Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that 124 guns were collected Saturday at the Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Southeast Queens during a gun buyback event. The weapons were exchanged for bank cards pre-loaded with cash. The event was completely anonymous, with no identification required and no questions asked.

The buyback served as the 12^th such event of DA Katz’s administration and marked the largest collection of guns to date. A total of 741 firearms have been recovered since 2020.

District Attorney Katz said: “Gun buybacks serve as a critical tool for reducing gun violence and promoting public safety within our communities. 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. My office has hosted a dozen such programs and each one has been effective in helping reduce crime and making our neighborhoods safer. I thank our partners and members of the public for yet another successful event.”

New York State Attorney General Letitia James said: “Every gun removed from Queens on Saturday is a step in the right direction to protect families and community members from gun violence. My office thanks the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Police Department 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 and keep their neighbors safe.”

The guns turned in were:

• 49 pistols
• 44 revolvers
• 10 assault weapons
• 5 derringers
• 5 rifles
• 1 shotgun
• 10 Others (imitation guns, bb guns, etc)

The event was co-sponsored by the NYPD and the Office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James.