Wednesday, February 25, 2009

NYC Buy-Back Nets 919 Guns - New York Post

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New York City officials say 919 guns were collected during a one-day buy-back program at six Queens churches.

The program paid $200 to anyone who turned in a gun. A pellet or BB gun was worth $20. The officials say they paid a total of $158,880.

The weekend buy-back results were announced Tuesday by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Since last summer, similar programs in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island - plus the Queens effort - have netted more than 3,500 guns. More than half of them are handguns.

The goal is to reduce crime and tragic accidents.