Appointment Comes as Shootings Decrease 66% and Homicides Decrease 48% in Manhattan During D.A. Bragg’s Tenure
Prosecutors Against Gun Violence (PAGV), an independent and bipartisan group of 50 prosecutors from across the country working to end gun violence, today announced the appointment of a new Co-Chair – Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. D.A. Bragg will serve alongside current PAGV Co-Chair Zach Klein, Columbus City Attorney. He succeeds Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, who has served as co-chair since September 2021.
Since taking office in 2022, D.A. Bragg has made combating gun violence his priority. Shootings in Manhattan have decreased 66% and homicides have decreased 48% compared to the same time in 2021, before D.A. Bragg took office. As of October 12, 2025, shootings and homicides are both down 36% in Manhattan, year-to-date. These drastic decreases mirror the decline Manhattan saw in the first half of 2025. As Co-Chair, D.A. Bragg, along with City Attorney Klein, will build on PAGV’s impact, zeroing in on the interstate trafficking of guns, finding proactive solutions to deter the spread of ghost and 3D-printed guns, appellate litigation, legislative advocacy, sharing best practices, and engaging with the private sector to encourage corporate responsibility.
District Attorney Bragg said, “I am honored to Co-Chair Prosecutors Against Gun Violence, a formidable nationwide collective of bipartisan prosecutors working together to find creative and commonsense fixes to address gun violence and advance public safety. I have seen the devastating impact of firearms on our families and communities since a very young age, and I came into office with the specific goal of combating gun violence. While I am pleased with the significant decrease in shootings and homicides in Manhattan, there are still far too many acts of gun violence. And it goes beyond New York City. We must take a comprehensive, nationwide approach through collaboration, investments and advocacy. I look forward to continuing this work with prosecutors across the country as Co-Chair of PAGV. I thank Bronx District Attorney Clark for her excellent service as former Co-Chair and look forward to working alongside Columbus City Attorney Klein and the entire group to reduce gun violence.”
PAGV Co-Chair Zach Klein, Columbus City Attorney, said, “Prosecutors and law enforcement play a critical role in getting illegal guns and the violent criminals who use them off our streets. As the courts and many states like Ohio continue to erode reasonable firearm restrictions, organizations like PAGV are more important now than ever before as we work to find common ground and common-sense solutions to reduce gun violence and keep our kids and communities safe. I thank Bronx District Attorney Clark for her leadership and vision and look forward to working alongside Manhattan District Attorney Bragg and the members of PAGV as we continue this fight.”
“I was proud to serve as co-chair of PAGV in the relentless effort to prevent gun violence of every kind in our nation. We lobbied credit card companies to institute Merchant Category Codes for ghost gun dealers, and filed friend of the court briefs to uphold ghost gun regulations and a federal law that keeps firearms out of the hands of domestic violence perpetrators. I am so pleased that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. is stepping in to co-chair with Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, who is a tremendous partner. DA Bragg has taken innovative approaches to prosecution, advocacy and legislation surrounding gun violence, and he will serve PAGV well,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark.
Alvin Bragg, a lifelong Manhattan resident, has served as the 37th Manhattan District Attorney since 2022. D.A. Bragg previously served as both a state and federal prosecutor in the New York State Attorney General’s Office and the Southern District of New York. He ended his service in the New York Attorney General’s Office as the Chief Deputy Attorney General, overseeing the office’s criminal and civil investigations and litigation.
As District Attorney, Bragg has implemented an aggressive and holistic approach to tackling gun violence that combines targeted enforcement, community investments and collaboration with the NYPD and other law enforcement partners. D.A. Bragg has been a national leader in the fight against the proliferation of ghost guns and 3D-printed firearms. In addition to prosecutions, the Office has engaged with the private sector, including 3D-printing companiesa digital design company, to increase security measures and remove online blueprints and files instructing individuals on how to create weapons. D.A. Bragg has also proposed legislation with New York legislators to make it a felony to manufacture 3D-printed guns and gun parts and would criminalize the online sharing of blueprints for 3D printed gun parts.
D.A. Bragg graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. He began his career in public service as a law clerk for Hon. Robert P. Patterson, Jr. in the Southern District of New York. He then spent several years as an associate of the Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello law firm where he focused on white collar fraud and civil rights.
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PAGV is an independent coalition of prosecutors from diverse jurisdictions throughout the United States, working toward solutions to end gun violence. The group is co-chaired by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, and brings together prosecutors to discuss policies, legislation, and strategies to help prevent and confront gun violence in their jurisdictions.
To stay up to date with PAGV’s progress, join the mailing list at ProsecutorsAGV.org, and follow PAGV on Facebook and Twitter.