Espaillat, Harlem Community Leaders Demand Justice in Murder of Darius Lee, Address Surge of Gun Violence in District
 

Leaders Condemn Mass Shooting in Harlem that Resulted in the Murder of College Basketball Star Darius Lee and Injuries to Several Others

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Harlem community leaders released the following statements demanding justice in the murder of college basketball star Darius Lee and mass shooting that injured eight others.

“Following news of this weekend’s shooting in Harlem, I immediately contacted law enforcement to ensure a swift investigation was underway into the murder and untimely death of Darius Lee and the shooting incident that injured many others in our community,” said Rep. Espaillat (NY-13). “Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and NYPD Manhattan North Deputy Chief of Police Olufunmilola 'Lola' Obe both assured me that their respective teams were working to apprehend the shooters responsible for this tragedy that has shaken our community. Gun violence has touched far too many lives in Harlem and throughout my district, and I have witnessed families devastated by the ugliness and trauma that these mass shootings leave behind in their wake.”

“Our young people are dying, and our community is mourning because of the ongoing gun violence,” said Reverend Dr. Johnnie Melvin Green, Jr. “We cannot understate the urgency of this national crisis and its impact to our local neighborhoods, and I simply will not give us this fight to remove deadly weapons from the streets and help save lives. We demand justice for Darius and for all the victims that have been taken far too soon due to gun violence.”

“Our community has witnessed too many lives impacted by gun violence and our hearts break with each passing day when the lives of our young people are taken, and families are impacted by these travesties. I commend Rep. Espaillat for his leadership in Congress to address the gun violence public health crisis and its impact to the district. We must use our voices and our votes to ensure common-sense gun legislation at all levels of government to help build better, safer lives for the children here at home and in communities around the nation. We demand justice for Darius and honor the victims and survivors of gun violence and we reaffirm our commitment daily to ensure the safety of families and future of our children,” said C. Virginia Fields, founder, the National Black Leadership Commission on Health.

“The numbers are clear, and enough is enough as we have witnessed far too many lives devastated by the gun violence crisis plaguing our community. I know this devastation personally and no parent should ever have to face the news of the death of their child due to gun violence. It’s time to implement changes now that will stop the pipeline of these deadly weapons that are fueling the senseless gun acts throughout our neighborhoods. We remember those we have lost to the epidemic of gun violence in our community and demand action now to stop further bloodshed impacting families—and cutting short the lives of our young people,” said Jackie Rowe-Adams, founder of Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E.

"Darius was loved by his family, friends, community, and teammates and our hearts are broken following his murder. We demand that justice be brought to this young man’s untimely death and that our actions to curb gun violence in the district are not in vain,” said New York State Assembly Member Inez E. Dickens.

"I join with Congressman Adriano Espaillat in demanding justice for the murder of college basketball star Darius Lee, in calling for our community to stop the violence and for our law enforcement agencies at every level to work to apprehend the shooters in this unfortunate tragedy that has shaken our community.  We must find ways to stop this gun violence," said Hazel N. Dukes, President of the NAACP New York State Conference.

“This is exactly why we need to put the right resources in the right places and address the root causes of violence in our local community by funding education, jobs, mental health, and violence prevention,” said abolitionist Councilwoman Kristin Richardson Jordan. “Nationally, we urge for gun control legislation to stop sales and production and invest in gun buyback programs that will get these weapons off the streets.”

“We have a public health crisis on our hands, and as community leaders, we are responsible for remedying it. That’s why I am working alongside my colleagues in the New York State Assembly and in the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce to take swift action in the wake of last night’s mass shooting in Harlem. Together, we have called for an investigation in Darius Lee’s murder and are working with law enforcement to apprehend the suspects. We must continue to do all we can at the local, state, and federal levels to curb gun violence in this nation so that no one meets the same fate as Darius Lee,” said Lloyd A. Williams, President and CEO of The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce.

“Last night, Darius Lee’s mother received the devastating phone call that her child was brutally murdered. In just a few seconds, her excitement—like any mother’s—to celebrate her son’s first day of college or his 22nd birthday was extinguished. She is not the only mother grieving—11 other mothers have experienced the same heartbreak in the past seven days alone. We need Congress to act now and pass common-sense gun legislation so that mothers can see their children grow up,” said New York State Assembly Member Al Taylor.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic shooting that took place this past Monday. Our children and young people represent our nation’s future, and their lives, full of promise and hope, are at stake and are being taken suddenly, violently, and without warning from us. We as a city and as a nation continue to grieve for our children and young people being gunned down.  We also know that something must be done to understand and stop the violence. I stand with Congressman Espaillat, my colleagues in government, and community residents in condemning this senseless act of violence,” said Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala.

“This past weekend, the United States added yet another mass shooting to its running tally of 277 in this year alone. As a community are not meant to grieve this often and over deaths as traumatic as gun deaths. We commend Congressman Espaillat for his persistent efforts at the federal and local levels to combat this public health crisis that our nation faces, and we call upon Republicans to follow in his and other Democrats’ footsteps – to stop the bloodshed impacting families around our city and state. Common-sense gun reform is not a red or blue issue, it’s a human issue, and if we want to save our children from what has become the leading cause of death: firearms. Otherwise, innocent victims of gun violence will continue to die in vain,” said New York State Assembly Member Eddie Gibbs.

Law enforcement reported the gun violence happened during a gathering in the vicinity of 139th Street and 5th Avenue after midnight on June 20th. The suspects have not been apprehended and community leaders urge anyone who may have witnessed the mass shooting to come forward and help bring the suspects responsible for this tragedy to justice. Anyone with information or video footage regarding the mass shooting can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.

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