Firearms buyback in Syracuse sets record

The Citizen staff

The weapon buyback lawsuit held Saturday successful Syracuse collected 342 firearms, the largest successful the past of the programme tally done the authorities lawyer general's office.

New York AG Letitia James has been holding buyback events successful larger cities astir the authorities successful caller weeks successful effect to accrued weapon violence. Saturday's event, held successful concern with the metropolis of Syracuse, accepted immoderate moving and non-working, unloaded firearms with nary questions asked. In exchange, participants were paid on-site with the pursuing terms:

• Assault rifle, $250

• Handgun, $150

• Rifle oregon shotgun, $75

• Non-working oregon antique gun, $25

Payments came successful the signifier of prepaid acquisition cards. Those turning successful battle rifles and handguns besides received an Apple iPad, taxable to availability connected a archetypal come, archetypal served basis.

“Gun unit continues to assertion lives and endanger communities passim our state,” James said successful a property merchandise aft Saturday's event. “With the spike successful weapon unit ravaging neighborhoods successful Syracuse, it is much important than ever that we usage each instrumentality astatine our disposal to support our families and children. Whether it is taking down the convulsive cause rings fueling this crisis, hosting weapon buybacks, oregon supporting assemblage groups that are addressing this unit — we are vigorously combating this situation from each angle. Every weapon that was turned successful contiguous represents a imaginable calamity averted and a imaginable beingness saved, and we are grateful to our partners for their support.”

Of the 342 firearms collected Saturday, determination were 176 handguns, 119 shotguns and rifles, 11 battle rifles and 36 non-working oregon antique guns.

The OAG's bureau has been holding buyback events astir the authorities since 2013, with much 4,000 firearms collected.