Law Matters
$500 Per Operable Gun Offered at Brooklyn DA and NYPD’s Next BuyBack Event at Cornerstone Baptist Church,
this Saturday, Dec. 17
Just in time for the holidays, the next Kings County Gun Buyback Program is offering $500 for guns – a substantial increase from past buybacks – at the next event to be held this Saturday, December 17, 2022 (10:00 am to 4 pm) at Cornerstone Baptist Church, 574 Madison Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez told Our Time Press: “I hope to see members of the community give themselves the gift of safety and peace by urging those who possess firearms to turn them in at our gun buyback event this Saturday at Cornerstone Baptist Church – a simple action that can help reduce the number of lethal weapons on the street. I truly believe that by working together, we can save lives.”
The unprecedented sum is more than double the usual $200 payment per gun in past BuyBack programs, and it will be given to anyone who turns in an operable gun or an assault rifle, no questions asked.
In addition, $150 will be paid for any rifle or shotgun and $50 for a BB gun or an imitation pistol. No identification will be required.
Those who bring guns must carry them in a bag or box. There is no limit on the number of guns that can be surrendered in exchange for cash in the form of pre-paid cards. Additional information is available by calling 646-610-5323.
This new program is part of the Brooklyn DA’s commitment, in partnership with the NYPD, to a continuing focus on keeping peace and saving lives.
“Getting guns off the streets is a shared responsibility, and Saturday’s Gun Buyback event is part of my Office’s comprehensive strategy to reduce gun violence in our neighborhoods,” said DA Gonzalez.
“I encourage anyone who may have a firearm in their home – or knows someone who does – to take advantage of this opportunity and get a substantial sum of money in time for the holidays. I would like to thank the NYPD, business leaders, and the community-based organizations who are partnering with us to make this event a success.”
As documented in the Brooklyn DA’s Comprehensive Plan to End Gun Violence*, “The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office continues to partner with the NYPD and our community partners to sponsor gun buybacks that offer valuable gift cards and other incentives in exchange for guns.
“These popular events succeed because of our strong relationships with the supportive community organizations that lead them,” according to the plan, which relies heavily on trusted institutions entrenched in our Brooklyn neighborhoods.
“Faith leaders have uniquely credible voices with the members of their church communities, and each of our gun buybacks has removed dozens of deadly weapons from homes where they could fall into the hands of those who could do harm. By removing these weapons from circulation, we make Brooklyn safer.”
Since Brooklyn DA Gonzalez took office, 138 guns have been collected over four separate gun buyback events.
Note to readers:
Attendees bringing guns to the Cornerstone Baptist Church should carry guns inside a bag or a box. Also, there is no limit on the number of guns that can be surrendered in exchange for cash in the form of pre-paid cards. A contact number for additional information is 646-610-5323.
(*Stop Violence is the acronym contraction of the title of DA Gonzalez’s comprehensive 2022 plan, Strategic Team Operation to Prevent _ Violence through Intelligence, Organization, Law Enforcement, Neighborhood, and Community Engagement.)
– Bernice Elizabeth Green