NYC’s Brutal Wake-Up Call: A Toddler’s Tragic Death
It’s horrible that little Davell Gardner, a 22month-old boy, was gunned down at a barbecue (“Enough,” July 14).
It’s hard to comprehend that this can really happen. The mayor keeps talking about how he’s going to handle the gun violence and crime that have gone up, but nothing gets done.
Mayor de Blasio said every police-department resource will be used to find this killer. But remember, Mayor: You cut the NYPD’s budget, so does the department have the resources?
De Blasio, it’s time for you to stop talking and take some action. Stop painting murals in the streets, do your job and fix what you have broken and neglected in the city.
Rob Johann
Queens
Our hearts go out to the family of Davell Gardner, this beautiful little guy with a $1 million smile.
Our officials sit in their secure homes and do not lift a finger to stop this massacre of our citizens.
This little guy was a human being. Color doesn’t matter. He had a right to live and grow up, just like every other human being.
Mo Colar
Brooklyn
With the deaths of 1-year-old Davell Gardner and countless other black people at the hands of assorted thugs, with nary a peep from Black Lives Matter, does anyone really believe that this is a legitimate civilrights group?
Its members have succeeded in some of their goals, namely getting cowardly public officials to fundamentally change criminal-justice laws to favor criminals.
Just think: Had the plainclothes anti-crime unit been in place, how many of the lives that were snuffed out could have been saved?
When you cast your ballots, ask yourself: “Am I voting for someone who will keep us safe or someone who is concerned with the ‘rights’ of criminals?”
Bill Isler, Queens
This disgrace of a mayor will never admit he is wrong, but we need to bring back stop-andfrisk and the 600 anticrime cops and have more officers, not fewer, to get a handle on all the shootings and killings going on in the city.
All Mayor Putz wants to do is protect the Black Lives Matter protesters and paint “Black Lives Matter” on our streets.
I guess he does not care about black lives; after all, a beautiful, 22month-old black boy was killed.
Jimmy Durda
The Bronx
We’re told that wearing a mask, quarantining and closing down the city is worth it, even if we save just one life.
Yet a 1-year-old was shot and killed, there have been 634 shootings this year and the city disbanded the elite anticrime unit of the NYPD.
So the hundreds of lives that could’ve been saved are not worth it? The incompetence of this mayor continues to astound. Shame on anyone who voted for him.
Kenny Knapp
The Bronx
When are de Blasio and Gov. Cuomo going to stop their silly games of painting murals on streets and really get down to defending the hardworking New Yorkers who gave them the responsibility?
Innocent children have been murdered, wounded and scarred for life in black communities. Police Commissioner Dermot Shea should be ashamed of himself for letting the mayor disband the most important faction of the NYPD to get guns off the streets.
Listen up, boys: It’s time to do something to stop this insanity now.
Doc Ludemann Bridgeport, Conn.
The mayor told the grieving mother of 1-year-old Davell, who was killed by gun violence: “We’re here for you.”
He took no blame for the situation he created. He gave in and partially defunded the police department, and he handcuffed every police officer in the city.
These tragedies are on your doorstep, de Blasio.
How many more Davells have to die before you stop pandering and restore law and order to the millions of New Yorkers now living in fear? Let the police do their jobs.
Dan Foley
Port St. Lucie, Fla.