Gun buyback in Staten Island brings in 55 weapons
A gun buyback at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church in Staten Island on Saturday brought in 55 firearms, police reported. Two were loaded, and two had the serial numbers scratched off.
One of the weapons was an SKS .762 caliber assault rifle with a 30-round magazine. Governor Cuomo’s recent gun legislation regulated magazines to a maximum of seven rounds.
47 of the 55 weapons were handguns. Some city politicians, including Councilwoman Letitia James, have been calling for legislation focusing on handgun regulation, arguing that handguns are the city’s major problem. NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly recently noted that only two percent of arrests for illegal firearms involve assault weapons, while 60 percent of the city’s murders are committed using handguns.
The NYPD’s gun buy back program has taken in over 8,100 firearms since it started in 2008. The program is completely anonymous; people turning in guns will not be asked to show identification or permits.
Follow Danielle Tcholakian on Twitter @danielleiat
