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Gun control campaign in New York City

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Eyewitness News

(New York- WABC, July 11, 2006) (WABC) -- A gun control campaign in New York tonight to stop the alarming rate of gun-related deaths involving children. More than one child a week is killed by gun violence in New York City. Now the city council is taking action. Political reporter Dave Evans is here.

These are basically some of the same bills first proposed by Mayor Bloomberg. The laws will almost surely pass, giving New York City some of the toughest gun laws in the nation, but most of illegal guns in the city come from elsewhere so there's some doubt as to whether these new laws will change anything.

On September 5th last year, Jose Cintron's life changed forever on 139th street near Willis Avenue. A cross hangs in memory of his daughter Naiesha Pearson, 11-years-old, caught in the crossfire of a neighborhood shooting.

"I think about it at night. I cry in her room. I got her room made up and it hurts. It hurts because you know when my boys fight and I don't hear her voice at night, fighting, ya know 'get out of my room.'"

Once a week gun violence claims the life of a New York child. That was the disturbing statistic put out today in a new report at City Hall.

Peter Vallone Jr., City Council, "No actually murders are up a little bit this year and shootings are up so gun violence is a huge problem in this city."

The City Council, at the urging of Mayor Bloomberg, is now poised to approve four new gun laws. They allow only one handgun purchased every 90 days. New York gun dealers face a twice-a-year inventory, anyone convicted of a gun crime faces a new police registry and painting guns to like toys will be illegal.

Freddie Hamilton, gun victim's mother, "I think it will make a difference. Sure. I think people who traffic in illegal guns need to be sent a message that everybody is watching it. And we intend to take guns off the street."

Freddie Hamilton lost her son to gun violence in 1993. She's hoping Bloomberg's gun push will mean fewer deaths, especially fewer children dying. Jose Cintron is also hopeful but he has his doubts.

Jose, "Guns? It's something I hear everyday. I hear that every night. I go to sleep in my bed and I hear guns. Is it ever going to change? I think it will never change. It will never change."

The City Council votes on all these new laws next Wednesday. The N.R.A. in the past has said current laws, already on the books, are good enough but Mayor Bloomberg has tackled gun control as one of his top issues in his second term. The City Council is now going along.

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