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Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Leader of NY’s Third-Largest City, Blasts State Lawmakers Over Weak Crime Laws

AJ Woodson
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Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Leader of NY’s Third-Largest City, Blasts State Lawmakers Over Weak Crime Laws

After 20-year-old man was killed, and four teenagers were critically wounded in a shooting near the intersection of Elm Street and Palisade Avenue at approximately 8:43 p.m. on Sunday, August 2nd, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, who leads New York’s third-largest city, sharply criticized state lawmakers, arguing that weak crime legislation has made it more difficult for police and judges to keep dangerous offenders and illegal guns off the streets.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano urged residents against retaliatory violence, while Acting Police Commissioner Daniel Campanini said officers would maintain a heightened presence in the neighborhood as the investigation continues.

Spano said the shooting unfolded in only a matter of seconds but left five people wounded and one family grieving.

“The incident took all of maybe five seconds, and we have five people shot and one person dead,” Spano said. “Even one crime, even one shooting, is too much for any one of us to bear—especially the family of that 20-year-old who is dealing with the loss of their child today.”

The mayor also used the moment to criticize state criminal justice policies and what he described as a failure by federal lawmakers to help law enforcement remove illegal firearms from the streets.

“People want to know who to blame—go to the state Legislature,” Spano said. “They have succeeded in taking the handcuffs off the bad guys and putting them on law enforcement and the judges. And we can blame the democrats at home, we can blame the Republicans in Washington for their inability to do the things that will allow law enforcement to take illegal guns off the streets. How does a 15-year-old end up with a gun like that?”

Spano said the Yonkers Police Department had moved a mobile command unit from the Third Precinct to Elm Street and increased both uniformed and plainclothes patrols in the area.

“We’re taking our streets back,” he said. “We’re not going to let the bad guys think they somehow have control of Elm Street. They don’t. We have cameras, uniformed officers, plainclothes officers and all kinds of police activity here. So, for those who might be thinking about retaliation, they may want to think again.”

Spano again questioned how the 15-year-old suspect allegedly obtained the firearm and called for continued vigilance as police work to prevent further violence.

Spano appeared to be referring to a series of controversial New York criminal justice reforms—including bail reform, Raise the Age, discovery reform and the Less Is More Act—which critics argue have limited the authority of judges, prosecutors, police and parole officers. Supporters dispute claims that the reforms caused increased crime and maintain that they were designed to correct longstanding inequities without eliminating accountability for serious violent offenses. However, it would be inaccurate to report as an established fact that these laws “created” more crime. But what is certain is that the laws and their impact remain heavily debated, and they apply differently depending on the defendant’s age, criminal history, and charges.

For this particular shooting involving an alleged 15-year-old gunman, New York State’s Raise the Age law is the most directly relevant policy debate, although serious murder and gun charges may still be handled in criminal court. The exact application will depend on the charges ultimately filed. But Raise the Age does not prevent a 15-year-old accused of murder or another designated serious felony from being prosecuted as a juvenile offender in the Youth Part of Criminal Court.

The 2017 Raise the Age law increased New York’s age of adult criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 and moved most cases involving 16- and 17-year-olds into age-appropriate court proceedings and facilities. Critics contend that the law weakened consequences for teenage offenders and allowed gangs to recruit younger people who believe they will face less serious punishment.

Spano expanded on his criticism of state and federal lawmakers, arguing that reforms such as Raise the Age and bail reform may have been created with legitimate intentions but were never adequately revisited to determine whether they had gone too far.

“Look, I’ve been mayor now for 15 years, and I spent 20 years in the state Legislature, so I get it,” Spano said. “We do things like Raise the Age, and there were a lot of positives to raising the age. There were reasons for cash bail reform. But there was never a look back to say, ‘You know what? Where did we go too far? How can we change these laws so we’re not handcuffing law enforcement and we’re not handcuffing our judges?’ That’s what I’m concerned about.”

Spano said elected officials must address both sides of the crisis: what he described as weak consequences for people who commit crimes with guns and the federal government’s failure to stop illegal firearms from being trafficked into local communities.

“On one hand, we are being weak on people who commit crimes with guns. On the other hand, look at Congress and its inability to keep guns from being trafficked into our communities,” he said. “You also have to blame Congress because they will not address the issue. If they don’t address it, we will continue to see carnage like this in our communities.”

The mayor said the consequences of inaction are already clear.

“One murder is too many,” Spano said. “We have a family that is going to mourn the loss of a 20-year-old because some 15-year-old got his hands on a gun.”

Spano also called on state lawmakers to seek greater input from mayors, police officials and prosecutors before enacting major criminal justice changes.

“New York State has got to start listening to the mayors,” he said. “The mayors are the generals on the front lines of the wars over things like this that are happening in our communities. When they make changes—whether at the federal or state level—they usually do so without consulting us or talking to us about it.”

He pointed specifically to the passage of bail reform under the previous gubernatorial administration, arguing that local officials were excluded from the process.

“Go back to bail reform. It happened in a budget bill, and we had no input on it—none whatsoever,” Spano said. “Neither did law enforcement, and neither did the district attorneys. It was passed in a budget bill without their input, and a call like that usually doesn’t work.”

At the end of the day, this cannot become another tragedy reduced to political talking points and forgotten after the cameras leave Elm Street. A 20-year-old is dead, four teenagers were wounded, and a 15-year-old allegedly had access to a gun capable of destroying multiple lives in seconds. State lawmakers, Congress, law enforcement, community leaders and parents must all confront the uncomfortable truth that our young people are being failed from every direction. We can debate bail reform, Raise the Age and gun laws, but while elected officials argue over who deserves the blame, another family is preparing to bury a child. One murder is one too many—and doing nothing guarantees that Elm Street will not be the last community forced to endure this kind of pain in Westchester County and the surrounding areas.

