Communities, especially the ones dealing with these awful shootings all too often, want to get these guns off the street; they want the police to catch the bad guy. The problem lies in how. Policing tactics, such as Stop, Question and Frisk, have alienated the very communities they’re used in because residents feel profiled and mistreated. But surprisingly, many of our viewers don’t want to get rid of the policy, but rather reform it. In our snap poll today, 42% of our viewers said they want to expand the policy, 16% said maintain it and another 42% said reform it. So it seems to me that New Yorkers seem willing to cooperate with police, if they are respected back in return.

The recent spate of high-profile shootings continued last night during a basketball game at Harlem's famed Rucker Park. Five men were shot after a fight erupted during the popular Entertainers Basketball Classic. Attendees tell NY1 they were patted down by security and had their bags checked when the night began. No arrests have been made.

The shooting comes days after a 24-year-old opened fire in a crowded movie theater outside Denver, and four-year-old Lloyd Morgan was killed in the crossfire of a gunfight near a playground in the Bronx. The shootings have sparked a national debate on gun control laws. Locally, some elected officials are softening their opposition to the NYPD's controversial Stop, Question And Frisk policy. What do you say?

What's your reaction to last night's shooting in Harlem? What is the best way to combat gun violence? Should Stop, Question and Frisk be influenced by the recent spate of shootings?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

The solution is three fold: better parents. better schools and a better philosophy. Notice that I didn't say Bloomberg schools; I said better schools.

One big issue that would take a revolution to resolve is for many, many parents simply not to have children. It's not the children's fault that they have crappy parents, but it is the parents fault if they have crappy children. Some people are simply not equipped mentally, morally, physically, philosophically or financially to have children.

Another part of the problem is that for thousands of years, religion has more or less damned people if they don't have children. Some churches expect birthing children in quantity. Churches put the pressure on to give birth to more followers who will tithe their 10%. And governments want more children so they can grow into taxpayers.

Joe
Port Richmond

I don't like the stop/frisk because it promotes racial profiling. And then they are arrested for carrying small amounts of drugs. What we need is tighter gun control laws, and we need to address the issues that lead people into violence: inequality, poverty, mental illness...

Barri
Jackson Heights

This is the point many of us were trying to get across and that was to Stop, Question and Frisk and everyone got all bent out of shape. We were called all kind of names that it was invading ones privacy. What they should do is close the parks at night. When you start taking away privileges from the citizens which most do not contribute to at all [financially] most things are free bees but someone has to pay for them. Everything is free and the ones that pay indirectly one way or another don't even have a say in it.

This Mayor backed off with the Occupy Wall Street, He backed off when the kids all said that if they didn't get free transportation to school they wouldn't go to school and this big shot Mayor stands up their now trying to make points with the situation we have concerning weapons and we have had this problem for ever and ever and it's usually with illegal weapons.

There was one person including a few others but I will talk about this Gillibrand in particular If she came from up-state New York she has weapons and believes in them but they meaning the political suits all took her to a lunch in a fancy restaurant and by the time she finished she started thinking about weapons the same way that all the other politicians do in this State.

Talk about flip flopping.

ALL OF YOU SO CALLED BIG SHOTS HAVE ALL THE SECURITY THAT ANYONE COULD OR WOULD EVER NEED SO BACK OFF WITH ALL OF YOUR INSULTING AND SARCASTIC REMARKS.

ANOTHER ONE THAT CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK TODAY IS JESSIE JACKSON, HE'S IN COLORADO. I MEAN WHAT FOR. GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY.

Maxxiee
Morris Park

At this point there isn't much left to be said that hasn't been covered over the last week about this topic. Yeah no one should have guns, yeah minority communities are full of animals, yeah it's all because of television and music. But seriously on this one, where was the Police presence at? Wanting to go around and stopping people at random seems to be their only method of preventing these types of crimes, but seriously with the current climate wouldn't have been a prudent idea to have some patrol cars at yet another outdoor basketball game? I mean I know the Rucker Park games are so underground that nobody has ever heard of it, but at this point shouldn't the Police just stop and hang around a large gathering of people just as a deterrent? Maybe the NYPD is too busy guarding theaters showing Rise of the Dark Knight and playing spy in their safe houses in New Jersey. Maybe they should have these game in Zuccotti Park, they'll have the place surrounded then.........

