Brooklyn to host gun buyback event as part of statewide initiative

April 20, 2023 Rob Abruzzese

These firearms were turned in to law enforcement in 2021 at a gun-buyback event in Brooklyn hosted by Attorney General Letitia James, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and the NYPD. Eagle file photo

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Attorney General Letitia James’ Office, in collaboration with Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and the NYPD, is hosting a gun buyback event on Saturday, April 29, at All Saints Roman Catholic Church.

This event is part of Attorney General James’ unprecedented effort to conduct nine simultaneous gun buyback events across the state on the same day.

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will accept both working and non-working, unloaded firearms without asking any questions, and provide compensation in the form of prepaid gift cards after the firearms have been received and secured by on-site law enforcement officers.

For anyone who turns in a gun, the OAG will offer the following compensation: $500 per assault rifle or ghost gun, $500 for the first handgun turned in per person, $150 for each additional handgun, $75 per rifle or shotgun, and $25 per non-working, replica, antique, homemade or 3D printed gun.

Participants can turn in an unlimited number of firearms. Guns must be unloaded and placed in a bag or box. As an amnesty program, no questions will be asked about the person dropping off the gun.

The gun buyback event is part of Attorney General James’ statewide initiative to combat gun violence and protect New Yorkers. Since 2019, her office has helped remove over 4,000 guns from communities across the state.

Gun buyback programs have a long history in the United States, with the first significant buyback event taking place in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1974. These programs aim to reduce the number of firearms in circulation and promote public safety by offering individuals an opportunity to turn in their guns for compensation.

This event in Brooklyn, part of a larger statewide initiative, seeks to make a substantial impact on reducing gun violence and ensuring the safety of New York residents.