Cuomo declares ‘state emergency’ in New York due to gun violence

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a "state emergency" stemming from gun violence in the state.

The announcement comes after a rise in violence across the state, but just hours after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that NYPD data shows murders and shootings in the city have decreased year-over-year.

"We went from COVID to the epidemic of gun violence and the fear and death that goes along with it," Mr Cuomo said during a press conference on Tuesday.

According to Mr Cuomo, 51 people were shot in New York over the Fourth of July

"This is a national problem, I get it. But somebody has to step up and somebody has to address it," Mr Cuomo said.

The governor released a slide detailing the seven actions the state plans to take to tackle gun violence. The steps include broad ideas like treating "gun violence like the emergency public health issue it is" and keeping "guns out of the hands of dangerous people”, as well as a slightly more specific actions like confiscating illegal guns, engaging with at-risk youth and rebuilding "the police-community relationship”.

The plan will task police departments to provide data on shootings to help the state pinpoint where anti-gun efforts are needed, and will also establish a council for gun violence prevention.

New York's State Police will also create a special unit meant for intercepting illegal guns entering the state, and officials indicated they will work with neighboring states to assist in the effort.

A more than $57m summer jobs program will also be established for "at-risk youths”, which will reportedly create 21,000 jobs.

Despite Mr Cuomo's new push, data from the NYPD appears to show that gun violence actually declined last month year-over-year.

Shooting incidents in the city were down by 20 per cent in June, and murder was down 23 per cent. The number of shooting victims also fell by 26 per cent.

Crimes like car thefts and robberies did see an increase in June.

"Keeping all New Yorkers safe is what drives us, and your police officers are working with community members around the clock to do just that," NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said. "Through targeted deployment and collaborative efforts with those we serve, the department continues in its mission to stamp out criminal activity and hold those who commit acts of violence to account."