RL
The Bronx

A society that has a history of violence, like we have in this country, has to contain that propensity by means of educational efforts and enacting laws which will control the easy access to guns.

Felix
Bay Ridge

If any event ever spoke more loudly for the need to continue stop, question, and frisk, this is it. And no one opposed to the policy can complain too loudly -- this is an event right out of the heart of the community that most benefits from stop, question, and frisk.

Bruce
Upper West Side

Apparently these thugs have no respect for themselves or anyone else as long as innocent bystanders are not harmed in the crossfire I say let them kill each other and let God sort it out.

Terry
Queens

The violence was terrible and I think the gunman is pathetic. Only law enforcers should use firearms. I believe that no citizen needs to possess any kind of weapon. The past violent attacks should remind anyone that police officers are well trained to use firearms and would shoot directly an attacker. An ordinary person would shoot at any direction and point. Many firearms are made as assault weapons to cause deliberate and intentional harm to people. NRA knows this for sure.

CARL (Captain Keyboard)
CONEY ISLAND

PEOPLE NEED TO STOP WITH THIS NONSENSE OF NOT DOING ANYTHING, BECAUSE EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY IS VIEWED AS RACISM. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE OF ALL RELIGIOUS AND RACIAL MAKEUP HAVE TO DIE?????? WHY NOT THROW A BOMB THAT WE'LL DESTROY ALL PEOPLES IN ALL COUNTRIES AND START ALL OVER AGAIN!!

BETTER LUCK NEX.T TIME!!! I'LL TAKE ANIMALS OVER HUMAN BEINGS ANY DAY

OLGA

My thoughts on this are that this is going to lead to RACE WARS!! The more the liberal/mainstream media keeps ignoring and pooh-poohing this, does a great disservice to everyone, doesn't matter their skin color and race!!

As per the "cries" that there weren't enough police around is the same old story. When incidents like this in black communities take place, they have a problem with the police intervening and making arrests!!

For example: Two weekends ago, with the incident in Springfield Gardens in Queens, in which three were executed and 63 shots fired, if it had been the police shooting that many bullets, the "activists" would been screaming for their heads and demanding justice, but because, it's black on black, no one made noise, nor cared!!

Cecilia
East Williamsburg

I find it unbelievable that most of the people in the neighborhoods where the shootings are taking place are against the "Stop & Frisk" policy.

Debbie
Flushing

We need to bring back the gun by back program in all boro's. we need more programs, after school activities for youths and continue the stop and frisk program.

Mykal
Brooklyn

We should all follow Newark's Mayor Corey Booker's example. He went on neighborhood patrols with his fellow neighborhood residents and set the bar high. Violence dropped substantially in Newark since he took office. Why can Mayor Bloomberg, who talks the talk -- and I applaud him for at least being a staunch advocate of gun control -- but he never walks the walk.

Gretchen
Upper West Side

The fact is we are a culture of violence. We romanticize war and give our kids toy guns for the holidays. We build a censoring apparatus that bans the display of a breast, but is fine with showing a movie with shootouts and kids murdering each other in a game of death. Not to mention video games. Change the culture of violence and the laws on guns will follow.

Frank
Sunset Park

NYPD should go "high-tech" to search for guns in the streets. Use covert detection devices. Slap the thugs who prey on the liberties of law-abiding citizens with serious penalties.

D.
Harlem

1. BRING BACK THE GUN BUY BACK PROGRAMS IN ALL BORO'S (THEY SHOWN TO HAVE WORK IN THE PAST)
2. MORE ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS AND YOUTHS
3. CONTINUE THE STOP AND FRISK

DENNIS
BROOKLYN

In the 50-60s switch blades were made illegal and that didn’t stop the teenage gangs from knifing each other. So why are we thinking that banning hand guns will stop the killing. Rigorous controls will help but not will certainly not end the killing.

