BUFFALO, N.Y. — 2 On Your Side continues to follow the latest efforts to cut down on gun violence in the city of Buffalo. This comes as memories of the Tops mass shooting continue to haunt the community.
The Tops on Jefferson Avenue was the backdrop on Monday where local officials shared new updates with the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
Mayor Byron W. Brown said he submitted an executive order to the Buffalo Common Council to create the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Masten District Council Member Zeneta Everhart has been pushing for the initiative.
“This office is also about education for our youth,” Everhart said. “Getting them involved in the conversation because they are the ones that are being mostly impacted by it. It is absolutely important that Buffalo stands at the forefront of this. We have to let our residents know, we have to let our youth know, that we hear them, we see them and we want to protect them."
Brown and council members met outside the Tops on Jefferson Avenue to discuss efforts to address gun violence in the city. Everhart said the office will be staffed by counselors and community members already familiar with gun violence prevention efforts.
Elizabeth Woike, CEO of Best Self Behavioral Health, said the organization’s Black mental health response team is partnering with the city.
“Gun violence of course is a health equity and public health issue, so we’re honored to continue our work and leverage that team,” Woike said.
Common Council President Christopher Scanlon, who will become the city’s acting mayor this week after Brown’s resignation, said the office will use a variety of data to track the city’s progress.
"You see different municipalities across the country taking on initiatives like this, you see the White House pushing things forward like this and you see data driven policies, data driven procedures that will affect communities in a positive way," Scanlon said.
Scanlon said he plans to reauthorize the executive order once he becomes acting mayor.