June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month and on Friday, it kicked off for the five boroughs on the steps of City Hall. 

The event was meant to publicize the city’s efforts to spread awareness of gun violence. 

According to the NYPD, there were 974 shootings in 2023, that's down from 1,294 the year before. 

First deputy mayor of New York City, Sheena Wright, says the city has been making upstream investments including in education to prevent gun violence. 

“The moment that a young person, or an older person picks up a gun and points it at someone, it is because that community has been disinvested in.  Because the schools have been disinvested in, because there hasn’t been after school programs, because there hasn’t been appropriate and affordable housing, because there haven’t been job opportunities.  That leads to a lack of hope,” she said.   

Those at the event who have been affected by gun violence directly say this is not just a month for them.   

“We are a part of this movement every day of our lives.  And so what you see here today is strength, what you see here today is not the norm,” Oresa Napper-Williams, who lost her son, Andrell, to gun violence, told the crowd. 

Events for gun violence awareness month will be taking place in June throughout the five boroughs, you can click here for a list of events.