Brothers Shawn and Neshawn Plummer were gunned down three years and a few blocks apart in Far Rockaway, innocent, unintended victims of the gun violence that is a national plague.

In July 2012, 18-year-old Shawn was hit by gunfire intended for someone else as he stood on Seagirt Avenue. Detectives found no witnesses willing to testify against a probable suspect.

Three years later, during a visit to his old neighborhood, 16-year-old Neshawn Plummer, standing a short distance from where his brother died, was fatally hit during an exchange of gunfire between warring gang factions. Despite video of the shooting and a sketch released by investigators, the individuals responsible for this cold-blooded murder have evaded justice.

NBC4 New York took a look back at the cases, speaking to Sharon Plummer regarding the loss of her two sons to gun violence and with me about the work my Cold Case Unit is doing to solve the murders.

My Cold Case Unit is a specialized bureau that investigates the borough's oldest and most challenging unsolved homicide cases using forensic technology and other advanced investigative techniques. The unit garnered international attention recently for bringing to justice the killer of a WWI veteran who went missing in 1976.

If you have information about the murders of Shawn or Neshawn Plummer, or any unsolved homicide, I urge you to let authorities know.

My top priority will always be keeping you and your loved ones safe.

In Friendship,

If you have information about the deaths of Shawn and Neshawn Plummer, let authorities know. It is never too late for justice.

I had the pleasure of co-sponsoring a lively Black History Month celebration in conjunction with the Rochdale Village Community Center and with support from New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. We were joined by United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace, who was our keynote speaker, and NY1 Anchor Cheryl Wills, our gracious host for the evening.

I attended the NYSABPRHAL 52nd Annual Conference in Albany. The conference engages discussion of social issues and public policy among lawmakers and activists from across the state.