Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As gun violence continues to plague the streets of Buffalo, Masten District Councilwoman Zeneta Everhart is looking to establish a new city office that will connect families of violence to a network of resources, and target federal and state funding for local community organizations that educate and offer programming designed to stop the violence.
"We have to protect our community from everyday shootings," said Everhart on Monday outside Buffalo City Hall.
"This past weekend, five people were shot. The week before that, we lost a 3-year-old. Two weeks before that, we lost the 14-year-old. On the July Fourth holiday, I was alerted by my neighbors that someone was walking down my street with a gun. We need the Office of Gun Violence and Prevention in the City of Buffalo. It is time. I'm exhausted. I'm tired of hearing people talk about gun violence. Our community deserves better, and it has to start in government."
Everhart has been working regularly with elected officials in Washington and the White House in the months after her son, Zaire Goodman, was a survivor in the racially-motivated shooting at the Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue on May 14, 2022.
In September of 2023, the White House established their first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention, similar to what Everhart is proposing for a new office in City Hall.
"There will be people working there on gun violence issues, but they will be there to support these community organizations, making sure that they have access to different types of trainings that people need in the community," Everhart explained.
"There will also be programming. We need community programming around gun violence, we need to have these conversations out in our neighborhoods, out in our communities. They will also be responsible for writing grants. There are millions and millions of dollars right now available to organizations that can help, money to help them in gun violence prevention in their neighborhoods and in their communities. We need someone writing those grants to get those federal dollars."
In order for a new office to be established, the Councilwoman will have to get a resolution passed in the Buffalo Common Council. Council President Chris Scanlon, Council Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope and Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski were all present at Monday's announcement to show their support for the new office.
"She has my 100% support in this endeavor. I'm willing to commit and do whatever I have to do to make it a reality," said Council President Scanlon.