Mother who lost son to NYC shooting blasts city's soft-on-crime approach, calls for more cops on streets

close

Video

Mother demands more NYC cops: Gun violence should not be end of child's life

Eve Hendricks, who lost 17-year-old son to a shooting, on the fight for safer streets in New York City.

A mother is pleading with New York City officials to put more police officers on the street after her son was shot and killed last year. Eve Hendricks made an appearance on "Fox & Friends First" saying, "gun violence should not be the end of a child's life."

"Before my son Brendan was murdered, gun violence did not affect me," Hendricks stated. "Now that I'm living it, I just don't see and think it is right for any other parent to live this way, to feel this way, to feel such pain."

"No mother should bury their child."

SHOOTING, MURDER TRENDS MIXED IN NYC, CHICAGO AND OTHER MAJOR US CITIES AS SUMMER COMES TO END

New York City and other large metropolitan areas have seen a crime surge in recent months following the 2020 push to defund police departments. There have been 21 children killed in New York City street violence in 2021 so far. 

Video

"I have to speak on behalf of our kids," Hendricks said.  

"I have to speak because my son is not here to speak. I have to tell the whole world how much he loved life and how much he wants to live, how much he wants everyone to live, to succeed."

Hendricks' son was killed in June 2020 when he was just 17 years old. He had graduated high school shortly before.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"Since he's not here to have that future, they have to have it. And as a mother, I have to make sure I contribute."

Hendricks also mentioned she does believe her voice is heard by those in charge, and suggested jail time for those involved in similar incidents is important. 

"We demand more police officers … to arrest kids, to put them in jail," Hendricks stated. "If you are big enough to pull the trigger, you are big enough to serve the time."