Gillibrand: Thousands of illegal guns taken off streets from federal law

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand made a stop in Buffalo Friday, as she laid out the impacts from a federal law on illegal firearms that was passed following the Tops mass shooting.

Senator Gillbrand met with Buffalo Police, anti-violence groups and lawmakers before giving an update on the impacts from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

That federal law was passed two years ago. It mandates expanded background check requirements for people who are under 21 years old and requires the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to contact additional agencies such as law enforcement during investigation.

The law also funds various programs on behavioral and mental health services and sets new criminal offenses for straw purchasing of guns and trafficking of guns. The bill was sponsored by Florida Senator Marco Rubio. Federal lawmakers point to this as proof of bipartisanship.

“Now, just over two years later, I’m proud to say that the statute that we passed helped get at least 3,000 illegal guns off our streets, including at least 30 right here in Buffalo and I know these numbers are sure to grow exponentially in the coming years,” Gillibrand said.

The latest data from the state shows that in the City of Buffalo, the number of shooting incidents involving injury and shooting victims is down, but the number of people killed by gun violence in the city has remained the same.

There have been 414 mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year.

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Jeff Preval is an award-winning anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in December 2021. See more of his work here.

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