New York Attorney General Hosting Gun-Buyback Event
New York attorney general Letitia James is hosting a gun-buyback event in late April with the stated aim of protecting New Yorkers from gun violence while the country sees a population shift away from gun control states.
The first-ever statewide community gun buyback in New York will be held on Saturday, April 29, according to an April 18 press release from New York’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG).
“This one-day statewide initiative will feature nine simultaneous gun-buyback events held across the state, at which the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will accept—with no questions asked—working and non-working, unloaded firearms in exchange for compensation on site,” it said.
“The OAG provides money in the form of prepaid gift cards when a gun is received and secured by law enforcement officers on site … This statewide initiative is part of Attorney General James’ efforts to combat gun violence and protect people from harm.”
The OAG will offer $500 for every assault rifle or ghost gun, $75 per rifle or shotgun, and $25 for every non-working, replica, antique, homemade, or 3D-printed gun. A handgun will fetch $150. However, the first handgun turned in by an individual will be given $500.
There are no limits on how many firearms an individual can turn in. The firearms must be unloaded and placed in a bag or box.
The buyback event will be held at nine locations, including the Family Life Academy in the Bronx, All Saints Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn, OAG Suffolk Regional Office in Suffolk County, and the Johnson City Senior Center in Broome County.
“To date, Attorney General James has helped remove more than 4,000 guns from New York communities since 2019,” said the statement but did not specify from whose hands.
Tightening Gun Control, Government Targeting Lawful Citizens
Letitia James’s gun buyback comes as President Joe Biden signed an executive order on March 14 that seeks to tighten gun control measures. The order increases the number of background checks an individual is subject to before a firearm sale.
In addition, the order expands the use of “red flag” laws and increases the scrutiny of the gun industry. Red flag laws are aimed at preventing individuals who exhibit signs of being a potential threat to themselves or others from buying or possessing a firearm.
During a recent convention held by the National Rifle Association (NRA), former president Donald Trump warned that Biden’s gun control agenda is a “part and parcel of the left-wing crusade to weaponize government against law-abiding citizens.”
At the same time, the administration is letting criminals roam free, Trump said. “They’re [criminals] all over the place. I’ve never seen anything like it. You’re afraid to walk through one of these Democrat cities. You go out for a loaf of bread, you end up getting shot.”
“As president, I will end the weaponization of our government, including the ATF,” Trump said, referring to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Exodus From Gun Control States
According to an analysis by John Seiler, a veteran California opinion writer, people have been fleeing from gun-control states like California. He looked at states with “constitutional carry” gun laws and “shall issue” laws.
Under “constitutional carry,” a citizen can carry a concealed firearm without getting a permit. In a state with “shall issue” laws, citizens will be issued gun-carry permits only after they take firearms classes and a background check is performed on them.
The United States has 26 constitutional carry states, including Florida where this will become effective on July 1, and 24 shall issue states.
Seiler found that 1,929,551 Americans moved from shall carry states to constitutional carry states during a period of two years, between April 1, 2020, and July 1, 2022. The biggest exodus was seen in Californi,a where 871,127 people left the state that is known for its strict gun-control laws.
