Mothers who have lost their children to gun violence gathered around a casket in front of Borough Hall Wednesday to demand a stop in the uptick in gun violence across the city. 

The mothers say Black lives will only matter if they matter to everyone. Natasha Christopher says she lost her son to gun violence. “Black lives have to start mattering to Black people, just like how you march and get angry, get angry when these young kids continue to die in our community,” said Christopher. 

Christopher was seen holding a photo of her 14-year-old son, who she says was shot and killed in 2012. She says she never wants another parent to feel how she feels. 

Around her were pairs and pairs of shoes--101 of them, standing for each person who was shot over a one-week span, nearly all of them being people of color. 

There have been 101 victims over the past week, and the NYPD says that’s up 23% during the same week last year. 

The NYPD says shootings are up 46%. 

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who is running for mayor in 2021, spoke about his support to disband the NYPD’s Anti-Crime Unit. 

"You have to have the element of certainty, which is a blue and white police vehicle to fight crime, and you need an element of uncertainty,” said Adams.