Cuomo Declares State of Emergency in New York Over Gun Violence

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency amid an outbreak of gun violence Tuesday, outlining a 7-point plant to combat gun violence in the state. The plan, which costs $138.7 million, will create an office of gun violence prevention within the state Health Department and collect weekly data about each incident of gun violence. A majority of the money will also create approximately 21,000 jobs and programs for communities considered to be at risk for high levels of gun violence.“Gun violence and crime should be the top priority for every mayor in this state because every city has been affected by it,” Cuomo said Tuesday, adding that gun violence affects the state's economic recovery. This comes after 51 people were shot in New York over Independence Day weekend; a total of at least 150 people were killed in acts of gun violence across the nation over the holiday weekend. 

The story received wide coverage from across the political spectrum. Some voices from the right remarked that Cuomo's speech Tuesday sounded like a campaign pitch. Some outlets on the right also mentioned the fact that Cuomo faces allegations of sexual harassment and covering up nursing home deaths from COVID-19. Outlets on the left and center tended to focus on the recent gun violence in New York and across the nation, sometimes framing it as indicative of a need for stricter gun control laws.