Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced on Sept. 25 that Brooklyn has been designated as one of 78 communities across 47 states and territories under a new federal initiative aimed at reducing intimate partner gun violence.
The designation, under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, will bring enhanced federal resources and prosecution efforts to combat domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms, according to a press release.
The Justice Department, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), will develop a targeted strategy to address intimate partner violence and prioritize the prosecution of offenders prohibited from owning firearms under federal law.
The Brooklyn initiative is part of a broader nationwide effort by the Justice Department to reduce domestic violence-related gun crimes. Communities were selected based on data and local interest in partnering with federal authorities to leverage resources and tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g), which prohibits domestic violence offenders from possessing firearms.
In the EDNY, the initiative will bolster ongoing collaboration between federal agencies, local law enforcement, and nonprofit organizations such as The Salvation Army and Restore NYC. It will also enhance partnerships with the New York State Office of Victim Services and the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, which operates the city’s Family Justice Centers.
“We will continue to use every tool and resource available to address domestic violence in our communities and hold violent actors accountable,” said Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “Strong community partnerships are key to our ability to meaningfully engage in this endeavor, and we thank all of our partners for their untiring efforts.”
The ATF will play a critical role in enforcing firearms laws.
“Community safety is our top priority, and combatting prohibited firearms possession by domestic abusers is another way we prevent violent gun crime within our communities,” said Bryan Miller, ATF Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division.
