Organizers: gun buyback event a success

More than 200 firearms were taken off the streets at a recent gun buyback in Long Beach that was held by the Long Beach Police Department, in conjunction with Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano, Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas and Acting Police Commissioner Tom Krumpter. The event was held at the Christian Light Baptist Church, which had previously hosted three buyback events.

Asset forfeiture funds from the Nassau County Police Department and Singas’ office are utilized to fund the buyback program, which is strictly anonymous. Individuals are paid $100 cash for every turned in operable rifle, $200 cash for each turned in operable handgun and $400 cash for each turned in operable assault rifle.

Organizers said that $39,500 was paid out at the Aug. 15 event for 130 handguns, 32 rifles, 21 shotguns, 15 sawed-off shotguns and 13 assault rifles. Regardless of whether or not a gun was originally obtained through legal channels, LBPD Commissioner Michael Tangney said that it’s important to get them off the street so that there is no chance of them being used to perpetrate a crime in the future.

“Our gun buyback programs have taken thousands of guns off of Nassau streets, and this event in Long Beach is another important step in our ongoing fight to eliminate the threat of gun violence,” Singas said in a statement. “I thank Christian Light Baptist Church and the Long Beach and Nassau County Police Departments for partnering with us to get dangerous and illegal firearms out of our communities.”

Unlike previous buybacks that were requested by members of the Christian Light congregation, the LBPD asked Singas’ office and the church to conduct this event — which came on the heels of a string of shooting incidents in Long Beach earlier this summer.

“Under Commissioner Tangney’s leadership, the Long Beach Police Department has done a remarkable job keeping our community safe,” City Council President Len Torres said. “And coordinated efforts like these with Nassau County provide additional protection for everyone in our city.”

Earlier this summer, a shot was fired into the air on July 6 during an argument at Channel Park Homes in the North Park neighborhood, less than a month after a 4-year-old boy at the housing complex was grazed by a stray bullet on June 19 when an argument between two men outside of his home escalated. Also in June, the LBPD arrested Wyoming Avenue resident Brian Kelly in connection with an early morning shooting that occurred in the West End on June 16.