© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Faith Leaders And Family Members Demand Change After 22 Deaths In New Haven This Year

Reverend Boise Kimber calls on Yale and other New Haven institutions to use their resources to stop the rise of gun violence in New Haven.
Ali Oshinskie
/
Connecticut Public Radio
Rev. Boise Kimber calls on Yale and other New Haven institutions to use their resources to stop the rise of gun violence in New Haven.

Zaina Lopez’s son was shot to death Sept. 5 in New Haven, and Lopez says she‘s not going to stay silent on the issue of gun violence in New Haven.

Speaking from the pulpit at New Haven’s First Calvary Baptist Church, she said, “I just want to let everybody know that this mom right here is gonna make a lot of noise, ‘cause my son’s life was not in vain.”

Her son, Zaire Luciano, 30, is one 22 people killed in shootings this year in New Haven. Three of those deaths happened in the last week. And this year’s death count is already higher than the 20 killings from all of last year in the city.

Homicides and nonfatal shootings had been going down over the past decade or so in New Haven, according to an analysis by the New Haven Independent.

Rev. Boise Kimber, pastor of First Calvary and president of the Greater New Haven Clergy Association, said, “There is an epidemic that is going on in the city of New Haven, and that epidemic is violence, shooting, guns and murders.”

Kimber called on Yale University, Yale New Haven Hospital and other New Haven institutions to use their resources to end the problem.

“We are planning to bring these individuals to the table to talk to us in reference to what they can do to help in this crisis in which we are in,” Kimber said.

He said this shooting involved what he called an illegal bar -- that could not be immediately confirmed. He also called for a crackdown on after-hours bars.

Ali Oshinskie is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. She loves hearing what you thought of her stories or story ideas you have so please email her at aoshinskie@ctpublic.org.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.