BW News Brief: One Dead, Four Teenagers Wounded in Yonkers Shooting; 15-Year-Old in Custody

AJ Woodson
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BW News Brief: One Dead, Four Teenagers Wounded in Yonkers Shooting; 15-Year-Old in Custody

YONKERS, NY — A 20-year-old man was killed, and four teenagers were critically wounded in a shooting near the intersection of Elm Street and Palisade Avenue at approximately 8:43 p.m. on Sunday, August 2.

According to Yonkers police, the victims were standing near the street corner when a gunman approached from across the roadway and opened fire. Authorities said the entire shooting unfolded in approximately five seconds. The 20-year-old victim, who was struck in the back, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two 15-year-old boys, a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl were also struck by gunfire. All four were transported to area hospitals in critical but stable condition. Police believe the group was deliberately targeted, although investigators are still trying to determine which individual was the intended target. Authorities said the 20-year-old man may have been an innocent bystander.

An on-duty police captain reportedly heard the gunshots and joined responding officers in pursuing the alleged gunman. A 15-year-old boy was tackled and taken into custody near the scene. Investigators recovered a loaded firearm, ballistic evidence, and surveillance footage, and currently believe the teenager was the sole shooter.

The Yonkers Police Department has classified the incident as group-related violence, with its gang unit leading the investigation. Police said there is no immediate threat to the general public but warned that officers would maintain a heightened presence in the neighborhood because of concerns about possible retaliation.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano criticized state criminal justice policies and what he described as a failure by federal lawmakers to help law enforcement remove illegal firearms from the streets and said the Yonkers Police Department had moved a mobile command unit from the Third Precinct to Elm Street and increased both uniformed and plainclothes patrols in the area.

Mayor Spano also urged against any retaliatory violence, while Acting Police Commissioner Daniel Campanini said officers would maintain a heightened presence in the area.

“Yonkers, which is just still statistically the safest city in all New York State. One of the safest cities in America. Now that tells you something, because even one crime, even one shooting, is too much for anyone of us to bear. Especially the family of that 20-year-old that is dealing with the loss of their child today. But think about this, we have to continue to be vigilant. We have to continue to do the things that we need to do to keep our community safe. And that’s why you’ll see the police mobile command unit, because we’ve taken our command unit out of the third precinct and we put it here in Elm Street. We’re taking our street back. We’re not going to let the bad guys think that they somehow have control of Elm Street. They don’t, and we’ll deal with this. And our law enforcement officers thay always do and continue to do the things that they do. I will make sure that this is surveyed. We have cameras. We have law enforcement officers that are in uniform who are not in uniform. There’s all kinds of police activity here, so for those who might think about a retaliatory strike, they might want to think again,” Spano said at the presser Monday.

The identity of the deceased victim has not yet been publicly released. The investigation remains active, and additional details—including the charges the 15-year-old may face—were not immediately available. Investigators said they believe the shooting was related to a gang turf dispute.

“The victim is merely two years younger than my own son. There are no words for a parent who has to bury their child. My prayers are with the family and the entire community,” Yonkers City Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy shared on Facebook.

Black Westchester will continue to follow this developing story and provide updates as more information becomes available.

The Power of the Black Dollar: Why Supporting Black-Owned Businesses Strengthens Our Communities

AJ Woodson
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The Power of the Black Dollar: Why Supporting Black-Owned Businesses Strengthens Our Communities

August is National Black Business Month, an annual observance established in 2004 by historian John William Templeton and engineer Frederick E. Jordan. It is a time to celebrate Black entrepreneurs and recognize their contributions to the American economy—but it must also be a time to confront the barriers that continue to prevent too many Black-owned businesses from surviving, expanding, and becoming lasting community institutions.

Let me say this plainly: Black Business Month has to be about more than posting a “Buy Black” graphic on social media.

It must challenge us to examine where we spend our money, who benefits from that spending and whether our dollars are helping build the communities we say we care about.

Creating, supporting and sustaining Black-owned businesses creates jobs, strengthens neighborhoods, expands opportunity and helps transform individual ideas into institutions that can serve generations. Supporting Black businesses is not charity. It is an investment in economic independence, community stability and Black wealth.

Black Businesses Are Growing—but the Barriers Remain

Black entrepreneurs have always created businesses despite discriminatory lending, redlining, exclusion from established marketplaces and limited access to investment capital. They opened stores, restaurants, barbershops, beauty salons, professional practices and community institutions when many traditional doors were deliberately closed to them.

Those barriers did not simply disappear.

In 2024, the Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity—a partnership between the National Urban League and Third Way—released The State of Black Business, examining the economic landscape confronting Black entrepreneurs across the country.

The report found that Black businesses are growing, but they remain woefully underrepresented. Black-owned employer businesses grew by approximately 30 percent between 2018 and 2021, yet they still represented only about 2.5 percent of all employer businesses in the United States.

Most Black-owned companies remain small, many employing fewer than five people. That is not because Black entrepreneurs lack ambition, talent, innovation or work ethic. Too many are attempting to grow within an economic system where access to capital, contracts, customers, resources and influential professional networks remains unequal.

National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial stated that business ownership directly leads to economic empowerment and wealth creation, but systemic barriers continue to make success more difficult for Black entrepreneurs.

Access to financing remains one of the clearest examples.

Only 32 percent of Black-owned businesses seeking financing reportedly received the full amount requested, compared with 56 percent of white-owned businesses. Meanwhile, 40 percent of Black-owned businesses were completely denied loans, credit lines or cash advances, compared with 18 percent of white-owned businesses. Black founders also received only 0.5 percent of venture-capital funding in 2023.

Those disparities have consequences. They lead to fewer businesses being launched, limited opportunities to expand, smaller workforces and higher rates of closure.

So yes, we must celebrate Black entrepreneurship. But we must also understand that celebration without investment, access and consistent support will not close the gap.

The Power of the Black Dollar

Black Americans command approximately $2.1 trillion in annual buying power. That makes Black consumers one of the most influential forces in the American marketplace.

But buying power should never be confused with wealth.

The real question is not simply how much money Black America spends. The real question is: Where does that money go, who benefits from it and how many times does it circulate within our communities before leaving?

