FebruFriday, October 13, 2006
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
In the wake of a nun's car being hit by crossfire in a Jersey City shootout, officials yesterday said that although gun assaults in the city are down from last year there are just too many guns on the streets.
"Any shooting concerns us and this is just another example of an innocent victim, this time it happens to be a nun, subjected to random acts of violence," Jersey City Police Chief Tom Comey said.
"It's a problem we face daily in inner cities because of the leniency (of gun laws) in other states."
Comey said there were 19 shooting-related aggravated assaults in September 2005 and 14 in September of this year.
On Wednesday, Sister Carol Van Billiard was in her car at Wilkinson and Ocean avenues when a gunfight broke out and one of the rounds hit her car fender. She was not hurt in the shooting.
Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio also said weak gun laws in other states are part of the problem.
"Certainly homicides are down as well, but it is not acceptable that innocent people are put at risk anywhere in Hudson County," DeFazio said. "We have been saying over and over again that semiautomatic pistols are too easily available in the illegal stream of commerce."
Mayor Jerramiah Healy blamed the federal government.
"Our efforts (to control guns) can only be fully realized when the federal government joins us and addresses what truly is a federal legislative shortcoming: The lack of real gun control unilaterally in all of these United States."
Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson said the city should keep close tabs on shootings and respond accordingly.
"You identify a target area, monitor the shootings, and send in a response team." she said. "The mayor has assured me the city will be on board."
Journal staff writer Ken Thorbourne contributed to this report.
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