Blood in the Bronx: How Many More Must Die Before Torres Acts?

AD 85: Jan 1, 2022 - Jun 6, 2025

The Toll in Blood and Bone

In Assembly District 85, the numbers only hint at the truth. In the last twelve months, two people died and 577 were injured on these streets. Nine suffered injuries so severe they may never walk the same again. One was a child. One was a senior. The rest were neighbors, workers, sons, daughters.

On East 172nd Street, an 18-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl were thrown from a motorbike after colliding with a minivan. The boy died at Jacobi Hospital. The girl survived. The driver stayed. No arrests. The street stayed the same. Police said both teens were thrown from the bike and rushed to Jacobi Hospital. The older victim succumbed to his injuries while the girl was in stable condition.

A few blocks away, a stolen car slammed into parked vehicles. Robert Perez was pushed six feet by the impact. He said, “I hit my leg and my back. So, I don’t even know what to do. I panicked.”

The violence is relentless. The pain is ordinary.

Who Pays, Who Acts

In the past three years, 16 people have died in AD 85. Nearly 2,000 have been injured. Cars and SUVs did most of the killing—five deaths and 74 moderate injuries. Trucks and buses, motorcycles, mopeds, bikes: all played their part. The streets are not safe for the young or the old. They are not safe for anyone.

Leadership: Words, Silence, and the Next Step

Assembly Member Emérita Torres represents this district. The record shows no recent public statements, bills, or votes from Torres on traffic violence. No press quotes. No pledges. No action. The silence is its own kind of answer.

Every day without action is another day of risk.

What Now

Call Emérita Torres. Call the Mayor. Call the DOT. Demand a 20 mph speed limit. Demand more speed cameras. Demand streets that do not kill. Every day you wait is another day someone does not come home. Take action now.