The state over the last three months has spent $30 million on efforts to reduce gun violence across New York by aiding outreach and intervention programs on the local level.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday touted the efforts after a wave of shootings in New York cities during the summer months led to increased concerns over gun violence and efforts to curtail it.

"It spreads. It's sinister, it's evil. It affects so many people's lives," Hochul said at an event at the Mount Vernon Boys and Girls Club. "And that's why as a state and as a society, we have to stop this. And how do we do that? First of all, I will spend the resources it takes."

In recent months, New York has sought to pour money into programs meant to reduce violence: $6.3 million to expand gun violence intervention programs, as well as grants worth $8.2 million to hire 129 intervention staff. An additional $5.8 million has been made available for youth engagement programs and $16 million for workforce training.

The hope from state officials is the money will be used by local-level advocates and messengers and provie support through mediation, mentoring and engagement.

Hochul compared the effort to fighting the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"To solve a problem, you have to understand it, get the data, target your approach. Be smart about it," she said. "It's like fighting a pandemic. We have a pandemic of violence in our streets and we will treat it like we're fighting this COVID pandemic, with science and data and smartness. That's how we're going to tackle this."