New York – “Sixteen years ago today, the
City Council lost one of our own in a senseless killing inside City Hall.
Brooklyn Council Member James E. Davis, a 41-year old former police officer and
outspoken anti-violence advocate, was assassinated during a Council Stated
meeting. Today, the Council honored James’s memory in a moment of silence and
recommitted ourselves to fighting against all forms of violence. His death was
a terrifying reminder that gun violence can occur at any place and any time and
to any person.

“At the Council, we remember James today
and on many days. The Council Member’s Lounge, where we gather for everything
from budget negotiations to holiday parties, bears his name. The Lounge also
has a plaque in his honor. He will always live on in the hearts of his family,
friends, former colleagues and here in City Hall, the place where he worked to
improve the lives of his constituents.

“Rest in power, James. You are gone but
not forgotten.”

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