged from engaging in any criminal activity.

    The arrest made prevents such crimes from occurring as it acts as prevention, punishment, and deterrence. Once found guilty of a crime, the criminal was sent to prison to serve out his sentence. The time spent in prison acts as prevention because the criminal spends time behind bars and not in the community. When criminals are in jail, they cannot engage in criminal activities and thus prevents the occurrence of crime at least from those already in prison. Although some criminals go back to a life of crime once they complete their sentence, the time in prison offers some form of crime control and is, therefore, a form of crime prevention (CCCHRI, 2014). As punishment, the prison sentence issued is determined by the nature of the crime committed and the consequences that resulted from it. While in prison, some of the prisoners’ rights are suspended in order to punish them for their crimes. There are restricted movement and limited options in terms of entertainment, living, and several other restrictions. Punishment is often used as a way of helping the criminals see the error of their ways and discourage them from a life of crime (CCCHRI, 2014). Although some prisoners go back to crime after release, there are those that reform while in prison and do not engage in criminal activities following their release.

    Imprisonment also acts as a deterrence to crime. Other than punishment, prisons have been used to reform criminals by engaging them in activities that try to make them responsible members of the community. While in prison, prisoners receive training on practical activities such as masonry and other activities that can help them lead a crime-free life (Paybarah, 2019). Rather than just punishing inmates, most prisons emphasize on rehabilitating the inmates by helping them see the error of their ways. Training also equips them with the skills they need to find employment upon release. Rather than engaging in crime, inmates who finish their sentences have the option of applying for a job and earn a living using skills they learned in prison. Arresting prisoners like the one involved in the July 27th shooting can, therefore, help in ensuring that such occurrences are reduced not just in New York but in the entire United States.

    The statement from the mayor indicating that guns are often purchased from different states and brought to New York only goes to prove the effectiveness of the gun control laws in use in the region (Southall, 2019). One approach that can be taken to prevent mass shootings in New York will, therefore, be the implementation of stricter gun laws that address the need of New York residents in specific. At present, the gun law restricting access to automatic weapons is effective, but inappropriate for the type of crimes like the one in the 79th precinct. This is especially because most of the weapons used in mass shootings in the area involve pistols and small firearms that do not fall under the automatic weapons category. There is a need to implement gun laws that regulate the ownership and control of firearms specifically used in New York so as to reduce deaths and injuries resulting from the same. Since the gun laws have proven effective, targeting control to specific weapons will make it more difficult for criminals to access them and thus help prevent mass shootings.

    Implementing strict gun laws should also extend to other regions to ensure that weapons are not bought from neighboring states with lenient gun policies. The United States government can come up with measures to ensure that the policies enacted in one state are not affected by those in other regions. Since the debate on gun ownership varies across states, regions that do not take the issue of gun control seriously should be held accountable if weapons purchased in their borders are used in shootings in regions that are strict on gun ownership.

    Lastly, it is recommended that programs like the ‘violence interrupters’ receive funding and government support for their efforts. Due to the difficulty in controlling access to firearms, the 79th precinct should focus more on supporting the interrupters as they are in a better position to identify crimes before they occur and also discourage people from engaging in criminal activity. Other than controlling access to guns, the region should focus its resources on educating residents on the dangers of firearms as well as discourage them from engaging in criminal activity. The violence interrupters should engage with members of the community on a regular basis and educate them on the negative impact that crime has on society in general. The training should also teach residents how to be vigilant and inform police of any suspected crimes before they occur. since most of the mass shootings in the 79th precinct are as a result of gang-related activities, discouraging teenagers from joining gangs can also help reduce gang-related shootings as there will be lesser gang members in the street. The best approach to reduce mass shootings should, therefore, incorporate the use of groups such as the violence interceptors as they are the ones in the best position to identify the crime before it is committed.  

 

 

 

References

Chiusano M, (2019) “A shooting in Brownsville” amNY, retrieved from,             https://www.amny.com/opinion/brownsville-shooting-nypd-old-timers-1-    34433091/

Committee on Causes and Consequences of High Rates of Incarceration (2014). Growth of             Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences. National            Academies Press.

Manskar N, (2019) “NYC shootings up as city grapples with gun violence” New York City,          NY, retrieved from, https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/nyc-shootings-city-        grapples-gun-violence

Moore T, (2019) “Shootings on the rise in NYC: Up 5 percent in first 7 months of the       year” New York Post, retrieved from, https://nypost.com/2019/08/06/shootings-on-   the-rise-in-nyc-up-5-percent-in-first-7-months-of-year/

Paybarah A, (2019) “Gun violence: New York’s own problem” The New York Times,       retrieved from, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/06/nyregion/newyorktoday/nyc-             gun-violence.html

Southall A, (2019) “He defied a code, his neighbors turned him in for murder, police say”            The New York Times, retrieved from,    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/nyregion/arrest-brownsville-shooting-kyle-    williams.html