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Community Leaders Respond to Midtown Manhattan Mass Shooting at 345 Park Avenue
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY — In the wake of a tragic mass shooting on Monday evening that claimed the lives of five people, including an NYPD officer, the New York City Crisis Management System (CMS) and Community Justice, alongside mothers, survivors, frontline healers, and community organizations, will hold a press conference today to honor the lives lost, call for unity, and urge immediate action to end the gun violence epidemic.
Press Conference Details
What: Mass Shooting Response & Press Conference
When: Today, July 29 , 12:30 PM gathering, 1:00 PM start
Where: Seagram Plaza, 373 Park Avenue (Park & 53rd Street), New York, NY
Who: Members of the New York City Crisis Management System, community leaders, faith leaders, survivors, and elected officials
Quotes from the Frontline:
“Five lives gone in a flash — someone’s son, someone’s daughter, someone’s protector. The New York City Crisis Management System has gone over a thousand days without a single shooting in some NYC catchment communities by healing trauma, building trust, and showing up before the bullet does. What we do works. But violence is rising again. We need healing, not cuts. We need unity, not silence. New York City — we are here for you.” said Dr. Erica Ford, The Peace Doctor
“No mother wants to bury her child. These were somebody’s babies — on both sides of the gun. If we don’t help people heal, they will keep becoming the villain in someone else’s story.” said Oresa Napper-Williams, Founder, Not Another Child
“We cannot just watch this happen again and again. We need to move with urgency. The whole city needs to fall into action — right now,” said Iesha Sekou, CEO, Street Corner Resources
“In moments like this, we must come together — not as separate agencies, but as one city. In the Bronx and across New York, we stand arm in arm, as healers, protectors, and peacemakers. We bring the sound bowl of peace into the noise of violence — reminding our communities that healing is possible, and unity is our power,” said Tara Brown, Executive Director, Release The Grip (RTG), Bronx
“When tragedy strikes, it’s the community that carries the weight. We are the first to mourn, the first to respond, and too often, the last to be heard. If we want different outcomes, we need different investments — healing, not harm,” said José Alfaro, Executive Director of Community Justice
Call to Action: Fund What Works
The New York City Crisis Management System, a nationally recognized network of frontline organizations, has proven that healing-centered, trauma-informed strategies reduce violence. In areas like Southeast Queens, communities have gone over 1,800 days with no shootings and nearly four years with no killings.
Yet, federal funding for Community Violence Intervention (CVI) has been drastically slashed. Programs that were saving lives are now closing their doors. Trauma workers, credible clinicians, and outreach professionals are being laid off while violence rises once again.
The system is calling on the Federal Government — including the President, Congress, and Senate to:
* Interrupt violence
* Invest in healing
* Make peace real for every block, every borough, every soul


This is not politics. This is about saving lives.
Media Contact: For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact:
Eboni Munn at [email protected]
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About the New York City Crisis Management System (CMS):
The NYC Crisis Management System is a citywide network of over 46 community-based organizations working in 17 precincts partnership with city agencies to reduce violence and promote healing. Grounded in a public health approach, CMS deploys credible messengers, trauma responders, and wraparound services in neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence. From mediating conflicts to supporting victims and families, CMS has helped transform communities by co-producing public safety through care, connection, and community leadership.
About Community Justice Action Fund
Community Justice is the leading national organization working at the intersection of gun violence prevention and racial justice, focused on building power in communities of color most impacted by violence.
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