134 guns are off the streets, thanks to buyback program

December 17, 2012 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
gun photo charisma hynes press conference.jpg
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Gun violence, sadly, has once again become the center of attention. Last week, 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed 26 people in Newtown, Connecticut— 20 of them young children killed in their classrooms.   

The Kings County District Attorney’s Office has long called attention to, and fought against, the mayhem that guns cause in Brooklyn communities. The office launched its first Gun Buyback program in July 2008. Last June, 70 guns were turned in at one church alone.

The most recent buyback program, held on Saturday two churches in northeastern Brooklyn, took 134 working guns off the streets.
 
“Once again, we have shown the effectiveness of innovation and creativity in law enforcement, in taking guns off the streets and making Brooklyn an even safer place to live,” said District Attorney Charles J. Hynes. “I would like to thank all the elected officials, clergy members and police officers who made this great event possible. Thanks also to Police Commissioner Kelly for all his help.”
 
During the most recent Gun Buyback, individuals who owned guns were able to trade each of them in for a $200 bankcard. BB or air guns, as well as rifles and shotguns, can be redeemed for $20 each. There was no limit to the number of guns participants can surrender, but persons were only paid for, at most, three guns. All of the transactions were anonymous.
             
The guns turned in this Saturday included 80 revolvers, 31 semi-automatic pistols, four rifles, three shotguns, one sawed-off shotgun and 15 others (BB guns, zips guns, starter pistols).  The buybacks took place at Mt. Ollie Baptist Church in Brownsville and St. Peters Lutheran Church, in Cypress Hills.

Other sponsors of the event included the New York Police Department; state Senators John Sampson, Martin Malave Dilan and Velmanette Montgomery; Assembly members William F. Boyland Jr. and Rafael Espinal; and Councilman Eric Martin Dilan.

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