Hank
Manhattan

There is a disorder that some children have that has a long name that means "fear of nothing."

These individuals are like the little girl who walked out onto the air conditioner and had no fear of heights, or of falling or of getting hurt. These children if untreated grow up to fear nothing. They don't fear bullets, death, jail, nothing. The guns are already in the hands of these people who are not afraid of consquences at all. At this very moment the shooters go unfazed by someone else's loss or pain so if people thing that they care about the pain that they are causing I am sad too say that the perpertrators wear these killings as a badge of honor. "If, If", these animals even look at shows like The Call the are laughing at the tears on the faces of the mothers who have lost their children.

When these children are toddlers they are mean and aggressive kids and people just poo-poo their behavior.

Oh they will grow out of it...well no they don't! Those little bullies grow up to be 17 year old bullies. Society needs to identify and treat or if they are not treatable then at least keep them in mental facilities where they can't hurt the public. We are a day late and a dollar short. Stop passing the buck and see the problem for what it is!

Kathy
Throggs Neck

every since they stop, stop and frisk, the crime went up. I believe they should stop letting people buy guns period. I do not agree with its just culture it just people being igorant and selfish. Major bloomberg needs to step in.

Leena
Far Rockaway

NYPD makes it hard for NYS Security Guards to move up to NYS Armed Guard. The Security Guards are not trained properly. The people with legal guns are not the ones that are killing people its the illegal guns. Kids how are kids getting the guns. It's sad. I am so disappointed in NYC.

Nicole
Harlem

When I was growing up on the Ridgewood/Bushwich border back in the 60's early 70's! If I did something wrong, my mother would find out about it before I would get home. Community policing itself! Of course a neighbor new a neighbor who knew my mother.
It was different back then. There was scores to pay back when I was growing up, but not with a bullet! The guns are to easy to obtain and the neighbors are afraid of the youth today. Its so different today!

Chuck
Queens

I agree with Frank from Sunset Park that we are a violence oriented society, glorifying it in movies, games, toys etc.

Elizabeth

SO THE SOLUTION TO THIS GUN PROBLEM IS TO STOP AND FRISK EVERY BLACK AND LATINO MEN IN THE CITY AND YET THE PEOPLE SELLING THE GUNS KEEP FYING UNDER THE RADAR.

PEDRO
BRONX

Number one this is a very public basketball game dat goes on and for police not to b present on the scene its unbelievable this tournement is high profile ..but police wants to patrol corner stores and places that doesn't have anything goin on its jus a waste

Djnu
Bedford-Stuyvesant

Its about time people start standing up for themselves. Too many young folk are dying for nothing...

You oppose "STOP AND FRISK" now this is the result. You can't have it both ways.

Where is the community leaders, oh I remember they can't sue the shooter(s), the shooter has to be wealthy or the police department

Raphael

If they really want to stop the violence they would change the conversation from what to do "after the fact" to what in fact has caused the violence in the first place - and then DEAL WITH IT! The problem is, they don't want to "stop the violence" - they want their "laws passed" in the name of "violence". And are standing on the "victims" as their platform. It works like a charm..smh

America is sick and we are not addressing the root of the problem. We are just being reactionary. We're running around trying to put out small fires on a boat that is sinking. We live in a violent culture. You can't expect much different from the people, in a country that is constantly at war.

Mike
Queens

The African-American community created this situation. No one can stop the violence in the black community, but the community itself. They need to stop waiting for others to solve a problem that they created. These communilty lack values and educated parents who understand their roles as parents. The parents created the madness that's taking place because they refused to parent their children. Poverty has nothing to do teaching and guide children in the way they should go. They need to clean up the mess themselves and stop waiting for others that includes the media.

