Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz shows off the 124 firearms that were surrenders at a gun buyback she hosted at Mount Olivet Baptist Church in St. Albans.
Photo courtesy of DA’s office
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that 124 surrendered firearms were collected during a gun buyback event on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Mount Olivet Baptist Church in St. Albans she hosted in partnership with New York Attorney General Letitia James and the NYPD.
The event was completely anonymous, with no identification required and no questions asked.
“Gun buybacks serve as a critical tool for reducing gun violence and promoting public safety within our communities,” Katz said. “This Saturday, working in partnership with the NYPD, Attorney General Letitia James and Rev. Dr. Frankco J. Harris, we received 124 surrendered guns, including 10 automatic weapons — a record-breaking total for this office. As a result, these firearms will not be used for harm in our neighborhoods.”
The guns turned in included 49 pistols, 44 revolvers, 5 derringers, 5 rifles, one shotgun and the ten assault weapons. Ten imitation weapons, such as BB guns or air guns, were turned in.
“Every gun removed from Queens on Saturday is a step in the right direction to protect families and community members from gun violence,” James said, thanking the DA’s office and the NYPD for their commitment to being a part of the solution against gun violence. “We will continue to empower New Yorkers to turn in unwanted firearms to keep their neighbors safe.”
The buyback served as the 12th such event of the DA’s administration and marked the largest collection of guns to date. A total of 741 firearms have been recovered since 2020.
“My office has hosted a dozen such programs and each one has been effective in helping reduce crime and making our neighborhoods safer,” Katz said. “I thank our partners and members of the public for yet another successful event.”