Paterson holds walkout on National Gun Violence Awareness Day

Friday, June 3, 2022

Paterson holds walkout on National Gun Violence Awareness Day

The City of Paterson, New Jersey held a walkout Friday to mark National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) -- The City of Paterson, New Jersey held a walkout Friday to mark National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

Paterson's Mayor Andre Sayegh, members of the city council, and Public Schools Superintendent Eileen Shafer joined the community outside City Hall in a show of support and solidarity to families and friends who have lost a loved one to gun violence.

Robert Cuadra, 18, was an innocent bystander when he was caught in the crossfire of a shooting while helping his grandmother carry groceries.

His mother, Ivernis Santiago, questioned why there are so many guns on the street.

A 15-year-old girl who was not the intended target was killed when she was struck in the head by a bullet in a shooting that wounded four other people last month, the only mass shooting in Paterson this year.

The mother of Paterson shooting victim Wahmeem Combs is still seeking answers in her son's murder in May 2020. She is calling for strict penalties for those who carry guns on the street.

According to authorities, shootings in the city are down 34% from this time last year.