Obama should try to pass a law where guns shouldn't be sold police should have only tazers and they would take 3 cops with tazers and 1 with a hidden gun and ask for any weapons and they can give it to the army people who need it one way to prevent shoot outs is to at least stop selling bullets

Jason

When everyone is allowed to carry weapons (and not only the thugs and law enforcement) there will be less violence.

Everyone will think twice before causing any sort of trouble.

Heidi

This is a minority problem happening in the black and hispanic communities. I'm an african american female and I'm sick and tired of seeing a shootout in the our community each night. I think the community of color needs to take some responsibility and speak out against this violence. Or, are we jusr animals? Similarly, where are the so called black leaders - Sharpton, Barron and Jesse - when you need them to lead?

Tracey

How can we deal with the problem of Guns when we can't stop the flow of drugs?

Peggy
Harlem

Poverty, despair and hopeless make the unholy trinity that is causing all this rage and violence in the minority communities. Bloomberg has worked very, very hard during his reign of feudalism to disenfranchise and disown the poor. He has cut programs that helped minority youth have some kind of hope and focus; he has destroyed the school system because he wants to privatize the schools. He has given his real estate and Wall Street buddies Manhattan on a plate. We need a total as in total change of regime.

Frances
East Village

1) make it extremely difficult to own a gun throughout the country (every state should have the same strick laws for gun owners)

2) teacher, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles , cops should search every child on a regular basis for years and turn in all guns found (I bet it would be in the tenths of thousands)

3) death penalty within a year of commiting such a crime (not wait 20 years)

Jose

i blame the mayor and kelly, with there whole idea of do more with less. the police department is down thousands of cops since 2001. the police need more help and cops on the beat. and its only gonna get worse with many more hitting there 20 years soon from being hired off the early 90's hirings.

Rob
Queens

This is a testament to the effectiveness of the NYPD's policy of "Stop and Frisk". Apparently, shooting deaths are down, yet shootings are up.

Being a Black man living in this community, why is it that the Bloomberg and Kelly are so averse to allowing men in their own community to patrol and police the community? It is done with the Hasidic community in Brooklyn.

Why is it that mature Black men cannot begin to police their own community? What gives one community preference over another, esp. when one community has a severe issue with violence?

K
Harlem

Forget it, decent life is over.

As a child of the 60, 70's the only time we thought of, saw or knew of guns and shootings was war.

I grew up, became a NYPD dispatcher, worked with cops and saw arsonals of confiscated weapons and guns daily.

Any day of the week guns were retrieved from youths as young as 12.

Cops are scared too.

The was things are now, I except to die any day from a robbery, a drive by, or random shooting.

Now I run home quickly and hole myself up in my apartment as much as possible. I hope I have a few years of life left at this rate.

I am an African-American male 58yrs of age. We blackmen have failed our communities. Not all blackmen have failed the community but far to many have. Black women arent shooting, black male youth are the problem. Fatherless boys. I challenge not just the black leadership but every blackman to speak to our sons, and nephews. Encourage picking up a book instead of having to prepare for a dead end future where you willl need a gun to kill your community.

Brother Rudolph

The root of the problem is firearm possession. Revoke the right to bear arms and cause some serious gun reform. The only ones who should have firearms are our protectors such as the armed forces or local law enforcement. There have been so many murders that could be prevented if our government officials would just take our lives seriously and pass some laws that will change our way of life. How many people have to fall under firearms before our government takes real action? Violence has been a part of our way of life for way too long.

Vincent
Staten Island

People need to stop being upset with the police, taking away the stop and frisk program does nothing but give people a way to carry guns. Guns don't walk the street on their own, people carry guns. Help them, help us, our kids and our future.

John B.
Brooklyn

I run a basketball league and after hearing about the shooting last night I stayed up all night thinking about how to protect the players and audience.

Three things I recommend- Mayor Bloomberg put camera in the high risk park , especially during the summer basketball season.
Having the public speaking is sometimes a 50/50 chance

Two have the basketball community come together to set a code of conduct for the players and audience

Three Give children more options

James Mc
Brooklyn

All this violence is the result of poverty and warehousing. Poor families living on top of one another in public housing. black fathers are no where to be seen. there's also been a lot of talk about snitching. the police have the blue wall of silence,yet they want communities to snitch. Practice what you preach!!

