Alders speak out on shootings in Uvalde, Buffalo

NEW HAVEN — The Board of Alders released statements from both its leadership and the board’s Black and Hispanic Caucus on recent gun violence, including Tuesday’s mass shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas and the May 17 shootings that killed 10 people in Buffalo, N.Y.

“The New Haven Board of Alders extends its sincere condolences to all the families that have been impacted by the recent acts of gun violence in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas,” wrote Board of Alders leaders, led by President Tyisha Walker-Myers, D-23, and Majority Leader Richard Furlow, D-27.

“We stand in solidarity with the millions of other American citizens against gun violence, which threatens our fundamental human right to live and call for common sense laws and policies that protect our right to safety,” the statement said.

The Black and Hispanic Caucus released its own statement, signed by Chairman Alder Ernie Santiago, D-15, and Vice Chairman Gerald Antunes, D-12.

“The members of the New Haven Board of Alders, Black and Hispanic Caucus are very shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic shooting of children and teachers at the Robb elementary School in Uvalde, TX.,” Santiago and Antunes wrote.

“We pray for the souls of those lost and for their families and especially their fellow students,” they said. “We feel that no one should ever have to deal with a loss of another life, particularly a young life, to senseless violence. These kinds of incidents must stop.

“At the same time the Black and Hispanic Caucus wants to thank all the teachers and law enforcement personnel who risked their lives to save the lives of all those in harm’s way that day,” the statement reads. “We all know that there are aisles and lines in schools but there are no aisles or lines that divide this country as much the aisles and lines in Washington DC.”

“There comes a time, like NOW, that those in power need to cross those aisles and erase those lines and come together to put forward some real legislation that will EFFECTIVELY protect the lives of their constituents,” Santiago and Antunes said.

“When the shooter went into the school, did he first check to see how many were Democrat or how many were Republican?” they asked. “We think not. Washington needs to remember that they were elected by the people, to be the people who represent all the people — even children.

“The thoughts and prayers of the New Haven Black & Hispanic Caucus are with all of those who are suffering from this tragedy and other events like it,” the statement concludes.