NEWBURGH – Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, local elected leaders and community advocates celebrated the passage of new gun safety reforms into law as the representative highlighted the impact these reforms will have in communities.
Maloney was also joined by his great niece, a victim of gun violence, to share the personal impact gun violence has had on their family.
Over the past two months, Maloney voted for the bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law and supported the passage of an assault weapons ban and additional reforms through the House.
“For the first time in nearly 30 years, we passed commonsense gun safety reforms that will protect our communities from gun violence. Today, I was thrilled to join leaders from across the Hudson Valley to celebrate the work the Safer Communities Act will do to save lives right here in the Hudson Valley,” said Maloney. “From Uvalde to Buffalo, no community has been spared from the tragedy of gun violence. As my niece Lexi shared today, even my own family has been impacted by gun violence. For my family and for every family, I will keep fighting until we get weapons of war off our streets, institute universal background checks, and pass other vital reforms that will further reduce gun violence.
“One year ago, I was involved in a brutal drive-by shooting. This happened two days after I walked the stage of my high school graduation,” said Lexi Crawford, Maloney’s great niece. “I was shot eight times out of the 42 fired at my car and there were over 100 shots all together. This happened in Oklahoma where I’ve lived all my life. I remember thinking, ‘Is this really how I’m going to die?’ and I never thought the shooting would end. I knew I was shot; I just didn’t know how many times,” she said.
“Gun violence doesn’t just end after the shooting. I still experience complications today. […] I’m thankful I’m alive and it is important that we get gun violence under control because innocent people are getting hurt or killed. It’s not every day that you have someone standing here alive after eight bullets. I am deeply honored that I could be a part of your celebration on your progress on gun safety and I know our work is not finished.”
