Historic buyback event in Utica brings in nearly 300 guns, including 177 'ghost guns'

Almost 300 guns were turned in Saturday during a historic gun buyback event hosted by the state’s attorney general's office and the Utica Police Department, according to a statement from New York Attorney General Letitia James.

This is the largest number of guns the city has seen returned at such an event, Utica police Sgt. Michael Curley said.

The attorney general’s office also stated that the recent buyback was the second largest in its history and the largest event held in the Mohawk Valley.

The Utica Police Department has conducted buyback events with the attorney general’s office for the last three years. Up until this weekend, the city has bought back an average of 100 guns, Curley said.

Last year, 99 firearms were collected at the event. In 2020, just over 100 were collected.

A similar event in Rome last September collected 84 guns, while Utica's 2019 gun buyback netted 136 firearms, according to Observer-Dispatch archives.

"Reducing gun violence is a top priority of my administration," said Utica Mayor Rob Palmieri in a statement. "The city was proactive in utilizing federal resources to hire more police officers to specifically reduce gun violence. These actions, coupled with efforts such as the gun buyback initiative, have substantive impact in addressing gun violence."

About the buyback event

The event was held Saturday at the Parkway Center.

Working and nonworking unloaded firearms were exchanged for prepaid gift cards, with no questions asked.

Utica police were on hand to secure the weapons.

In exchange for specific firearms, the agencies offered:

• $250 per assault rifle

• $150 per handgun

• $75 per rifle or shotgun

• $25 per non-working or antique firearm

An additional $100 was issued for a non-serialized weapon, or "ghost gun."

There was no limit on the number of firearms that can be turned in.

Saturday’s community gun buyback resulted in the collection of 296 guns, including:

• 177 ghost guns

• 42 long guns

• 41 handguns

• 33 non-working guns

• Three assault rifles

Since 2013, James has hosted gun buyback events throughout New York state and has successfully collected more than 5,300 firearms, according to statistics provided by her office.

"Gun violence is a scourge that devastates neighborhoods and endangers New York families," James said in a statement. "Gun buybacks, such as the one we hosted yesterday (Saturday), are one of the many ways I am working to combat this crisis, reduce crime, and protect New Yorkers from harm. Every gun that was turned in is a potential tragedy prevented and a potential life saved, and I thank the Utica Police Department for their invaluable support and collaboration."

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Utica gun buyback event brings in historic number of firearms