Councilmember Taplin Statement on Shootings in Southwest Berkeley

September 24, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“It has been just 20 days since my last statement on a shooting in District 2. I am heartbroken by the news of two more shootings in our community last night, with one that sent a young girl to the hospital. I am relieved to hear that her injuries were not life-threatening, but deeply upset by the senseless pain and suffering.

I am grateful to the Berkeley Police Department and EMTs for their rapid response, and to Berkeleyside for diligently reporting and giving a voice to communities afflicted by the ongoing surge in gun violence. I am calling on all my colleagues on the City Council to work together to address our public safety crisis. This violence is a cancer. We have a responsibility to our constituents to act. Failing to do so has real world consequences.

I am looking forward to the issuance of a Request For Proposals (RFP) for $135,000 in Prop 64 funds for violence prevention programs at next week’s City Council meeting. I am also looking forward to advocating for automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and a prohibition on ghost guns at future meetings of the Public Safety Policy Committee. The City’s resources may be finite, but the political will for peace and justice in our community is indefatigable. My neighbors and I work too hard to have it this hard. If you or a loved one are experiencing violence in the community, please contact the violence prevention services of Voices Against Violence, and reach out to the Covenant Church on San Pablo Avenue.”

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