Mayor Adams' Statement on Inaugural International Forum on Combatting Gun Violence

March 13, 2023

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the following statement after the completion of the inaugural New York City-led international forum on combatting gun violence, held in coordinating with the United States’ neighboring countries:
 

“There is no more important issue than fighting gun violence, and it starts with cracking down on the worldwide illegal gun trade that fuels this epidemic in New York City and around the globe. I would like to thank our partners in government from around the world for joining today’s inaugural forum, including representatives from Mexico, Canada, and the CARICOM nations.

“By sharing intelligence, tools, and tactics, we are continuing to do everything that we can to combat gun violence. While both murder and shootings are down in New York City, we must still work to dam up each river that leads to the sea of gun violence across our nation and around the world. This means working across state lines and international borders to target illegal gun traffickers and disrupting their networks. Today’s discussion also focused on the importance of data sharing and partnerships as key components of an overall plan to effectively combat gun violence and trafficking, as well as shutting down online retailers that ship illegal ghost guns throughout the world.

“Getting illegal guns off our streets and out of our cities is critical to protecting our kids, our communities, and our future. Fewer guns mean fewer deaths, and the work we are doing together will save lives — not only here in New York City, but in Mexico, in Canada, in the Caribbean, and around the globe.”

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