It’s been two months since 16-year-old Angellyh Yambo was shot and killed while walking home from school. Her death, and those of many others, have lawmakers and young people planning several actions Wednesday, including a march outside of Angellyh’s school.
Since Angellyh’s death, the state of New York has passed a bundle of legislation that strengthens the state’s already strict gun laws.
But in the months since Angellyh was killed, more violence has broken out across the country from a racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo to a school shooting in Uvalde that killed 19 third and fourth graders.
Some leaders have been calling on action at the federal level that would impact the entire country. The House of Representatives is expected to debate the Protecting Our Kids Act, which in part would raise the age to get semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21.
Both of the alleged shooters in Uvalde and Buffalo were 18-years-old and they were believed to have used semi-automatic rifles in the massacres.
Mayor Eric Edams will be going to testify before Congress Wednesday about gun violence. The mayor has tried to battle guns in the city since taking office through things like increasing police patrols and expanding youth programs.
South Bronx students will march alongside Rep. Ritchie Torres and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson to call for an end to gun violence in schools.
Read More: NYC leaders, communities calling for action on nationwide gun law restrictions