Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced that they will host a National Summit on Illegal Guns. The Gun Summit - to be held at Gracie Mansion in New York City on April 25 - will bring together more than a dozen mayors from around the country. The mayors will share the challenges they face in combating gun crime, discuss cutting-edge policing and legal strategies and identify opportunities for greater coordination in combating the flow of illegal guns among states.

"Combating gun violence is not a partisan issue," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Illegal guns are hurting innocent people across America, whether you are east or west of the Mississippi or north or south of the Mason Dixon line. Illegal guns know no borders. Gun crime is national problem that requires a national approach and no city can solve the problem acting alone. That's why we're teaming up to take on illegal guns and crack down on those who possess and sell them more aggressively than ever before. It's not a question of ideologies. It's about fighting crime and keeping illegal guns out of the hands of violent criminals."

"There is a crisis on the streets of our nation and in so many urban areas across the country. Guns are too easy to get and young people are using them with no regard for the consequences, even if it means taking a person's life," said Mayor Menino. "We all know that turning around this kind of violence takes more than a police response. That's why I've been working so hard in Boston. I'm proud to join leaders from our nation's cities to come together, share ideas, and more importantly, to commit to working collaboratively to stop this epidemic and make our streets safer."

This first-ever Gun Summit will be a daylong event in New York City beginning with a morning symposium outlining best practices from cities across the country followed by a panel of the nation's leading experts on gun crimes. The mayors will also discuss state and federal legislation and litigation efforts and identify specific issue areas where they can collaborate. Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly will also make a presentation to the group.

In addition to Mayors Bloomberg and Menino, the following mayors will be attending the Summit:

• Mayor Laura Miller, Dallas, Texas
• Mayor John Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Mayor Anthony Williams, Washington, DC
• Mayor Greg Nickels, Seattle, Washington
• Mayor Frank Melton, Jackson, Mississippi
• Mayor David Cicilline, Providence, Rhode Island
• Mayor Eddie Perez, Hartford, Connecticut
• Mayor Douglas Palmer, Trenton, New Jersey
• Mayor Jerramiah Healy, Jersey City, New Jersey
• Mayor Byron Brown, Buffalo, New York
• Mayor Robert Duffy, Rochester, New York

The goal of the Summit is to create a unified coalition of major American cities dedicated to working together on the issue of gun violence and illegal gun trafficking, sharing their own successful initiatives and identifying areas where they can work collaboratively.

In New York City, Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly are using a multi-pronged approach to stemming gun crime and the flow of illegal guns. These efforts include creating and expanding specialized Gun Courts, increasing penalties for gun crimes, developing a forensic gun lab, and establishing a "de-briefing" protocol for every felony gun defendant. In addition, Mayor Bloomberg announced in his State of the City speech in January that New York City would pursue lawsuits against rogue gun dealers.

In Boston, Mayor Menino has established similar efforts including the development of a Strategic Crime Council which includes a legislative agenda with regional and national outreach, the involvement of public health and healthcare agencies, targeted law enforcement strategies, education and awareness efforts, community outreach, and judicial system changes.