PRESS RELEASE                                                                             Contact: Andy Pelosi  212-674-3710

(New York City) On Friday, January 4, 2002 in North Norwich, NY, a young person gained access to a gun (shotgun) in his home and with one shot, unintentionally killed his 11-year-old friend. Law enforcement officials have said that the teen accused in the shooting was charged with three counts of juvenile delinquency. Questions that needs to be answered include "how did this child gain access to the weapon" and "why wasn’t it stored in a safe manner"?

Unfortunately, these types of incidents occur too frequently in New York and around the country. 14 year old Michael Steber of Liverpool was accidentally shot and killed by a friend who was showing off his father’s automatic pistol. Michael’s father, Mike Steber, a board member of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence stated, "Guns kill more innocent kids than do cellphones, yet, the New York State Legislature fails to work together with the same urgency to pass a sensible gun measure that would safeguard children in their homes, while holding adult gun owners responsible for their negligent actions".

Incidents likes these demonstrate the need for state legislation requiring that gun owners be responsible for safely storing their weapons so that young people and other unauthorized persons do not gain access and suffer injury or death. Over the last 8 years the New York State Assembly has passed such a bill sponsored by Assemblymember Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach) that would require gun owners to safely store their weapons; if they fail to do so and death or injury results, they can be held liable. Unfortunately, the State Senate has refused to move the bill out of committee.

According to Andy Pelosi, Executive Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, "In 1997, the New York State Department of Health reported that there were 72 young people under the age of 18 hospitalized as a result of unintentional firearm-related injuries, while 5 young people under the age of 18 were killed unintentionally by firearms. We can do a better job to protect our children from accidental shootings. The State Senate’s failure to work with the Assembly in passing a bill that has proven in 16 states to save lives and reduce injuries is inexcusable".

NYAGV
332 Bleecker St., Box #E-9
New York, NY 10014
Email: nyagv@nyagv.org
Phone 212-674-3710
fax 212-674-3531