A rise in
shootings across Long Island has several neighborhoods on edge.
In just a
week, at least five people have been shot in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Two
of the victims were killed.
Four of
the shootings happened in Suffolk County - two were in Shirley and two were in
Central Islip.
Daniel
DeCosta, 34, was killed in a shooting on Flower Road Saturday.
A
49-year-old man was killed Sunday in a shooting in Hempstead.
No one
has been arrested for the latest shootings.
Politicians
and programs both federally and locally are doing their part to combat the
issue.
President
Joe Biden met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams to speak about recent
shootings across the country.
New Hour,
a community outreach program for women and children affected by crime and
incarceration, is working to help with housing and mental health support.
“The
pandemic certainly has been to blame, housing and mental health support, and
what we know is that we all do better when we work together,” says Serena
Liguori of New Hour. “We want and encourages our members to work with the
police.”
Nassau
Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder tells News 12 that there has been a big
increase in shootings this year. He says most of the shootings are being done
by Bloods and Crips.
“We have
our gang unit, working very closely with our gun suppression team,” Ryder says.
Nassau
County Executive Bruce Blakeman says around one-third of illegal handguns were
confiscated from people that were out because of the bail reform act. He says
Albany needs to “get serious about changing that law.”
Suffolk
County District Attorney Ray Tierney tells News 12 he has started a new violent
criminal enterprise team made up of prosecutors and investigators to look at
connecting shooting to make links for prosecution.
Suffolk
County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison also emphasized the importance of
precision policing and putting the right officers in the right places.
Harrison tells News 12 that officers, including those
on the firearms suppression team,have
made 13 gun possession arrests so far this year.