Mayor Eric Adams Addresses NYC Shootings, Bringing Back Reformed Anti-Crime Unit
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Gun violence is a top priority of the city's new mayor.
On Sunday, Eric Adams heard from families whose loved ones were gunned down, CBS2's Thalia Perez reported.
The images from the city's gun violence crisis is disturbing, and the new mayor's message to those behind the crimes is powerful.
"You will not bring violence to this city. That is not going to continue to happen in the city of New York," Adams said.
Adams spent his second day in office with NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell and elected officials, listening to the stories of trauma from families who lost loved ones.
In 2008, Marie Delus lost her nephew, Pierre-Paul Jean-Paul, Jr., after he was gunned down in Cambria Heights, Queens. He was 20 years old. She said her message to the mayor was survivors need help, too.
"If you lost somebody to gun violence in your area, in your house, in your housing facility, you should be moved because you're in danger, too," Delus said.
Adams said the meeting with the families was one part of his overall strategy to reduce gun violence.
"When I speak to these mothers and say I want to put a plainclothes anti-gun unit in place, they say what took you so long?" Adams said.
Adams said part of the plan is bringing back a reformed version of the Anti-Crime Unit, a squad that was criticized for being too aggressive but earned accolades for getting guns off the street and cutting crime.
Adams also pledged to step up the efforts of the NYPD's Joint Gun Task Force to target and take down gang members.
"We're gonna roll it out. We're not going to do anything in secret. When the commissioner finalizes the final operation, we're gonna do a nice presentation and let you see how it is," Adams said.
The mayor said this is just the beginning. He plans to have similar meetings in each borough, look at the best practices, and create a comprehensive approach to tackle gun violence.
CBS2's Thalia Perez contributed to this report.
