Mayor Eric Adams embraced a grieving mother at an Upper East Side vigil Thursday night after her daughter was gunned down while pushing her 3-month-old baby in a stroller.
Adams spoke to a heartbroken Lisa DeSort as mourners gathered near the scene of Wednesday night’s shooting that claimed the life of 20-year-old Azsia Johnson.
The mayor could be seen hugging DeSort before the pair addressed the crowd of mourners gathered at the candlelight vigil.
Mayor Eric Adams spoke to a grief-stricken Lisa DeSort Thursday night at a vigil for her slain daughter, Azsia Johnson, on the Upper East Side. Paul Martinka
The mayor embraced the victim’s emotional mother before they both addressed mourners at the candlelight vigil. Paul Martinka
Azsia Johnson, 20, was shot dead just before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday as she walked with her baby girl in a stroller near the corner of Lexington Avenue and East 95th Street.
At one point, Adams was spotted consoling Johnson’s crying 7-year-old niece, who was wearing a dress given to her by her slain aunt.
Johnson was killed just before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday as she walked with her baby girl in a stroller near the corner of Lexington Avenue and East 95th Street.
She had allegedly been abused by the baby’s father in the past — and the man was being sought for questioning by police in the wake of the shooting, law enforcement sources and family told The Post on Thursday.
Sources said Johnson’s execution-style murder was “domestic” in nature. A high-ranking police source told The Post that “she was targeted … It was a close head shot and there were powder burns.”
During the vigil, a grief-stricken DeSort demanded the city and cops take domestic violence cases more seriously.
“[I]t’s not guns, it’s the people shooting the guns,” she said, adding that Adams was doing the best he could to tackle Big Apple crime.
“It’s about taking domestic violence serious[ly].”
Adams consoled Johnson’s crying 7-year-old niece at the Thursday night vigil. Paul Martinka
The victim’s 7-year-old niece was wearing a dress given to her by her slain aunt. Paul Martinka
Johnson’s heartbroken mother told those gathered at her daughter’s vigil that the city and cops needed to take domestic violence cases more seriously. Paul MartinkaAdams went on to say the latest shooting felt personal because he’d previously worked with DeSort when she was an EMT in the city and he was an NYPD officer.
“It hits so close to home,” Adams said.
No arrests had been made as of Friday morning.