Every dollar we spend is an economic vote. We are voting for the businesses, institutions and communities we want to see survive.

Imagine the impact if more of that $2.1 trillion were intentionally deposited in Black-owned banks, spent with Black-owned businesses, invested in Black entrepreneurs, used to hire Black professionals and circulated several times within our neighborhoods before leaving.

When we buy Black, bank Black, advertise with Black media, hire Black professionals and invest in Black entrepreneurs, we help create jobs, strengthen families, finance community institutions and build generational wealth.

Our dollars should not merely pass through our hands on their way to making everyone else wealthy. They should work for us before they work for everybody else.

Real Support Requires More Than Likes

The most direct way to support a Black-owned business is to become a paying customer.

Likes, compliments, and promises of future support do not pay the rent, purchase inventory, cover payroll, or keep the lights on. Revenue does.

Before making a purchase, take the time to look for a Black-owned option. That may include restaurants, caterers, bookstores, clothing designers, barbershops, beauty salons, contractors, accountants, attorneys, photographers, printers, consultants and other professional service providers.

And do not stop after one purchase. Become a repeat customer. Purchase gift cards. Use Black-owned vendors for family celebrations, organizational events and workplace functions. Encourage churches, nonprofits, political campaigns, government agencies and corporations to add qualified Black-owned companies to their procurement lists.

We have to move beyond asking, “Do I know a Black-owned business?”

The better question is: “Did I look for one before I spent my money?”

Social media also gives each of us the power to become a small marketing department. Do more than press “like.” Repost the product. Share the menu. Tag the business. Post a picture of what you purchased. Include the website, location, and ordering information.

One repost can lead to a new customer, a catering contract, a corporate partnership or an opportunity that the business owner may not otherwise have received.

Then there is the oldest and still one of the most effective forms of promotion: word of mouth.

Tell people about the restaurant that served an excellent meal. Recommend the contractor who performed quality work. Share the name of the attorney, accountant, designer or consultant who provided professional service. Bring someone with you the next time you visit.

Do not keep a good Black-owned business a secret. When you discover excellence, spread the word.

Positive online reviews also matter. A detailed Google, Yelp, or Facebook review can strengthen a company’s reputation, improve its visibility, and help it compete with larger businesses that have significantly greater advertising budgets.

When a problem does arise, give the owner a reasonable opportunity to address it before attempting to destroy the business online. Accountability is necessary, but so are fairness, communication, and the opportunity to correct an honest mistake.

Black businesses should be held to professional standards, but they should also receive the same grace many consumers routinely extend to major corporations.

Stop Asking for “The Hookup”

Let me say this plainly: if someone you call a friend owns a Black business and you have never purchased anything, shared a post, referred a customer or supported that business in any meaningful way, you may need to reconsider what friendship really means. Support is more than applause, likes, and encouraging words. Real friends show up—and when possible, they spend, promote, recommend and help one another grow.

Supporting Black businesses also means respecting their prices and paying them on time.

Black entrepreneurs have rent, payroll, insurance, taxes, utilities, inventory and operating expenses just like every other business owner. Constantly asking for discounts, free products or “the hookup” does not demonstrate support.

Do not expect Black friends, relatives or community members to work for exposure while paying everyone else without question.

Exposure does not pay bills.

We cannot claim to support Black businesses while attempting to negotiate them out of profitability.

Support Must Continue After August

Black Business Month may increase awareness, but Black-owned businesses need customers in September, December, March and every other month of the year.

Sustainable businesses are built through consistent patronage—not seasonal attention.

Create a personal directory of Black-owned businesses. Include them in your holiday shopping, celebrations, professional needs and everyday spending. Recommend them for grants, contracts, vendor fairs and certification opportunities. Introduce entrepreneurs to decision-makers who may be able to open doors.

A recommendation that leads to a long-term contract may have a much greater impact than a single purchase.

Supporting Black-owned businesses is not about excluding everyone else. It is about confronting a long-standing economic imbalance and ensuring Black entrepreneurs have a fair opportunity to participate in—and benefit from—the economy.

When we purchase, promote, recommend, review, invest and connect, we are doing more than supporting an individual business owner. We are helping create jobs, stabilize neighborhoods, strengthen Black institutions and build the foundation for generational wealth.

The message of Black Business Month is simple:

We cannot demand strong Black communities while refusing to build and sustain strong Black businesses.

Now it is your turn. In the comment section, share your favorite Black-owned business—the one you believe everyone needs to know about, support, and help grow. Your recommendation could introduce that business to its next customer, client, contract, or opportunity.

Black Westchester has always been an advocate for supporting Black-Owned Businesses and recycling our Black Dollars. We started a Black 2 Business Section here on the website, where we will feature Black-Owned Businesses from time to time. Feel free to suggest Westchester County-based Black-Owned Businesses you think we should spotlight in the comment section below!

Black Westchester and People Before Politics Radio is celebrating our 12th anniversary issue this month with a special commemorative issue. To advertise or make a donation to celebrate our anniversary, email us at AdvertiseWithBW@gmail.com and help us continue to deliver The News With The Black Point of View free to our community

The Rise of Black Republicans: Traitors or Trailblazers?

DAMON K JONES
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The Rise of Black Republicans: Traitors or Trailblazers?

For more than half a century, Black Americans have been one of the Democratic Party’s most dependable voting blocs. Since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Democratic presidential candidates have routinely received between 80 and 90 percent of the Black vote, a level of political loyalty unmatched by almost any other demographic group in American politics. That loyalty helped elect presidents, shape Congress, influence state governments, and secure many of the civil rights gains that transformed this country. Yet while that history deserves recognition, it also raises a question that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: Has decades of overwhelming political loyalty produced the measurable outcomes Black America expected, or has it reduced the incentive for either major political party to compete aggressively for Black voters?

