President Joe Biden is set to meet with New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) next week after crime has increased in the city, resulting in recent killings of police officers.
The White House said Biden will meet with the Adams on February 3 “to discuss the Administration’s comprehensive strategy to combat gun crime, which includes historic levels of funding for cities and states to put more cops on the beat and invest in community violence prevention and intervention programs, as well as stepped up federal law enforcement efforts against illegal gun traffickers,” per CNBC.
The news comes after two police officers were recently killed in Harlem. At a news conference at Harlem Hospital after the shootings, Adams implored upon New Yorkers to help “save our city.”
“There are no gun manufacturers in New York City. We don’t make guns here,” Adams said. “How are we removing thousands of guns off the street and they still find a way into New York City? In the hands of people that are killers, constantly carving highways of death, destroying our communities.”
“We need Washington to join us and act now to stop the flow of guns in New York City and cities like New York,” he added.
As The Daily Wire reported, “Adams, who is a former NYPD officer himself, told reporters that under normal circumstances, only police officials would be standing at the podium giving remarks.”
“I did not want that tonight,” Adams said. “I wanted everyone to be in the same room. I wanted everyone to be here to understand: It is our city against the killers.”
“It is our city against the killers. This was just not an attack on three brave officers, this was an attack on the city of New York. It is an attack on the children and families of this city, and we are not going to win this battle by dividing lines between us. We must save this city together.”
Earlier this week, Adams announced his plan to stop gun violence in the city.
According to the city’s official website, the plan “calls for both intervention and prevention to end the gun violence epidemic affecting New York, and calls on the federal government and New York state to partner with his administration and other city entities to take immediate action to reduce gun violence.”
“Gun violence is a public health crisis that continues to threaten every corner of our city,” said Adams. “We pray for all the victims of violence and their families who are suffering, but we are going to do more than pray — we’re going to turn our pain into purpose. Public safety is my administration’s highest priority, which is why we will remove guns from our streets, protect our communities, and create a safe, prosperous and just city for all New Yorkers.”
Jason Rivera (22), was one of the police officers to be killed in the line of duty.
His widow posted a tribute to him, writing, “Yesterday I visited the locker room where you used to FaceTime me at [sic] during your mealtime or right before you had to go downstairs to the muster room for roll call at 15:00.”
“Last night was supposed to be your day 5 & you were RDO [off] for the next three days,” she said. “We both waited for your RDO’s to spend them together. But now your soul will spend the rest of my days without me, throughout me, right beside me,” the widow wrote.
“I love you till the end of time,” she added.