Vigil Set In Hudson Valley For Gun Violence Victims

WHITE PLAINS, NY — There will be a vigil Monday in Westchester County for the recent victims of gun violence. The vigil, whose sponsors include Indivisible Westchester, Moms Demand Action and March for Our Lives Lower Hudson Valley, will be held at 7 p.m. at 456 North St. in White Plains.

The gathering is in reaction to a week of gun violence, starting with the mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival July 28 and ending with two shootings that occurred with hours of each other: the Saturday shooting at a crowded Walmart in El Paso, Texas, and Sunday at a popular area for nightlife in Dayton, Ohio.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement that he was sorry New Yorkers live in a country with a federal government that allows shootings like these to happen and does nothing.

"Our country is under attack from within, and continuing to ignore what is happening around us will only lead to more bloodshed and more tragedy — all of it preventable," he said.

"This insanity must stop and it must stop now," Cuomo said. "Those who are unwilling to do anything about it are complicit. I am sick of the excuses. I don't want to hear 'we can't' — because we know we can, you just 'don't'."

Westchester County Executive George Latimer ordered flags to half-staff in honor of the victims of the El Paso and Dayton shootings.

"In the span of hours, our nation once again is reeling from the news of scores of fellow citizens — in two separate incidents — being killed at the hands of a person with an agenda and a gun," he said in a prepared statement.

"This is not normal, and this is not OK." Latimer said.

In light of shootings, Latimer has directed the Department of Public Safety to increase communication with local police departments in Westchester and provide any needed support they request. In response, intelligence bulletins from the New York State Intelligence Center and the County Police were shared earlier Monday with local law enforcement through the Real Time Crime Center. RTC will continue to monitor developments throughout the day and share that information with local law enforcement as needed.

Although there is no indication of any threats in this region, Westchester County Police are also assessing the need for increased patrols in Mount Kisco and Cortlandt, the two communities where the county police provide municipal police service.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day, who is a former law enforcement commander, commended the police officers in El Paso and Dayton for their quick response to the acts of terrorism.

"Their actions were nothing less than heroism in its purest form," he said in a statement sent to Patch.

"That said, it is long past time for our federal level of government to engage in an honest and forthright conversation about gun violence. We must all recognize that there are various issues at play which should be addressed holistically and not in a piecemeal fashion. Failure to recognize these issues and discuss them rationally would be an extreme disservice to the victims of these heinous acts; they would have died in vain," Day said.

Flags in the Village of Mamaroneck will be flown at half-staff beginning Monday in memory of the victims of gun violence.

"Hopefully a day will come when the leaders of our nation will protect citizens from random massacres committed by hate-filled lunatics armed with weapons of war," said Mamaroneck Village Mayor Thomas Murphy.

"Leaders aren't elected to offer 'thoughts and prayers'; they are put in office to solve problems," he said said in a statement. "If I were to offer a prayer, it would be to elect leaders who aren't cowards and who will protect the people of the United States."

Ossining School Superintendent Raymond Sanchez sent a letter via email to his community regarding the events from the weekend.

"These types of events strike fear in the hearts of every parent/guardian," he said. "As school leaders, we want to assure the Ossining community that the safety and well-being of students and staff is our highest priority."

He included a link with resources to help parents and guardian help their children to deal with tragedy.

In the email, he gave the following advice:

Tips for Talking to Children in Trauma

Children are just as affected as adults are affected by a disaster or traumatic event. Some may be affected even more, but no one realizes it. Without intending to, we, as parents, may send our children a message that it is not all right to talk about the experience. This may cause confusion, self-doubt and feelings of helplessness for a child. Children need to hear that it is normal to feel frightened during and after a disaster or traumatic event. When you acknowledge and normalize these feelings for your children, it will help them cope with their experience and move on.

Following exposure to a disaster or traumatic event, children are likely to show signs of stress. Signs include sadness and anxiety, outbursts and tantrums, aggressive behavior, a return to earlier behavior that was outgrown, stomachaches and headaches and an ongoing desire to stay home from school or away from friends. These reactions are normal and usually do not last long. Whether your child is a preschooler, adolescent or somewhere in between, you can help your child by following the suggestions below.

Preschooler

• Stick to regular family routines.
• Make an extra effort to provide comfort and reassurance.
• Avoid unnecessary separations.
• Permit a child to sleep in the parents' room temporarily.
• Encourage expression of feelings and emotions through play, drawing, puppet shows, and storytelling.
• Limit media exposure.
• Develop a safety plan for future incidents.

Elementary-Age Children

• Provide extra attention and consideration.
• Set gentle but firm limits for acting out behavior.
• Listen to a child's repeated telling of his/her trauma experience.
• Encourage expression of thoughts and feelings through conversation and play.
• Provide home chores and rehabilitation activities that are structured, but not too demanding.
• Rehearse safety measures for future incidents.
• Point out kind deeds and the ways in which people helped each other during the disaster or traumatic event.

Preadolescents and Adolescents

• Provide extra attention and consideration.
• Be there to listen to your children, but don't force them to talk about feelings and emotions.
• Encourage discussion of trauma experiences among peers.
• Promote involvement with community recovery work.
• Urge participation in physical activities.
• Encourage resumption of regular social and recreational activities.
• Rehearse family safety measures for future incidents.

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