Transcript: Mayor Adams Appears on WABC’s “Eyewitness News at 5:00”

June 15, 2025

Crystal Cranmore: A tragedy hundreds of miles away but the shooting deaths of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband has left a pain reverberating across the country. 

Mayor Eric Adams: There's been a loud noise particularly in social media about the acceptability of assassinations based on policies and that's a real problem. 

Cranmore: In an interview with Mayor Eric Adams I asked him about security in the city as law enforcement continued to hunt for the alleged killer Vance Boelter. He's also accused of shooting Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Saturday. They survived the attack forcing leaders to zero in on the safety of local politicians. 

Mayor Adams: If an elected official believes that their life is in danger there's a large number of protocols and steps that we take to make sure our local electeds are safe. 

Cranmore: Senator Chuck Schumer says he urged Capitol Police to boost their presence this week and called for a bipartisan briefing on security tomorrow. Republican U.S. Representatives Nicole Malliotakis and Mike Lawler took to social media to denounce the violence and offer prayers to the victims' families.  

Authorities say they found No King's Day flyers in the suspect's car as thousands of people descended on streets across the country to protest President Trump and his policies. Of the 50,000 protesters here in New York Mayor Adams says there were just 14 low-level incidents. 

Mayor Adams: I think people have a right to protest peacefully, that's what is the cornerstone of our democracy. This is a country of rules we all answer to someone, that includes mayors, governors and presidents and we're going to continue to do that and that's what makes us a great democracy. 

Cranmore: Leaders have called this shooting an attack against democracy. Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered flags at half-staff.  

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