Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Bloomberg: "Gun Violence Is A National Epidemic And A National Tragedy"
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 17, 2012
Modified Dec 17, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Getty Images
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 17, 2012
Modified Dec 17, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
In the wake of the Newtown shooting, Mayor Bloomberg continued his criticism of politicians for not acting in the face of multiplying gun violence. Yesterday, on Meet the Press, he said, "It’s time for the president, I think, to stand up and lead and tell this country what we should do. Not go to Congress and say, 'What do you guys want to do?' " Today, he gathered dozens of survivors of gun violence as well as victims' relatives at City Hall to "demand a plan" from leaders to take action.
Bloomberg, who co-chairs the Mayors Against Illegal Guns with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino (they aired an ad during the Super Bowl this year), said, "Gun violence is a national epidemic - and a national tragedy - that demands more than words. It demands immediate national action, from the President and from Congress. It needs to be at the top of their agenda."
Politicker described his tone as "flat" as he emphasized, "The time for talk is over. Congress and the White House has to come up with something that stops this carnage no matter what the political ramifications are. Somehow or another, we’ve come to think that getting reelected is more important than saving lives. That political power is more important than saving lives. That partisan politics is more important than saving lives. Enough!" And Buzzfeed's Edward-Isaac Dovere Tweeted, "Bloomberg still won't talk financial commitment to fight NRA, but says he'll do what he can and "shame on me if I don't."
Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which notes that 34 Americans are killed by gun violence each day, also released 34 videos from the survivors and victims' families—they range from stories from Aurora and Virginia Tech to ones in Brooklyn and Staten Island. The group says, "The diverse voices hail from urban and suburban areas across the country, young and old, of different races and religious backgrounds. Every story is different, but all survivors are united in their belief that something must be done to prevent more tragedies like the one in Newtown, Connecticut and like the tragedy they personally experienced."
Tagged
connecticut
gun violence
mayor bloomberg
mayos against illegal guns
newtown
newtown shooting
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
16 arrested in New York auto insurance fraud crackdown involving nearly $500K
State officials say the cases include staged crashes and fraudulent medical claims, with seven arrests in the Bronx alone.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 6:34 p.m. ET
Coney Island's small, 1890s lighthouse may be landmarked by the city
It's in the private community of Sea Gate. Family members of the lighthouse's last civilian keeper are keeping its history alive.
By
Catalina Gonella
News
Coney Island's small, 1890s lighthouse may be landmarked by the city
It's in the private community of Sea Gate. Family members of the lighthouse's last civilian keeper are keeping its history alive.
By
Catalina Gonella
New renderings are out for Queens' Metropolitan Park casino
By
Willow Higgins
Inside Luigi Mangione's legal strategy before his federal guilty plea
By
Samantha Max
NYC proposes crackdown down on AI customer service chatbots
By
Arya Sundaram
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .