“Turn in a Gun, Turn on an iPad”
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark, New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, the New York Yankees and elected officials today announced a Bronx Gun Buyback where people can turn in handguns and assault rifles, no questions asked, and receive a cash card and an iPad.
The Bronx Gun Buyback event will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, located at 777 East 222nd Street and Barnes Avenue in the Wakefield section of the Bronx.
District Attorney Clark said, “With so many shootings happening, it’s important to do all we can to take guns off Bronx streets. The police are recovering several guns a day out there, but we also need to get unlicensed firearms out of homes. Children can come upon them and be injured or even killed. This buyback event is an opportunity for people to turn in guns, no questions asked, and receive cash AND a useful tool to help their children’s education. Remember, if you are caught with an illegal gun, you face prison time. We hope to get as many guns as possible, but even one could save a life. I thank our partners for helping us with our goal of eradicating gun violence in the Bronx, and I am so grateful to the New York Yankees for donating iPads.”
Commissioner Shea said, “Every day, our NYPD officers work relentlessly to prevent gun violence and to keep illegal guns from victimizing New Yorkers. This gun buy-back event being carried out with our partners in the Bronx district attorney's office is a key part of our tireless efforts to work with those we serve to take guns off of our city streets.”
Brian Smith, Yankees Senior Vice President of Corporate/Community Relations, said, “The Yankees organization is proud to participate in this gun buyback initiative with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD. We continually strive to find creative ways to positively impact our neighbors in the Bronx, and this program generates clear and immediate benefits toward making our community safer. We offer our thanks to all those involved in bringing it to fruition.”
People can turn in operable handguns or assault rifles and receive a $200 pre-paid card, and a free iPad from the Bronx DA’s Office and the New York Yankees. The iPad will be given to the first 150 participants, with a limit of one per person. People who turn in rifles, shotguns or airguns will receive a $25 pre-paid card. Participants can turn in as many guns as they wish but will only receive payment for up to three guns. Only one iPad will be given per person, regardless of how many weapons they surrender.
There have been 315 shooting incidents in the Bronx this year, wounding 377 people, a major jump from 2019, when there were 176 shootings that wounded 196 people. In the 47th Precinct, where St. Luke’s is located, there have been 42 people wounded in 38 shooting incidents, more than double the number of victims and incidents at this time last year.
District Attorney Clark said, “I believe providing iPads will entice more people to do the right thing and turn in illegal guns and at the same time help members of their households. Children are home now more than ever and, especially in the Bronx, in need of technology that connects them to school and to the world outside their quarantine. Their caregivers are also home now more than ever, because they are working remotely or, unfortunately, because they lost their jobs. Bronx unemployment rates have soared to 25%, the highest in the city.”
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