Thousands of firearms were turned over last Saturday as part of the New York gun buyback program in exchange for gift cards.
The program was organized and sponsored by the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James, who called it a “landmark event.”
New York Gun Buyback Program
More than 3,000 firearms were removed from the Empire State’s streets on Saturday thanks to a New York gun buyback program, including a record-breaking amount in Syracuse.
Among the 3,076 weapons gathered during Attorney General Letitia James’ most recent initiative, officials in the upstate city claimed they had collected 751 guns in less than 24 hours, the most ever for similar buyback programs in any state municipality.
In a Twitter post, James said every single one of these guns represents a potential tragedy averted.
“Thank you to all our partners in law enforcement and government for helping us get these guns off our streets and out of our homes,” she wrote in another tweet.
She added that they would continue to do everything they could to protect New Yorkers from gun violence with the help of the New York gun buyback program.
Authorities in Syracuse said that 36 of the firearms found were assault rifles, and one city resident received $5,000 for turning in a stash of weapons, according to WSTM-TV.
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Where to Surrender ‘Ghost Guns’?
There are nine venues in the Empire State have the New York gun buyback program, including Family Life Academy in the Bronx and All Saints Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn.
According to a tweet from Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, authorities found 90 weapons at the church alone.
The Guardian reports that anyone who opt to turn in their guns are not compelled to give their names or be interrogated by authorities. As of 30 April, 13,839 persons had lost their lives in the United States as a result of gun violence, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Homicide, murder, or unintentional gunfire took 5,919 lives, while suicide claimed 7,920 lives.
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