The city of Buffalo knows the dangers of gun violence well, especially after the mass shooting in May 2022.

”We’re standing near Tops, where 10 people were shot and killed in our community; where three others were seriously injured, including my son,” said Zeneta Everhart, Buffalo Common Council councilmember.

In the years since, a number of large-scale efforts to stop senseless violence have been implemented.

In 2023, the National Office of Gun Violence was created.

“I have seen the work that office has done over the last year in communities across the country,” Everhart said. “They are working on the grassroots level to do more work to prevent gun violence.” 

What You Need To Know

  • Gun violence is the leading cause of premature death in the United States, costing the country approximately $557 billion per year and New York approximately $11.4 billion per year, according to the New York State Department of Health.
  • The City of Buffalo, which helped shape federal efforts for a National Office of Gun Violence Prevention last year, established its own Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
  • Officials say it’s important that the voices of those impacted lead the charge for change.

On Monday, the City of Buffalo, which helped shape those federal efforts, established its own Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

The office will work on collecting data and doing research about gun violence, getting youth involved with education and getting violent interrupter groups involved with more prevention training.

Officials say it’s important the voices of those impacted lead the charge for change.

“It is absolutely important that Buffalo stands at the forefront of this,” said Everhart. “We have to let our residents know [and] we have to let our youth know that we hear them, we see them and we want to protect them.” 

It’s something officials say is important in all upstate New York communities.

“Unfortunately, no city in America, no community in America, is immune to gun violence and the work and research that has gone into the creation of this office, it is our intent that this will help to reduce gun violence in our community,” said Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.

Last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced more resources for the Office of Gun Violence and Prevention in New York state, something the City of Buffalo and other cities like it, will benefit from.

“This is major,” said Everhart. “Gun violence is a crisis right now and it is hurting people every single day.”