MOUNT VERNON, NY – Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16) issued the following statement following the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old girl on Friday afternoon. 

“This is devastating and heartbreaking. I want to send my deepest condolences to the loved ones of the young girl who senselessly lost her life and chance to realize her bright future Friday afternoon,” Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16) shared with Black Westchester. “Her passing is unconscionable and should not have happened. It begs the question of how this could have been prevented. It is also troubling that this was done by another 15-year-old girl, who now lost her future. Two families and the entire community are grieving deeply.”

“The senseless violence must end immediately, and we must take every step to keep our young people safe and alive. How could this incident have been avoided?  What did we know beforehand? What more could have been done to prevent this? We must work together to put a systematic plan in place to prevent incidents like this from happening again.That is the work we are all charged to do.” 

“As a father, educator and former school principal, I know that many of our kids are hurting. Our whole community must rally to be violence interrupters. Our kids are hurting and vulnerable to life altering mistakes. They are expressing their hurt on social media, in school hallways, and throughout the community. We have to listen, step up, and be there for them. They need guidance, support, care, hope, and lots of love. Their families need support as well because oftentimes generational trauma is what we see playing out amongst our youth. We cannot look the other way, it’s time for us to lean all the way in. The lives of our children depend on it.”