The stop and frisk program is necessary in these communities to get guns off the streets, community leaders and politicians should come together to support the NYPD stop and frisk program, such program is not about profiling specific group of people or racism, it is about the reality of young people dying because of guns and violence on the street. We also need tougher laws to punish these criminals.

Ana
Jackson Heights

High Crime neighborhoods MUST be patrolled regularly (police on FOOT patrol) and the laws enforced in high crime areas . . . and people have to stop squawking about who's being "stopped and frisked", profiled, etc. -- IF you have nothing to hide: There's nothing to hide . . . PERIOD! . . . These kids should not be dying . . . it's crazy.

Carmine B.
Lower East Side

These immature youths have access to tons of weapons. Stop and frisk randomly at any event of more than 50 people and watch who gets out of the line.

Darrell
North Harlem

there is a certain race who keeps fighting to STOP the checking of people, they call it something like "stop and frisk". I was FOR the Stop and Frisk, I think thats the right thing the police department does but this certain race don't like it, maybe there is a reason.

Ruth

I look at the shooting last night, the recent shootings and I see black people shooting black people and I see cops trying to stop and frisk a variety of people and they are being deterred...had these men been stopped and frisked, these events might not have happened. I understand that we have bad white, chinese, indian people...but, if the police are seeing violence first hand by black thugs, why should it be ignored? In my opinion Al Sharpton doesn't care about you, he cares about being your spokesperson, he wants to be on tv to criticize the police, but I don't hear him supplying a solution. I know that the police are not perfect but they do risk threir lives every day, they are in areas where they have 50 people to every officer, I'm not saying that means they are entitled to shoot people, but you stand alone and walk through the streets, have people throwing stuff from the roof. A NYC police officer isn't paid enough to not only risk their lives, but then they have criminals egging them on and their friends there to tape the latter part of the incident and the police are the ones that get the brunt of this craziness.

I think the only way to begin to approach a solution is:
- more activities for kids after school, so they have options other than just hanging out
- more interactive relationships with the Police Department, so that neither side, cops nor kids, are seen as the "problem"
- strengthen the Gun Control laws, to make it more difficult to put the guns in the hands of those who are bent on violence

Lisa
Brighton Beach

I am emailing in response to the topic on gun violence. I do believe that this problems stems from the lack of parental support at home. As a result of the lack of parental support and supervision these young men and women are turning to the streets. They are getting themselves caught up in all the wrong things. It is sad that as a mother, I am afraid to supervise my young gild in the playground, I have to fear allowing my son to play basketball in the park where he lives. It is time for us to take or communities back.. How can we not support stop and frisk when the parents of these children aren't taking care of their responsibilities at home. I refuse to be a causality for someone else's stupidity, nor will I be satisfied with hiding behind the four walls of my home...
Harlem has to take its community back, start taking responsibility for for what's going on around us.. You see something say something, it's not snitching it's being a victim and reporting when something wrong is being done to you! You can't leave it all up to the police either, this is our community not theirs, why should they care more about where we live then we do? Stand up people!

DeMarisa
Harlem

I am in the entertainment industry and frequent Rucker games. I was just there last Wednesday when Nas did an appearance and attempted a performance. We were checked and patted upon entering. How did this gun enter the park last night ? Web Nas was there there were cops everywhere. What was plan last night ?

I dont agree the Rucker tournaments should e stopped, we need more control of the environment. This program provides jobs, hobbies, outlets and start careers of some. There has to be better way to address crime issue.

What nobody else seems to be stating tonight is the importance of God and faith. A culture that takes The discussion if God and faith out of young peoples lives rob them of not only moral guidelines but hope for the future. Get these kids back to church!