That question is one reason the growing visibility of Black Republicans deserves serious attention. Across the country, Black Republicans are running for governor, Congress, statewide office, and local government in numbers and with visibility that would have been difficult to imagine a generation ago. Whether they ultimately win or lose, their campaigns are forcing a broader conversation about race, representation, political independence, and the future of Black political power. More importantly, they are challenging a long-held assumption that Black political identity must be tied almost exclusively to one political party.

The rise of Black Republican candidates extends far beyond two campaigns.

Congressman John James is running for governor of Michigan after serving in Congress and previously seeking statewide office. A West Point graduate, Army veteran, and businessman, James has built his campaign around economic growth, educational opportunity, and government accountability.

Congressman Burgess Owens continues to represent Utah in Congress, while Ohio State Representative Josh Williamsis seeking a congressional seat after becoming one of the first Black Republicans elected to the Ohio House in decades. In Michigan, Navy veteran and former law enforcement officer Amir Hassan is also pursuing a seat in Congress.

Looking ahead to 2027, Danielle Carter-Walters is running for mayor of Chicago. Although her election falls outside the 2026 midterms, her campaign represents another example of Black Republicans competing in cities where Democratic dominance has long been considered politically unshakable.

Another candidate drawing attention is Christian Maxwell, the Republican nominee for Illinois’ 1st Congressional District. A business consultant, entrepreneur, and mother, Maxwell is challenging incumbent Congressman Jonathan Jackson in one of the country’s most historically significant Black congressional districts. Her campaign emphasizes economic growth, public safety, parental rights, and family-centered policies. Regardless of the outcome, Maxwell’s candidacy reinforces the broader trend explored in this article: Black Republicans are increasingly competing for office in districts and communities where Republicans have traditionally struggled, further expanding the conversation about political diversity within Black America.

Taken together, these campaigns demonstrate that Black Republicans are no longer isolated exceptions. Whether they ultimately win or lose, they are becoming more visible in American politics and forcing conversations that many political leaders would rather avoid.

The conversation surrounding Black Republicans is rarely limited to policy. For many, it quickly becomes personal. Black conservatives have often described being called “traitors,” “sellouts,” or “Uncle Toms” because of their political affiliation. Their critics argue that supporting the Republican Party undermines Black political interests and ignores the historical relationship between Black America and the Democratic Party during the modern civil rights era. Their supporters respond that no political party deserves permanent ownership of Black votes and that true political independence requires the freedom to disagree without having one’s racial identity questioned.

That is why this article asks a question instead of offering a conclusion. Are Black Republicans traitors to Black America, or are they trailblazers expanding the boundaries of Black political thought? The answer depends largely on one’s understanding of history, one’s evaluation of current political realities, and one’s expectations for the future. It is also a question that deserves thoughtful discussion rather than partisan slogans.

According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 14 percent of Black Americans identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. In comparison, 73 percent identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, and 13 percent identify with or lean toward neither party. Those numbers make one fact clear. Republicans remain a minority within the Black electorate. They also demonstrate, however, that millions of Black Americans no longer fit the stereotype that Black political thought is unanimous. That reality alone suggests the political landscape is evolving, even if the Democratic Party continues to command overwhelming support among Black voters.

Perhaps no recent campaign illustrates that evolution more clearly than Winsome Earle-Sears’s. In 2025, Earle-Sears had the opportunity to become the first Black woman ever elected governor of any state in American history. She is a Black woman, married to a Black man, raising Black children, and a Marine Corps veteran who built a distinguished public career in Virginia. Yet despite the historic significance of her candidacy, many of the organizations and political leaders who frequently celebrate Black representation showed little enthusiasm for her campaign because she was running as a Republican. The NAACP endorsed her Democratic opponent, Abigail Spanberger, prompting supporters of Earle-Sears to ask a difficult question: If electing the first Black woman governor in American history was not viewed as a historic milestone worth supporting, does Black representation only matter when the candidate belongs to one political party?

The Vote Must Be Earned

Whether Black Republicans are ultimately remembered as traitors or trailblazers will not be decided by television commentators, social media influencers, or political activists. History will make that determination based on something far more important: results.

If these candidates succeed in improving educational outcomes, expanding Black homeownership, creating opportunities for Black-owned businesses, strengthening families, reducing violent crime, and helping Black communities build generational wealth, history may remember them as pioneers who expanded the boundaries of Black political thought. If they fail to deliver meaningful results, history will judge them accordingly. The same standard should apply to Democrats, Independents, and every elected official who asks for the support of Black America.

This article is not an endorsement of the Republican Party or any Republican candidate. Nor is it an argument that Black Americans should abandon the Democratic Party. I am an Independent Freedman, and I believe no political party deserves automatic loyalty. Every candidate should have to earn our vote through character, competence, vision, accountability, and measurable outcomes—not campaign slogans, historical affiliations, or assumptions that our votes belong to them.

Whether people welcome it or not, the political landscape is changing. More Black Republicans are running for office. More Black Americans are identifying as independents. More voters are asking difficult questions about what decades of political loyalty have produced and whether a more competitive political environment could better serve Black communities. That does not mean Black America is abandoning one party for another. It means more Black Americans are insisting that their vote has value and should never be taken for granted.

Perhaps that is the real story behind the rise of Black Republicans. It is not simply about Republicans. It is about political competition. It is about accountability. It is about reminding every elected official, regardless of party, that the Black vote is not owed—it must be earned.

As an Independent Freedman, I have no permanent friends in politics and no permanent enemies. I have permanent interests. My interest is not in electing Republicans or protecting Democrats. My interest is in advancing the constitutional, economic, educational, and civic interests of Black America. If the rise of Black Republicans causes both major parties to compete harder for our votes, present stronger ideas, and produce better results, then Black America—not either political party—stands to benefit the most.

The question, then, is not whether Black Republicans are traitors or trailblazers.

The real question is whether Black America is finally prepared to make every political party earn its vote.

