A fugitive hiding a gun urges the closure of a Queens shelter
In a recent press conference, City Councilmember Linda Lee, State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, and Assemblymember Ed Braunstein joined forces to push for the closure of the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center shelter in Queens. Their demand comes in the wake of the arrest of two fugitives from Florida at the shelter, one of whom was armed and had an outstanding attempted murder warrant.
Councilmember Lee expressed her concerns about the location of the Creedmoor facility, stating that it has never been suitable for a “Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center” (HERRC). She highlighted the increasing disruptions to the safety and security of the nearby community and called for immediate safety measures, including the installation of metal detectors to protect residents.
Senator Stavisky echoed these concerns, criticizing the city’s shelter management system for its serious flaws, particularly in the intake process that failed to flag the fugitives’ criminal histories. She pointed out that basic security screening tools appear to be lacking, stating, “From the very beginning, I have opposed placing a shelter in such a residential area. This is a significant misstep on the part of city officials.”
Assemblymember Braunstein did not hold back in his criticism of Mayor Eric Adams, expressing his outrage upon discovering that armed fugitives were being housed in the shelter. He referred to it as not only a complete failure of city governance in terms of safety but also indicative of inappropriate attempts by the city to obscure this alarming information.
Braunstein noted that the city and the Health + Hospitals system had previously promised to conduct background checks on shelter residents, which clearly were not done effectively. He remarked, “In light of the ongoing controversies surrounding Adams, this latest incident of incompetence raises serious questions about his capability to manage New York City.”
Previously, these lawmakers had worked with city agencies to propose various measures aimed at alleviating the shelter’s impact on the community, which included removing bike racks from outside the facility, implementing curfews for shelter residents, increasing security camera coverage, and enhancing the cleanliness of nearby parks.
At this time, the future of the Creedmoor shelter remains uncertain. Despite the urgent calls from these elected officials for its closure, the city has yet to offer a definitive response.
