New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism from local politicians and other detractors for his focus on gun control rather than criminal accountability in the wake of a tragic shooting in Brooklyn that claimed the life of a 7-month-old girl.
Mayor Mamdani addressed the heart-wrenching incident involving infant Kaori Patterson-Moore, who was fatally struck by a stray bullet while in her stroller. The shooting occurred on Wednesday when a gunman, suspected of gang affiliations, opened fire from a moped. “This is not the first family to endure such pain,” the mayor lamented.
He continued, emphasizing the loss, “Too many children have been deprived of the chance to grow into adulthood. There are parents who have faced the unimaginable task of burying their most cherished loved ones.”
Mamdani urged, “We cannot accept this as the norm in our city. We must not become desensitized to this tragedy. Today serves as a stark reminder of the extensive efforts required to tackle gun violence across New York City.”
However, Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, a Republican from Queens, criticized Mamdani’s approach, arguing that his focus misdirects from the root issue. She contended that the mayor is avoiding holding criminals accountable due to his political stance. “It’s always anything but blaming the actual criminals, who our system continuously releases back onto the streets without consequences,” Paladino expressed on X, branding the situation as an “absolute disgrace.”
“Literally anything but blaming the criminals who our system releases onto our streets repeatedly, over and over again, with no consequences,” Paladino posted on X Thursday. “Absolute disgrace.”
Right-wing commentator Brittany Hughes also chimed in on X, noting “an 83-year old veteran was killed in New York City last month after being randomly pushed onto the subway tracks by an illegal alien. Mamdani didn’t say a word because trains aren’t a good political prop, and he won’t condemn criminal aliens.”
She was referring to 83-year-old Vietnam War veteran Richard Williams, who was fatally shoved onto Manhattan subway tracks on March 8, allegedly by a maniac migrant.
Hizzoner’s remarks about the heinous crime “suggests that he is uncomfortable with acknowledging that the murder of Kaori Patterson-Moore was committed by two evil thugs whose callous disregard for the value of human life should disqualify them from ever experiencing freedom,” Manhattan Institute fellow Rafael A. Mangual told Fox News Digital.
“Framing this as a gun problem rather than an evil gangbanger problem is more familiar territory for a self-styled progressive whose political base is constituted by people simultaneously — if dissonantly — committed to the cause of gun control as well as efforts to reorient the criminal justice system to be more lenient toward the offenders who pull triggers.”
Amuri Greene, 21, was arrested and slapped with murder charges in the infant’s death, police said.
A second suspect, Matthew Rodriguez, 18, was arrested in Pennsylvania Friday.
He allegedly drove a moped carting the alleged gunman, who authorities said opened fire at the corner of Humboldt and Moore streets in Bushwick.
The Mayor’s Office didn’t return messages.