Black Political Organization Challenges Mayor Mamdani to Begin Reparations with Seneca Village

Black Westchester
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Black Political Organization Challenges Mayor Mamdani to Begin Reparations with Seneca Village

American Freedmen Independent Party Says New York City’s Reparations Effort Should Begin with One of the City’s Most Documented Historical Injustices

The American Freedmen Independent Party (AFIP) is challenging New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to move beyond supporting the idea of reparations and begin taking concrete action by addressing one of the city’s most documented historical injustices—the destruction of Seneca Village.

The challenge comes in response to Mayor Mamdani’s recent interview with journalist Charles M. Blow of The Root, during which the mayor said New York City has a responsibility to confront its history of slavery and discrimination. When asked whether he would support cash reparations if recommended by the New York City Reparations Commission, Mamdani declined to make that commitment, explaining that he would wait for the commission’s recommendations before deciding.

AFIP says the mayor does not need another commission to identify where reparative justice should begin.

“Mayor Mamdani is not simply another politician discussing history,” said Damon K. Jones, New York Representative for the American Freedmen Independent Party. “He is the Chief Executive Officer of the City of New York. That office gives him the authority to recommend legislation, direct city agencies, appoint advisory bodies, and use the influence of his office to begin correcting historical injustices committed by the very government he now leads.”

Founded as an independent political club, AFIP advocates for the constitutional, economic, educational, and civic interests of American Freedmen—the descendants of those who were enslaved in the United States. The organization says it is guided by principles and measurable outcomes rather than loyalty to any political party.

“At AFIP, we believe no political party owns the Black vote,” Jones said. “Our responsibility is to hold every elected official accountable based on results, not rhetoric. If a public official says government has a responsibility to repair historical injustices, we expect them to explain how they intend to do that.”

According to the organization, Seneca Village represents one of the clearest examples of government-sanctioned economic harm against Black New Yorkers.

Before Central Park existed, Seneca Village was a thriving community of predominantly Black property owners. Residents owned homes, churches, schools, and businesses, building wealth through land ownership during a time when opportunities for Black Americans were severely limited. In the 1850s, the City of New York used eminent domain to acquire the land, displacing residents and demolishing the community to make way for Central Park.

“The city gained one of the world’s most celebrated public parks,” Jones said. “Black families lost homes, churches, businesses, land, and generations of wealth that should have been passed on to their children. That history has already been documented. The question today is whether New York City’s leadership is prepared to act on it.”

AFIP is calling on Mayor Mamdani to establish a Seneca Village Reparative Justice Initiative that would identify descendants where possible, recommend legislation to the New York City Council, preserve the community’s history, and explore policies designed to repair the economic harm caused by the city’s actions.

Jones said reparative justice should extend beyond symbolic acknowledgment and include policies that promote long-term economic opportunity.

“Reparations should not simply be about acknowledging what happened,” he said. “They should be about restoring opportunities that government helped destroy. That includes strengthening Black homeownership, expanding Black-owned businesses, increasing access to capital, preserving historically Black communities, and rebuilding generational wealth.”

The organization also credited Charles M. Blow for raising the issue of reparations during The Root interview but argued that a key follow-up question was left unanswered.

“Charles M. Blow deserves credit for asking the mayor about reparations,” Jones said. “But the obvious follow-up is this: If you believe New York City has a responsibility to repair historical injustice, what specific actions are you prepared to take today? Leadership isn’t about waiting for another commission. Leadership is about using the authority of your office to begin solving problems now.”

AFIP said its challenge is intended to move the public conversation beyond general support for reparations and toward specific policies tied to documented historical injustices.

“We’re not asking the mayor to abandon the commission,” Jones said. “We’re asking him to lead. Seneca Village is one of the most well-documented examples of Black wealth being taken through government action. If New York City is serious about reparative justice, that’s where the conversation should begin.”

The American Freedmen Independent Party describes itself as an independent political organization dedicated to advancing the permanent interests of American Freedmen through civic education, policy development, leadership training, and voter engagement.

“Our guiding principle is simple,” Jones said. “‘No Permanent Friends. No Permanent Enemies. Only Permanent Interests.’ That’s how we evaluate every elected official and every public policy.”

For more information about the American Freedmen Independent Party or to read the organization’s full statement, visit www.AFIPNY.org.

The New York State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in the city of Mount Vernon.

AJ Woodson
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The New York State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred in the city of Mount Vernon.

Earlier, Black Westchester reported that a Mount Vernon police officer shot an armed man during a court-ordered mental health response, based on an initial statement released by the City of Mount Vernon.

However, the limited information provided by city officials left Black Westchester—and many concerned residents—with more questions than answers.

After our original report was published, the New York State Police released a more detailed statement regarding the officer-involved shooting. While the latest account answers several of the questions we raised, important questions remain.

You can read the New York State Police’s full statement below.

On July 30, 2026, at about 9:50 p.m., members of the Mount Vernon Police Department responded to an apartment on East Fourth Street to execute a mental health commitment order.

Officers encountered the subject, 58-year-old Ulysses McGhee, who was armed with two knives. McGhee retreated into his apartment, and members of the Mount Vernon Police Department attempted to negotiate with him into the early morning hours. After those efforts were unsuccessful, search and arrest warrants were obtained, and the department’s Emergency Service Unit (ESU) responded.

At about 2:06 a.m. this morning, ESU members breached the door to the apartment and encountered McGhee, who was still armed with the knives. Officers attempted to subdue McGhee using less-lethal measures, including Tasers and beanbag rounds, which were not effective, and one officer discharged their firearm, striking McGhee.

McGhee was transported to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where he remains in critical condition.

The officer who discharged the firearm was transported to New York-Presbyterian Westchester for evaluation. No injuries to that officer were reported. A second Emergency Service Unit officer was treated for an ear injury sustained during the incident.

At the request of the Mount Vernon Police Department, the New York State Police is conducting the investigation. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.

After the statement released by the NYS Police, Kenneth Chamberlain Jr, son of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr who was murdered by the White Plains police shared how this incident is painfully familiar.

“While every case is different and must be judged on its own facts, there are troubling similarities that cannot be ignored.

