Along with the pandemic, New York City saw an out-of-control rise in gun violence, and the city’s children are paying a high price. In the first nine months of 2021, gun deaths among teens and children doubled over last year, and rose more than 130% over 2019. 

Shooting incidents also skyrocketed. No one seems to have an answer as to why, and they certainly don’t know how to find the magic that will stop it. 

Adrienne Adams was just re-elected to her City Council seat in Southeast Queens, an area hit hard by the rise in gun violence. She joins In Focus to express her outrage, and to offer some explanations as to why this might be happening. 

Adams said the pandemic lockdowns meant kids had nowhere to go. Schools were close, after-school programs cancelled and in-person counseling impossible.

As for the answers, she is, for the most part, as stumped as everyone else. But she does have some ideas that could start the city on a path to solutions, like investing more money in violence interrupter programs and community outreach, and tweaking the laws that allow repeat offenders to get out of jail, bail-free.