Recent gang violence in Bronx spurs action

Gang violence makes up a staggering amount of crime in New York City, and three incidents within the past six months in the Bronx have affected residents and motivated politicians and police more than ever to try to put an end to it.
In a 4-mile stretch, the lives of three teens and their families have been marked forever.
On June 18, a 14-year-old boy was stabbed more than a dozen times on the Bronx River Parkway and barely survived his injuries. The reason for the assault was later revealed in a criminal complaint to be a fight between Trinitarios gang members. The teen was not suspected to be affiliated with any gang.
Two days later, 15-year-old Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, known as "Junior," was brutally stabbed outside of a Belmont bodega. Police consider it a case of mistaken identity.
Both incidents sent outrage throughout the Bronx community. Police were flooded with tips, resulting in the arrests of 14 suspected Trinitarios members, who all are currently awaiting trial at Rikers Island.
This past Monday, 19-year-old Angel Reyes Godoy was pushed in front of an ambulette and died. Godoy is suspected to have a history with the Trinitarios gang but was not active when he was killed.
The NYPD is working vigilantly to decrease gang violence in the city. Police say that since 2016, about 100 long-term gang investigations resulted in numerous arrests and the removal of guns and narcotics from the streets.
City Councilman Ritchie Torres funded two initiatives that connect Bronx teens to former gang members.
New York state gang specialist Christian Claudio says early intervention is the best way to combat long-term gang violence.