Once again, we have a person reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis, negotiations taking place, and an encounter that ended in the use of deadly force.” Chamberlain Jr shared with Black Westchester.

Stay tuned to Black Westchester for the latest developments. Continue checking back and refreshing this page, as we will update this story whenever new information becomes available.

BW News Brief: Mount Vernon Police Officer Shoots Armed Man During Mental Health Crisis

AJ Woodson
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BW News Brief: Mount Vernon Police Officer Shoots Armed Man During Mental Health Crisis

MOUNT VERNON — A Mount Vernon police officer shot 58-year-old Ulysses McGhee, who was armed with two knives and had barricaded himself inside an apartment during an apparent mental health crisis Thursday night, according to police.

Members of the Mount Vernon Police Department’s (MVPD) Emergency Services Unit (ESC) responded shortly before 10 p.m. to serve court-ordered mental health commitment papers at an apartment near Columbus Avenue and East Fourth Street.

Police said the man was armed, refused to comply with the order, and barricaded himself inside the apartment. Hostage negotiators and mental health professionals attempted to de-escalate the situation, while officers also used non-lethal methods without success.

According to a statement released by the City of Mount Vernon, upon arrival, ESU officers encountered an armed individual who refused to comply with the court order or be taken into custody. Officers immediately employed non-lethal tools in an effort to safely gain compliance. Those efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual subsequently barricaded himself inside the apartment.

Hostage negotiators and the Mount Vernon Police Department’s Wellness Division were then called to the scene. For several hours, hostage negotiations, de-escalation techniques, and wellness interventions were utilized in an effort to execute the commitment order. Despite these sustained efforts, the individual remained noncompliant.

After obtaining a warrant and exhausting negotiation efforts, at about 2:06 a.m., ESU officers entered the apartment. Police said the man continued threatening to harm himself and responding officers. After additional non-lethal efforts failed, an officer discharged a firearm.

McGhee was transported to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx for treatment. His condition was not immediately released.

While this may ultimately prove to have been a justified shooting, the statement released by the City of Mount Vernon was vague and left many residents with more questions than answers.

We understand the city’s need to acknowledge the incident and get ahead of the story. However, when officials are intentionally vague about a police shooting, they create an information vacuum. That vacuum is quickly filled with speculation, social-media commentary and people rushing to judgment before all the facts are known.

Kenneth Chamberlain Jr., co-founder of the Westchester Coalition for Police Reform, cautioned against doing exactly that when he spoke with Black Westchester. He stressed the importance of waiting for a thorough, independent investigation before reaching conclusions, while also recognizing that transparency from public officials is essential to maintaining the community’s trust.

“I don’t think anyone should be rushing to judgment, but if you read the department’s statement, it raises more questions than it answers,” Chamberlain Jr shared with Black Westchester. “We know there was a mental health response, we know negotiations took place, and we know an officer discharged their firearm. What we don’t know are the circumstances that led to that decision, which is why transparency is so important. Far too often, people pick a side before they know the facts. If the facts support the actions that were taken, then let the facts speak, but if they don’t, then accountability must follow.”

Statement by officials leaves residents with more questions than answers

As the New York State Police investigates Thursday night’s officer-involved shooting during a court-ordered mental health response in Mount Vernon, several important questions deserve clear answers. These questions are not intended to assign blame or reach a premature conclusion. They are necessary to promote transparency, accountability, and public understanding.

Was the individual armed? If so, what type of weapon did he possess, and what immediate threat did it present to officers, other occupants, or the public? If he was unarmed, what specific actions led officers to believe deadly force was necessary? Sources have told us that after the first posting, the individual was armed with two knives, but we have not been giving confirmation from MVPD.

Was anyone else in immediate danger? Reports indicate that the individual had barricaded himself inside an apartment. Were there hostages or other occupants inside? If no one else was at risk, what circumstances made an immediate entry necessary? We were able to confirm he was alone; his family was there, but they were outside.

What role did the Mount Vernon Police Department’s Wellness Division play? If crisis negotiators, mental health professionals, and Wellness Division personnel had been working to resolve the situation peacefully, what changed? Why did the response move from negotiation and de-escalation to forced entry?

Why didn’t the Mount Vernon Police Department request assistance from Westchester County’s Project Alliance for crisis intervention? Project Alliance was created in the aftermath of the 2011 fatal shooting of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. by White Plains police to provide specialized crisis response and de-escalation services. Based on the initial reports, this incident appears to be similar to the circumstances surrounding Mr. Chamberlain’s case. If that is true, why wasn’t Project Alliance activated or consulted before the situation escalated to the use of deadly force?

What crisis-intervention training had the responding officers received? Were members of the Wellness Division and Emergency Services Unit certified in Crisis Intervention Team training or another recognized de-escalation program? Who provided that training, and how frequently is it renewed?

Who made the decision to enter the apartment? Was the entry authorized by the incident commander, a supervising officer, or another official? What information and risk factors were considered before that decision was made?

What happened at the moment deadly force was used? Police officers generally do not wait for a separate command authorizing them to fire when they believe an immediate threat exists. Therefore, the public deserves to know which officer discharged the weapon, what threat that officer perceived, and whether the shooting was consistent with departmental policy and state law.

Were the officers’ body-worn cameras activated? If so, was all footage properly preserved, and will it be released in accordance with state law and departmental policy? Body-camera footage may provide crucial context that a written statement cannot.

What is the individual’s current condition? Is he still alive? How many times was he shot, and where on his body was he struck? As of the latest publicly available information, the City of Mount Vernon reported that the man was transported to a local hospital and was in stable condition, which indicates he was alive when that update was issued. However, officials have not publicly disclosed how many times he was shot, where he was struck, the extent of his injuries or whether his condition has changed since then. Those details are not insignificant. They could help the public better understand the level of force used, the nature of the perceived threat and what occurred when officers entered the apartment. Until the New York State Police or the City release more information, those questions remain unanswered.

