'Successful' New Rochelle Gun Buyback Collects 75 Firearms

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A gun buyback event at a New Rochelle church exceeded expectations removing dozens of guns from the streets.

Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah and New Rochelle Police Department Commissioner Robert Gazzola said that 75 firearms were collected on Saturday at the community gun buyback held at Shiloh Baptist Church in New Rochelle. $13,750 in gift cards were exchanged, with no questions asked, for surrendered shotguns, handguns and rifles from the public.

SEE ALSO: Westchester Gun Buyback Marks Start Of Gun Violence Awareness Month

Rocah and Gazzola were joined by Shiloh Baptist Church Rev. Dr. H. Lee Jordan, Jr., Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America volunteers and New Rochelle community leaders. The event commemorated the start of National Gun Violence Awareness Month in support of proactive community-based efforts like gun buybacks, education on safe gun storage practices and enforcement of the state's enhanced gun safety laws.

"I am proud to kick off National Gun Violence Awareness Month by getting 75 firearms off our streets and out of potentially the wrong hands," Rocah said. "I thank the New Rochelle Police Department and Shiloh Baptist Church for being valuable partners in today’s successful buyback event, and to our community advocates who work with us in our efforts year-round to reduce gun involved incidents, including suicides."