With three months to go before the New York mayoral election, a series of mass shootings in the heart of New York, including Manhattan and Brooklyn, has made gun control promises a major issue. In historically significant elections that have marked turning points in American political trends, gun issues have always been critical in determining election outcomes. In this year's New York mayoral race, gun-related promises are clearly revealing the candidates' ideologies and sparking intense policy debates.
In the early hours of the 17th (local time), a shooting occurred at a lounge in the busy Crown Heights area of Brooklyn, New York, leaving three dead and nine injured. Police believe the shooting stemmed from a 'gang-related dispute' inside the club. At the scene, 42 shell casings believed to be fired from a handgun were found. According to the Associated Press, three people, including a 19-year-old male, lost their lives, and nine, including women, were hospitalized with injuries. The ages of the victims varied from 19 to 61 years old. Police stated that some of the victims were innocent civilians.
Earlier, on the 29th of last month, an incident occurred in a Midtown high-rise building in Manhattan, resulting in the deaths of five people, including the shooter. About ten days later, on the 11th of this month, a shooting took place in Times Square, the busiest area of Manhattan, injuring three people. With this tragedy following, the public safety promises made by key mayoral candidates, including Joran Mamdani, who is creating a democratic socialist wave, current Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, and political heavyweight former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, are also being put to the test.
On the 17th, Mamdani, who is leading in the polls, met with reporters at a campaign event, stating that 'gun violence has a grip on much of our city' and referred to the incident as 'another example of a disaster.' He asserted, 'To fight the epidemic of gun violence, we must invest in proven programs and services.'
Specifically, Mamdani emphasized his pledge to expand New York's crisis management system and establish a community safety department, vowing to increase investment in this department by 275%. According to the Mamdani campaign, the community safety department will intervene in crisis situations separately from the police to manage public safety in the community. This initiative is reminiscent of the 'Defund the Police' movement that occurred nationwide after the death of George Floyd in 2020. The aim is for specialized departments to take over the roles of addressing numerous social issues that the police are currently handling, excluding investigations and arrests, including crime prevention, responding to individuals with mental health issues, and addressing homelessness. Mamdani's team stated they would redistribute the 'over-concentrated budget and roles of the police' to operate this department.
Andrew Cuomo, a political heavyweight running as an independent and a former New York governor, directly targeted Mamdani's policies. He posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, 'Public safety is always our top mission,' adding, 'Now is not the time to disband the police or cut budgets; we need more police to keep our communities safe.'
In a Fox News interview, Cuomo pointed out that the 'Strategic Response Group' of the New York Police Department (NYPD), which Mamdani had previously pledged to disband, was the first key unit to respond to the shooting in Manhattan. He continued, 'He does not understand the necessity for public safety. He is dangerous.' After losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, Cuomo is now running as an independent and is mobilizing support by intensively attacking Mamdani's radical policy line.
Current New York Mayor Eric Adams, who is seeking re-election, along with Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, also emphasized the need for a stronger police force. Mayor Adams, who worked for 22 years in the NYPD, said, 'I will continue to lead efforts to remove illegal guns from the streets,' adding, 'This city has too many victims of gun violence.' Immediately after the incident, Mayor Adams visited the scene and focused on demonstrating stable leadership while directing crisis management.
Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate opposing Mamdani, raised concerns about the shortage of police personnel. He stated in a Fox News interview, 'The police force has dwindled to 31,000, creating gaps in patrols,' insisting, 'We need to hire an additional 7,000 officers immediately to increase that number to 40,000.' He further criticized both sides, saying, 'The crime-friendly laws established by Cuomo led to this situation, and Mamdani's radical agenda will only worsen it.' Sliwa is a local celebrity who is a radio talk show host and the founder of the neighborhood watch group, Guardian Angels.
According to official crime statistics from New York City, as of August 10, shootings in the city have decreased by 20.5% compared to the same period last year, with victims down by 22%. Jessica Tish, the Administrator of the NYPD, met with reporters that day and stated, 'The number of shootings and victims in the first seven months of this year is at its lowest level on record.' However, New Yorkers are feeling greater shock from the significant tragedies that have occurred in the city's heart rather than from the statistical stability. This indicates that the gap in perceived safety among citizens is widening.
Ultimately, this election is expected to serve as a test for New Yorkers to gauge whether they will choose long-term solutions like 'community investment' or immediate remedies such as 'strengthening police forces.' Fox News cited Cuomo's comments, stating, 'New Yorkers are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from other horrifying events like the 9/11 terrorist attacks,' adding, 'There is a high possibility that citizens' anxieties will directly influence their voting.'