What specific less-lethal methods were attempted? Police said non-lethal tactics were used before the officer fired. What tools or techniques were deployed, how many times were they attempted, and why did they fail? Mental health calls are among the most difficult and unpredictable situations officers face. They require officers to balance compassion, public safety and the safety of the person experiencing the crisis. That is precisely why transparency is essential.

Lastly and not least: Did the MVPD follow the recommendation of the DOJ Investigation

A thorough and independent investigation must answer not only what happened, but why officers made the decisions they made. Until those answers are provided, the public should avoid rushing to judgment—but the City of Mount Vernon must also understand that vague statements only create more questions, speculation, and distrust.

This is not the first time a resident experiencing a mental health crisis has been shot by the Mount Vernon Police Department. In 2014, Anthony Smith was shot multiple times during a mental health-related incident. More than a decade later, the public deserves to know: What lessons have been learned? What policies, training, or crisis intervention protocols have been implemented since then to prevent another tragedy? And if changes were made, why did this situation still end with the use of deadly force?

Black Westchester Magazine has previously reported that the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2024 investigation found systemic deficiencies within the Mount Vernon Police Department, including concerns involving training, supervision, accountability, and departmental policies. In fact, several findings in the DOJ report make these questions even more relevant—not because they prove anything about this incident, but because they identify systemic issues that warrant additional scrutiny. Those findings reinforce why the public deserves transparency and clear answers as the New York State Police conduct their independent investigation.

Stay tuned to Black Westchester for the latest developments. Continue checking back and refreshing this page, as we will update this story whenever new information becomes available.

****Update**** After our original report was published, the New York State Police released a more detailed statement regarding the officer-involved shooting. While the latest account answers several of the questions we raised, important questions remain. You can read the New York State Police’s full statement here.

Dr. Fauci, the Fifth Amendment, and the Questions America Still Deserves Answered

DAMON K JONES
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Dr. Fauci, the Fifth Amendment, and the Questions America Still Deserves Answered

Dr. Anthony Fauci’s recent appearance before Congress did not bring the answers many Americans were hoping to hear. Instead, it raised new questions.

The longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the public face of America’s COVID-19 response invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination rather than answer questions before the Senate. Let us be clear from the beginning: the Fifth Amendment is a constitutional protection. Every American has the right to invoke it, and exercising that right is not, by itself, proof of guilt.

But constitutional rights do not eliminate public accountability.

For years, Dr. Fauci stood at the center of decisions that affected virtually every American. Businesses closed. Schools shut down. Churches suspended services. Millions of workers faced vaccine mandates. Families were divided over public health policies. The federal government, public health officials, technology companies, employers, and media organizations all played significant roles in shaping what Americans could say, question, and do during one of the most extraordinary periods in modern history.

Many Americans who questioned aspects of the government’s COVID-19 response paid a price. Some doctors and scientists who challenged prevailing public health guidance said they faced professional consequences. Countless individuals reported being criticized, deplatformed, or labeled as spreading misinformation for raising questions about lockdowns, mandates, vaccine policies, or the origins of the virus. Whether every criticism was valid is a separate question. The point is that public debate often became narrower than many Americans believed it should have been.

That is why many people see an irony today.

Citizens who questioned government policy often found themselves publicly condemned for asking questions. Now, one of the government’s most prominent officials has chosen not to answer questions under oath by invoking a constitutional protection. The Constitution protects that choice, but Americans are equally justified in asking why the questions remain unanswered.

The discussion becomes even more complicated when considering President Joe Biden’s pardon of Dr. Fauci. A presidential pardon is a lawful constitutional power. At the same time, it has fueled public debate. Critics ask why a pardon was necessary and why, after receiving one, Fauci would still decline to answer questions before Congress. Legal experts point out that a pardon does not necessarily eliminate every potential legal concern, including possible state matters or issues that could arise from future testimony. Even so, the combination of a pardon and the invocation of the Fifth Amendment has understandably become part of the national conversation.

The COVID-19 vaccines remain another area where Americans continue to seek transparency. Billions of doses have been administered worldwide, and years of research have identified known risks, including rare cases of myocarditis, certain clotting disorders associated with specific vaccine platforms, and severe allergic reactions. At the same time, no one can honestly claim to know every possible long-term effect decades into the future because the vaccines have not existed for that length of time. Continued monitoring and research are both appropriate and necessary.

Science is strengthened by transparency, not weakened by it. Asking questions is not anti-science. In fact, questioning, testing, challenging, and verifying are foundational to the scientific process itself.

The public debate surrounding the vaccines also became a debate about individual liberty, government authority, and social pressure. If there was one public figure who became the face of the vaccine mandate era, it was Kyrie Irving. His decision not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine cost him the ability to play home games in New York City, millions of dollars in salary, and subjected him to relentless public criticism. He was portrayed by many as reckless, selfish, and anti-science, despite maintaining that his decision was a personal medical choice.

Whether one agreed with Irving’s decision is beside the point. His experience demonstrated how government mandates, league policies, corporate decisions, media narratives, and public opinion could converge to pressure individuals into making a medical decision. For many Americans, Kyrie Irving became the most recognizable symbol of the vaccine mandate era—an example of how compliance was often rewarded. At the same time, dissent carried significant personal, professional, and financial consequences.

The larger issue extends far beyond Dr. Fauci or one athlete. It is about trust.

Public trust cannot be sustained if citizens are expected to accept extraordinary government authority while public officials decline to explain the decisions that shaped those extraordinary measures. During the pandemic, Americans sacrificed businesses, careers, education, family gatherings, religious worship, and personal freedoms in ways unseen in generations. Many accepted those sacrifices because they believed they were acting on the best available information.

Now those same Americans deserve answers.

Accountability is not vengeance. Transparency is not persecution. Congressional oversight is not political theater when it seeks to understand decisions that affected hundreds of millions of lives. In a constitutional republic, public officials are entrusted with enormous authority, but that authority carries a responsibility to explain their actions to the people they serve.