John
Manhattan

The problem rest on the lack accountability no one wants to take responsibility for the sell and the purchasing of illegally weaponry in this country......there are to many gun laws and very little restrictions as to who and the why these criminals buy guns. Most of all gun violence in this nation are illegally sold with very little restrictions or questioning a background checks......the violence will not stop until the government draw new gun laws that are designed to keep violent criminals the prohibition to purchase illegal guns sold by other criminals........the government has done very little to control gun manufacturing of all illegally sold guns sold in this country.....stop illegal guns, and the violence will cease, these mastermind criminals are evil and they must be stopped !

The bad-ass mystique of guns makes some people feel cool and validated.

I think that there is no concept of consequence for reckless gun use.
I wonder if having relatives of people killed by gunfire speak to school children: let them connect somehow with the pain of murder. And maybe not take a gun into their hands.

Currently, possession of an illegal gun will land you a year in jail.
What if that were raised to two years?

Simone
Manhattan

It all boils down to family values and community. We need to sit down with our children every day. Turn off the devices and tune into each other. Dinnertime is a perfect opportunity to do this. All of us should take time out of our busy lives to let our children know the basic laws of humanity i.e.: Thou shall not kill; Honor thy mother and father; Do unto others as you would have done unto. Children have to be taught how to be ethical and responsible citizens. Also, if you see something, say something should not just apply to our transit system!!!

S. Mentor

There is prejudice in the gun control issue. There are so many young african american individuals who die in city housing shootings. The colorado masacre was a tragedy but where is the attention for all of the young individuals who have died over the past years? Gun control is one of the oldest issues there are. Our government officials need to fight for our protection. The Police are doing their job. They should search anyone they suspect of weapon possession the way things are advancing for this city.

Vincent
Staten Island

I have lived in public housing for 42 years and it's getting worst. The first start in getting the families in our community to take responsibility for their actions. Parents need to get a handle on their children. Our children are growing up without any morals or values. Parents need to teach their children what is right and what is wrong. The police, mayor and politicians cannot control what children, teens or young adults learn at home. Each one teach one should start at home

Monica
Brooklyn

The answer is tougher gun control laws! People should have to jump through hoops to purchase guns. There should be extensive background checks, psychological testing and several other steps in order to purchase guns. And there should be a complete crackdown on the illegal sale of guns at gun shows and on the internet. The madness has to stop!

Dennis
Hamilton Heigts

The problem with politicians is they fail to implement great ideas on how to solve problems by people who are and live in the most creative city in the world. Here is a unique idea to reduce violence: Have the private sector (encouraged by politicians) to establish two "dream centers" in NYC. Kids 18 and younger who are high risk can apply for the two year coping and life skill program. If kids complete the program (which should run two hrs a day during the week/after school) they will have their "wish granted." The center should be state of the art, have celebrity and non-celeb speakers, computers,
sports etc. A place where kids can feel at home. The center should also have volunteer outreach workers to reach the kids most in need of help.

Dana
Queens

I wish kids had something to do other than playing video games and hanging on the corner. When I was growing up we had shop, sewing, cooking classes, track teams, fun street games. We had outlets that kept us busy and boosted our egos. Bring activities back into the schools and the community. Talk to the young men who carry guns, Give them the opportunity to help us solve the problem. Maybe the mayor should go to Rikers and have an anti violence, anti gun symposium in the prisons.

I am not one to Agree with the mayor but the guns have to go, being that the gun companies have all the money and the political power the individual states or cities need to change their gun laws . Maybe if the laws were to put a person in jail for 5 years for having a gun and a year for every bullet in the gun. If the laws were tougher maybe these fool might think twice before picking up a gun. The average thug can do a year in jail with no problem, give them real time and see if that deters them and there dumb actions.

Andrew

How many more have to die before people wake up? Innocent people are dying in our street like its a war zone and it is. A little boy was shot and few shot at a basketball game in the park. Once again the police are no where to be found and through no fault of there own. New Yorkers need to stand up for their 2nd amendment rights and protect themselves from these criminals.

Richie