The following statement is attributable to Manny Pastreich, President of 32BJ SEIU, representing a majority Black and immigrant workforce:

“What happened to Jordan Neely was infuriating and disturbing and should never happen in our city. Vigilante violence should never be the response to homelessness and mental health crises. Instead, we must lead with compassion and real solutions. Jordan Neely, a New Yorker experiencing a mental health crisis while homeless, could have used a warm bed to sleep in, food to eat and some comfort. Instead, we have a homicide. We support calls for a murder investigation. Neely’s mental health crisis on May 2 might have made someone feel unsafe, but feeling unsafe is not an excuse to take the life of another. We stand with New Yorkers demanding justice, let’s use this moment to continue to push for real solutions; compassion, support and services for those going through hard times – that is what makes us all safe. RIP Jordan Neely.”

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With more than 175,000 members in 12 states, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.