Nassau County will host a gun buyback event this month to help reduce gun violence on Long Island. Previous buybacks have brought in hundreds of weapons.
Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas says gun buyback programs and stricter gun control laws can help save lives.
“It’s clear from the data that states with stricter gun laws almost always have lower levels of gun violence than those with more permissive laws. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York have the lowest levels of gun violence in the country.”
County Executive Laura Curran says programs like this have helped Nassau become one of the safest counties in the country.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure our schools, our houses of worship, our gathering places are as safe as they can be. We make sure police officers visit them regularly so they know the plans, they know the lay of the land, that in the event of an active shooter, they are ready to go in.”
People will be able to bring in handguns, rifles and assault rifles anonymously. The police will pay cash for the weapons and then shred the guns. The program is funded by the county asset forfeiture fund.
The gun buyback is scheduled for Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. to noon at Union Baptist Church in Hempstead, which has seen a recent increase in gun violence.
