Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., wrote an op-ed in the Amsterdam News stressing the importance of targeted, strategic planning and community investments in driving down gun violence in hotspots this summer.
Manhattan has so much to offer in the summer, from attending outdoor concerts and performances, to barbeques, to sitting outdoors in a park. It is a time for friends and family to gather. Yet, too often, these gatherings can be tragically disrupted by gun violence, which typically spikes during the warmer periods.
“Even while off duty on a summer night, this officer quickly leapt into action in an act of bravery,” said District Attorney Bragg. “We are committed to the safety of law enforcement officers in Manhattan, as demonstrated by this in-depth investigation and today’s serious charges. I thank DHS’s Homeland Security Investigations for its collaboration.”
“Wilfred Cruz allegedly shot and damaged a storefront belonging to the current boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend,” said District Attorney Bragg. “My office’s Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Bureau and the NYPD’s 23rd Precinct kept digging, and, as we allege, recovered three operable guns and ammunition, and more than two dozen other weapons from axes to machetes. I thank our law enforcement partners for their ongoing collaboration to keep Manhattanites safe from gun violence.”
