Stamford mayor signs new ordinance aiming to curb gun violence
The signing at the old Town Hall coincided with Gun Violence Awareness Day, which happened on June 7.
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Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons signed a new ordinance Saturday that aims to curb gun violence in the city.
The signing at the old Town Hall coincided with Gun Violence Awareness Day, which happened on June 7.
"It's a local ordinance that bans guns and firearms from our municipal buildings and polling places here in Stamford," Simmons explained.
Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw explained that the department takes priority in the issue.
"In the last month, we've seized six illegal handguns that were used in prior crimes of violence," he said.
The department's work, as recently as Friday, involved its Special Response Team seizing two illegal guns -- one of which was connected to a drive-by shooting that happened on Summer Street back in February.
"Detectives have been working ever since. They were able to get an arrest warrant this week for the same individual," Shaw added.
Since 2015, there have been 12 victims who were killed due to gun violence in the city.
"We don't need people out there hurting people on the streets," said Wilner Joseph, who lost his brother Max Antoine to gun violence in Bridgeport in 2017. Since then, he has been an active advocate against community gun violence.
"A lot of youth and people need to know when you pull a trigger, there's responsibility that comes with it. And we have to understand we can't keep harming each other," Joseph said.
Other advocates also stressed that curbing gun violence remains an endless fight.
"When a kid comes to school with a gun, it's too late. We need to solve problems before they happen," said Shira Tarantino, co-founder of The Enough Campaign.
Anti-gun violence advocates also said that they will continue to call on residents to do their part to ensure the community is safe for all.
