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Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers announced plans to expand gun violence prevention programs in response to a recent shooting at Hulme Park. The incident, which occurred on Sunday evening (July 20), involved a shooting during a basketball game, leaving a 37-year-old man injured. According to the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, two suspects, Anthony Guillen and Charles Clayton Jr., were apprehended and charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
The City will host a SNUG shooting response at Hulme Park on Wednesday (July 23) at 3:30 p.m. Mayor Flowers encourages community members to attend and voice their concerns. The SNUG program, which stands for "guns" spelled backward, is based on the Cure Violence Model. It aims to reduce gun violence by engaging at-risk youth through education and community outreach, as noted by Poughkeepsie Journal.
The SNUG initiative has been credited with mediating over 40 conflicts in recent weeks, preventing potential shootings. Mayor Flowers emphasized the importance of multiagency collaboration in reducing gun violence and highlighted the need for continued efforts to prevent further incidents.
Despite a decrease in gun violence due to these efforts, the recent shooting underscores the ongoing challenges. The City plans to continue working with the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police to increase patrols and enforcement, as reported by Spectrum Local News.