Regardless of where one stands on COVID-19 policy, one principle should unite us all: Americans deserve honest answers, open debate, and institutions willing to earn—not demand—the public’s trust. That trust is built through transparency, accountability, and the willingness to answer difficult questions, especially when the stakes have been as high as they were during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BW News Brief: Vacant Mount Vernon Building Collapses, Damaging Parked Cars

AJ Woodson
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BW News Brief: Vacant Mount Vernon Building Collapses, Damaging Parked Cars

MOUNT VERNON — A vacant three-story building at 16 North Bond Street suffered a total structural collapse Thursday morning, crushing several parked vehicles and prompting the evacuation of two neighboring apartment buildings.

The collapse occurred between Mount Vernon Avenue and Oak Street while construction workers were shoring up the fire-damaged building as part of an approved stabilization project. Three workers who had been inside were taking a break near the rear of the property and escaped without injury.

“They were taking a break, luckily for them, they were in the rear of the building when the collapse happened,” Mount Vernon Fire Department Chief Rodney Samson said. “It was a pancaked collapse, so that means each floor just basically dropped straight down on each other.”

The building had been heavily damaged by a fire in 2023, and the property owner received permits late last year to perform structural work.

As a precaution, residents of the adjoining buildings at 14 and 18 North Bond Street were evacuated while city officials conducted interior and exterior structural assessments, including evaluations of the neighboring buildings and roofing systems. Residents have since been allowed to return.

Electric service, which was temporarily disconnected as a safety measure, has been restored, and the surrounding streets have reopened.

The Mount Vernon Department of Public Works will continue debris-removal operations. North Bond Street between Oak Street and Mount Vernon Avenue will be closed from 6:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. during the cleanup. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes and expect delays.

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation. City officials said additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

The Root Failed Black America: This Interview Asked the Questions—But Never Demanded the Answers

DAMON K JONES
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The Root Failed Black America: This Interview Asked the Questions—But Never Demanded the Answers

There is a unique responsibility that comes with being a Black-owned publication. It is not simply to interview elected officials or provide them another platform to repeat campaign promises. It is to ask the questions that millions of Black Americans would ask if they were sitting across the table themselves. That responsibility becomes even greater when the subject is the Mayor of New York City, whose policies will affect one of the largest urban Black populations in America. For that reason, I found Charles M. Blow’s recent interview with Mayor Zohran Mamdani to be a missed opportunity.

The interview covered many of the issues that dominate today’s political conversations. Affordability, universal child care, free bus service, housing, and public safety were all discussed at length. These are legitimate public policy issues, and no reasonable person would argue that they are unimportant. The problem is not that these subjects were discussed. The problem is that they were discussed almost entirely as universal policy goals rather than through the lens of what they specifically mean for Black Americans.

This distinction matters because every politician speaks about affordability. Every administration promises to make life easier for working families. Those are campaign themes, not a Black agenda. The question Black America has been asking for generations is much narrower and much more specific: How will your policies increase Black wealth, expand Black homeownership, grow Black-owned businesses, improve educational outcomes, and create safer communities where Black families can thrive? Those are not ideological questions. They are measurements of success.

Throughout the interview, Mayor Mamdani returned repeatedly to affordability as the answer to many of New York City’s problems. Charles M. Blow accepted that premise without demanding a more detailed explanation of how those policies would produce measurable gains for Black New Yorkers. Affordability may be part of the solution, but it is not, by itself, an economic strategy. It does not explain how wealth will be created. It does not explain how ownership will increase. It does not explain how Black businesses will gain greater access to capital or government contracts. Most importantly, it does not explain how the next generation of Black families will accumulate assets instead of simply reducing expenses.

That distinction is not academic. It goes to the heart of why Black Americans continue to trail the nation in household wealth despite decades of political promises. A family may receive temporary financial relief through government programs while never increasing its net worth. A renter may benefit from lower monthly housing costs while never acquiring the equity that transforms housing into generational wealth. A business owner, however, creates jobs. A homeowner builds equity. An investor builds assets. These are fundamentally different outcomes, and they require fundamentally different policies. Those questions should have driven the interview from beginning to end.

To Charles M. Blow’s credit, he asked Mayor Mamdani whether he would support cash reparations if New York City’s reparations commission ultimately recommended them. That was an important question. However, it also raises a larger one that was never explored. Mayor Mamdani is one of the Democratic Socialists of America’s highest-profile elected officials, and the DSA’s national politics have largely emphasized universal social and economic programs rather than a sustained, Black-specific reparations agenda in the way the interview framed it. While the organization has expressed support for reparations in various resolutions and statements, its broader platform is not centered on a comprehensive Black economic agenda built around homeownership, Black business development, or generational wealth. 

That makes the exchange even more significant. If reparations warranted a direct question, then Charles M. Blow should also have pressed for equally direct answers on Black homeownership, access to capital, Black-owned businesses, educational outcomes, and measurable wealth creation. Those are the issues that will determine whether Black New Yorkers are better off four years from now. It is also worth acknowledging the political context. The DSA’s membership has been reported to be overwhelmingly white, with internal surveys and analyses indicating Black members make up only a small share of the organization. That reality makes it even more important to ask how a movement with relatively limited Black membership intends to address the specific needs and priorities of Black Americans

Charles M. Blow did ask whether there should be a Black agenda. In many respects, that was the strongest question of the interview. Yet when the mayor answered by returning to universal affordability policies, the obvious follow-up questions never came. If affordability is the Black agenda, what measurable improvements should Black New Yorkers expect to see four years from now? How many additional Black homeowners? How many new Black-owned businesses? How much growth in Black household wealth? Without measurable objectives, broad political themes remain exactly that—broad political themes.

Black Americans deserve more than reassurance that general government programs will eventually benefit everyone. We deserve to know whether our communities will own more, earn more, save more, invest more, and pass more wealth to the next generation. That is the standard by which every elected official should be judged, regardless of party or ideology. It is also the standard by which Black journalism should hold those elected officials accountable

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