Supporters of NY SAFE Act brave snow

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Dozens of people braved the cold and snow on Monday to send a message in support of the state's tough new gun laws.

The group gathered in Martin Luther King Park in Buffalo consisted of people from several walks of life, but all are in support of the NY SAFE Act.

Rev. James Giles of Back to Basics Outreach Ministries said, "What we're saying is we're tired of our kids dying on the streets because of these guns."

Amy Wallace of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense said, "We've had enough gun violence, enough senseless death, enough easy access to dangerous weapons by dangerous people."

Many of those who gathered Monday were Kaleida Health emergency room workers who see the toll gun violence can take.

Bill Covington of SEIU Local 1199 said, "What folks who work in the emergency rooms see is heartbreaking and hardening at the same time."

Franchelle Hart of SEIU Local 1199 said, "There's been a rise of gang violence actually in the ER. Sometimes you have gang victims from two opposing gangs in the emergency room."

A couple of counter protestors stood in the back with signs opposing the NY SAFE Act, but the organizers of this rally are first to admit, the new law is not perfect.

Dwayne Ferguson of Mad Dads of Greater Buffalo said, "Our kids are not buying assault weapons, they're buying pistols and they're buying them right out of community stores and back here in the school. So, this is serious. It needs to go further than what it is."

Covington added, "It doesn't go far enough to limit handguns and those types of weapons that a lot of the killing that's going on in our streets, but it's a step in the right direction so we're supportive."

Last week a State Supreme Court judge refused to throw out the new law, but Monday an Appellate judge ordered Governor Andrew Cuomo to respond by Friday as to why he used a Message of Necessity to get the law passed.