BUFFALO (WBEN) - The rise in gun violence in the City of Buffalo, and around the country for that matter, is no longer a secret. Federal, state, and local leaders have spoken out against gun violence in recent weeks, promising action to combat the severe uptick in shootings.
"Gun violence is the number-one cause of premature death in the United States," said Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier this month. "Gun violence cost over $280 billion in health care and societal costs every year..."
Two weeks ago, Congressman Brian Higgins and Mayor Byron Brown, along with members of the Buffalo Peacemakers, announced $5 million in funding to address violence prevention in the community.
"I'm just happy that public officials are now saying, 'We have this much available to ...let's put it in the hands of people we know are going to get the work done," said Buffalo Peacemakers founder Pastor James Giles. "You can't throw money at the situation. Money has to fall with the right people, and smart money, I've seen what that can do. The intentions the actions are going to be organized; they're going to be monitored; there's going to be training involved; there's going to be measurements to determine the impacts; there's going to be strategic planning; there's going to be strategic outcomes."
But how can local peace organizations and law enforcement target the roots of rising gun violence when the roots aren't exactly known? Many have pointed to consequences of the pandemic, bail reform, and other reasons as the cause of the uptick.
"We've got a cosmic soup going on in what I call this 'gundemic' here in Buffalo, New York," said Giles. "You can't wrap your arms around one particular thing - there are several dynamics at work at the same time contributing to this mayhem that we've got going on in our community, but the centerpiece to all of it is that they're carrying guns."
Regardless of what the causes of gun violence may be, there's certainly no denying the devastating impact these shooting have had to communities in the City of Buffalo.
"They're exhausted; they're tired of it, and they're scared," Giled continued. "The problem here is that we've had more innocent people, untargeted people, hit by barrel stock and bump stock guns, automatic guns that just happen to spray - nobody's name on it, they just land on somebody."
As for the solution? Of course, there's no one size fits all approach, but Giles believes better economic opportunities in disadvantaged neighborhoods could potentially solve much of the problems that lead to this type of violence in the first place.
"Until this country decides that we are going to very intentionally start pouring funds and resources into depressed communities, marginalized communities that make up these urban communities, until we start doing some real economic development in those communities that will materialize wealth for them...you're always going to have what is called a subculture that's going to create their own means to develop money."
