Gun Violence Prevention Town Hall Coming To Bayside Church

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — In the wake of several high-profile mass shootings, a church in Bayside is holding a town hall on preventing gun violence.

All Saints Episcopal Church is organizing a town hall meeting titled "Now What? Stopping Gun Violence in Our Communities" from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24.

The hybrid meeting, which will be held in-person at the 40th Avenue church and over Zoom, is a chance for neighbors to hear from and ask questions of gun violence prevention experts and join together in solidarity.

"No place is immune from gun violence," the church's rector, Laurence Byrne, said in a statement. "Many are left feeling powerless and anxious as a result, myself included."

"Hosting this town hall is our way of helping our community take action and provide our neighbors with information and advice on how to cope with, address and prevent gun violence."

Organizers said "national, regional and local experts" will speak at the town hall on topics including gun reform legislation, gun violence as a public health concern, mental health and gun violence, law enforcement strategies in response to gun violence and the moral obligation to address gun violence.

The list of speakers remains unspecified as of the time of this article's publication.

Bayside has seen a couple instances of gun violence this year, including two shootings that left teenagers with injuries — incidents that prompted neighbors and local politicians to call for gun violence prevention measures.

The gun violence town hall also comes amid All Saints Episcopal Church's yearlong 130th anniversary celebration, during which the church has recommitted itself to local social engagement efforts.

All Saints has had a presence in Queens since the 1860s, according to its website, and has stood on the corner of 40th Avenue and 215th Street in Bayside since 1892.