New York City Gun Violence: Recent Incidents and Mayoral Response

Shooting of a 12-Year-Old in the Bronx

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the shooting of a 12-year-old boy in the Bronx, calling for an end to accepting violence as normal. The boy, unnamed as of Sunday morning, was shot in Mount Eden. According to the NYPD, he was hit around Elliot Place. ABC 7 reported five gunshots were heard and witnessed the child collapse on the sidewalk. The shooter escaped in a Jeep.

The boy was declared dead at Lincoln Hospital after being shot in the shoulder. Two other victims, a 34-year-old man shot in the foot and a 25-year-old shot in the backside, are expected to recover. Police cordoned the area near Wanda Deli on Elliot Place and Walton Avenue.

“They’re great kids, they were just riding their bikes minding their business all the time and always at home,” stated Jose Sanchez, a family friend, to NBC New York, expressing grief over the incident.

Newsweek reached out to the NYPD and Mayor’s office for comments.

Mamdani’s Reactions and Measures

Mayor Mamdani expressed sorrow on social media, offering condolences to the boy’s loved ones and extending support to the other victims. He praised hospital staff and the NYPD for their efforts in pursuing the culprits.

“Our children should be able to ride their bikes on a nice summer day in their neighborhood without fear,” Mamdani declared.

Since taking office on January 1, Mamdani has addressed multiple gun crime issues in the city. On July 2, New York Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch reported 322 shooting incidents and 381 victims from January to July, marking a decrease compared to the previous year.

Related Gun Violence Cases

Notably, a seven-month-old infant, Kaori Patterson-Moore, was fatally shot in Brooklyn on April 1. A man on a moped opened fire on a sidewalk crowd, causing the tragedy. Mamdani responded, highlighting the widespread impact of such violence.

Further gun violence was reported in Brooklyn’s Coney Island on July 4, injuring four children aged 6 to 14 during a family gathering. A masked individual fired multiple rounds, facing denunciation from Mamdani.

Also, separate incidents took place in Queens and Brooklyn, leading to the deaths of teenagers Jaden Pierre and Marquise Byfield in April.

Mamdani’s Perspective on Gun Violence

Before his mayoral term, Mamdani actively spoke against gun violence, stressing the alarming normalization of such crimes nationwide. In December 2025, he criticized the Brown University shooting in Rhode Island.

He remained vocal through his candidacy, denouncing a gang-related shooting in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in August 2025.

In 2026, Mamdani released promising crime data, claiming New York’s first half of the year had been the safest start ever. He credited a comprehensive government approach to public safety for the positive trend.