Miami-Dade County Commission Vice Chairwoman Audrey M. Edmonson, City of Miami Mayor Francis Suárez and Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Esteban Bovo were joined at Hadley Park on Dec. 27 by members of the community, law enforcement and clergy to again urge residents to refrain from celebratory gunfire on New Year’s Eve, but most importantly to help eradicate gun violence in our neighborhoods.
Adding their voices to the message were members of the police departments of Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, Opa-locka and Miami Gardens, as well as the Circle of Brotherhood and children from the Mentoring Empowering Youth Global Achievement (MEYGA) organization.
“In the last month, the headlines in local media were ‘Deadly overnight shooting,’ ‘A violent night in one Miami neighborhood,’ ‘Two people shot after bullets erupt in quiet neighborhood,’ ‘3 injured in drive-by shooting’ and ‘Pregnant woman shot and killed while sitting in a car,’” Vice Chairwoman Edmonson said. “And just two weeks ago, tragically, a young married father of two, enjoying a gathering with friends, was killed by a bullet that was fired from the other side of a lake in a community he was visiting. Reports indicate that the shooter may not have even known an individual was killed.
“As most of us will be enjoying holiday time with family and friends, this family is mourning the loss of a loved one. Other families are hurting from senseless gun violence that has taken the lives of too many of our children and residents. I am once again imploring the community to get involved. We have to stop protecting those individuals that are wreaking havoc on our communities and destroying families. Someone knows exactly who the perpetrators of these crimes are. They are living among us in our neighborhoods, and some right in our homes.
“I ask that you remember to have a safe holiday, to enjoy New Year’s Eve with family and friends, but without firing a gun in the air. Take the family out to one of the many venues that will be hosting fireworks for the New Year. Our children’s lives, our loved ones’ lives, are irreplaceable. Put the guns away.”
