Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said the city is “actively looking into” a gun buyback program after the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Damon Murray last month.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“In response to the recent death in Hoboken, we’re actively looking into what’s called a gun buyback program in Hoboken,” Bhalla said at a candidate forum on Monday evening for the four people running for Congress in the 8th District.
Bhalla is running as a Democrat in the June 4th primary, where he looks to unseat U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8).
He did not elaborate on any additional details of the program and city spokeswomen did not return an email seeking comment on Tuesday.
If elected to the House, Bhalla also said he had four initiatives in mind: banning assault rifles, advocating for increased mental health services, strengthening background checks, and shoring up “red flag” laws that limits certain people from possession firearms.
“This is also a holistic-economic issue: When people don’t have the opportunities that they need economically, they have nowhere to go, and they go in a direction that leads to gun violence – it’s a much broader conversation – but these are four specific things that I’ll do as a member of Congress.”
Last week, Bhalla announced that Hoboken would be naming the gym at 605 Jackson St. after the late Murray, a Hoboken High School graduate who was a standout baseball and football player who ended up being a gridiron walk-on at Rutgers University.
The “Damon Murray Community Gym” will be dedicated at a date to be determined this summer.
In the wake of his killing, friends and family members have called on the city and police department to do more for underserved communities, with three council members suggesting to bring back a police precinct at the HHA.
Albert Morales, 33, of North Bergen, was charged with Murray’s murder by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office at the end of last month.
Maybe if Ravi didn’t require an armed security FORCE, we would have more patrols in the area by the HHA
A Gun buyback program from is already in place in the state as well as NYC.
Oh no. Ravi will do anything he can to distract t from the other request, to have actual teen activities that bring all teens in town togetger this summer. You did great quoting Alec as asking why. But now you can ask why?. The city will time and time again throw anything out there to avoid answering why they will NOT expand summer re reaction programming for teens. Guns is only part of what’s happening. They want to keep Housimg residents to Housing and not have any summer recreation program to allow them with others , this is not just Alex getting tired of asking why. THIS IS every dad and mom for every summer now If your going to get rid of Leo and promise new music and arts programming for teens every summer (see their nj.com quotes promising when they hired 2-3 people in recreation) and you really want to get away with not letting uou’re political hires work summers this is how to do it. Alex is tired of asking why. Leo and Jane are tired of asking why. Even Phil must be tired. I see of press releases to stop you from asking, can the press ask why? Teen. Together. Recreation. Programs. Summer. Not just in Housing. Nothing new has been added since Leo left! In the opinion of this parent they don’t answer you. Growing up in Hoboken we had so much more for teens. Ravi wasn’t here but we were, Why have they forgotten our kids every summer?
The gun that killed Damon Murray was by all accounts was brought to Hoboken and the Housing Authority by Albert Morales from North Bergen and a gun buy back would have had no effect .
How much are the guns bought for? Also not sure if it’s related but after this comment above went up, Emily suddenly posted that the Housing camp community life styles is taking applications. Teeheehee!!! The city will avoid having a new teen summer program through re reaction at all costs and only have a Housing program. Has anyone ever tried to meet or seen Jessica Lescano. She doesn’t appear at council meetings I’ve seen. I would like her to address why our teens in housing can never have a new program with teens in the Bexley for example . Just stop keeping separate teen programs and just once add a fun program via rec forALL all teens to enjoy this summer. They could play music, dance, whatever. It’s harder to keep lying isn’t it?
The man who was murdered had access and took advantage of many programs.