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Gun Control

Ex-Con Commuted By Cuomo Murders 27-Year-Old NY Man, DA Says Ex-Con Commuted By Cuomo Murders 27-Year-Old NY Man, DA Says
Ex-Con Commuted By Cuomo Murders 27-Year-Old NY Man, DA Says An anti-violence activist who once spent decades in prison before he was granted early release by former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is now accused of killing a 27-year-old man. Dontie Mitchell, age 43, of Albany, was indicted on murder and related charges by an Albany County grand jury on Friday, Aug. 18, in the death of Shieer Leggett. According to the Albany County District Attorney’s Office, Mitchell, either alone or with others, shot Leggett to death in Cohoes, near Main and Schuyler streets, on Friday, Aug. 11. Mitchell is also accused of having an illegal handgun at the time of the m…
Man Caught With Ghost Gun Kits, Magazines In Westchester Gets Prison Time Man Caught With Ghost Gun Kits, Magazines In Westchester Gets Prison Time
Man Caught With Ghost Gun Kits, Magazines In Westchester Gets Prison Time A 36-year-old Connecticut man who was caught with illegal weapon kits in Westchester County will spend several years in prison for trafficking a large number of ghost guns from his New Haven County home.  Ansonia resident Melvin Burroughs, age 36, was sentenced to 58 months in prison on Thursday, July 27 for trafficking firearms, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced. According to federal officials, between 2019 through approximately January 2022, Burroughs bought parts for "ghost guns," assembled them into finished working firearms, and sold them.  He f…
New Update: Car Arson Suspect Caught With Armor Piercing Bullets In Westchester, Police Say New Update: Car Arson Suspect Caught With Armor Piercing Bullets In Westchester, Police Say
New Update: Car Arson Suspect Caught With Armor Piercing Bullets In Westchester, Police Say A lengthy investigation has resulted in the arrest of a 30-year-old man who allegedly set numerous vehicles on fire in Westchester, police said.  On Thursday night, July 13, 30-year-old Fredy Hernandez-Paz was arrested on arson charges by Port Chester Police in connection with several incidents that happened in June and July, according to the department.  According to police, Hernandez-Paz was involved in early morning vehicle arson incidents that happened on both Sunday morning, June 11 around 4 a.m. in the area of Spring Street, and Saturday, July 8 arou…
‘Stop The Bloodshed’: Louisville Shooting Could’ve Been Prevented By Red Flag Law, Hochul Says ‘Stop The Bloodshed’: Louisville Shooting Could’ve Been Prevented By Red Flag Law, Hochul Says
‘Stop The Bloodshed’: Louisville Shooting Could’ve Been Prevented By Red Flag Law, Hochul Says Recent mass shootings that killed six people at an elementary school in Tennessee and five more at a bank in Kentucky might not have occurred had those states implemented so-called “red flag” laws like New York, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul. In an op-ed written for USA Today Network and shared on the governor's website, Hochul touted the measures, which allow a court to issue an extreme risk protection order (ERPO) that temporarily prohibits someone from buying or possessing a gun should they be deemed a danger to themselves or others. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the state’s ERPO in…
Man Stopped From Bringing Loaded Gun On Flight At Westchester Airport Man Stopped From Bringing Loaded Gun On Flight At Westchester Airport
Man Stopped From Bringing Loaded Gun On Flight At Westchester Airport A traveler who claimed that he forgot his loaded handgun was in his carry-on bag at Westchester County Airport now faces steep civil penalties.  On Monday, March 6, Transportation Security Administration officers at Westchester County Airport in White Plains stopped a Florida man from bringing a loaded 9mm handgun onto his flight, according to TSA Northeast spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.  The gun, which was loaded with seven bullets including one in the chamber, was caught after the man entered the security checkpoint and an X-ray unit alerted officers to his carry-on…
Westchester Man Illegally Had 'Arsenal' Of Assault Weapons, Magazines Without Permit: DA Westchester Man Illegally Had 'Arsenal' Of Assault Weapons, Magazines Without Permit: DA
Westchester Man Illegally Had 'Arsenal' Of Assault Weapons, Magazines Without Permit: DA A Westchester man faces more than 100 felony counts for illegally possessing several assault weapons and dozens of high-capacity magazines in his home without a permit, officials said.  Hastings-on-Hudson resident Jianqiao Lu, age 29, was arraigned in Westchester County Court on Tuesday, March 7 for several charges related to the illegal possession of weapons, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.  Lu was arrested on Oct. 25, 2021, by the Hastings-on-Hudson Police Department after they discovered that he was allegedly in possession of 16 guns, includ…
Decade After Sandy Hook School Shooting, New Tech Gives Teachers, Students ‘Layer Of Security' Decade After Sandy Hook School Shooting, New Tech Gives Teachers, Students ‘Layer Of Security'
Decade After Sandy Hook School Shooting, New Tech Gives Teachers, Students ‘Layer Of Security' Gun control advocates will tell you that not much has changed since a 20-year-old gunman walked into a Connecticut elementary school and murdered 20 students and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown on Dec. 14, 2012. Since that day, another 279 people have died in 189 different shootings that have occurred at schools across the United States, BBC News reports. Among them are the 19 students and two teachers who were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in May 2022. What has changed, though, is the technology that’s available to schools to help keep students a…
TSA Agents Stop Man From Bringing Loaded Gun On Flight In Westchester County Airport TSA Agents Stop Man From Bringing Loaded Gun On Flight In Westchester County Airport
TSA Agents Stop Man From Bringing Loaded Gun On Flight In Westchester County Airport A Hudson Valley man was caught trying to bring a loaded handgun onto a flight in the region. On Friday, Oct. 28, a Transportation Security Administration officer at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains was checking an Orange County man's belongings on the checkpoint X-ray machine’s monitor when they spotted the handgun, which was loaded with seven bullets, according to TSA officials.  Soon after this, Westchester County Police responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the gun, and detained the man for questioning, TSA officials said.  The man, a resident of Newburgh…
New Poll Reveals Who NYers Favor In Governor's Race Based On Inflation, Crime, Abortion New Poll Reveals Who NYers Favor In Governor's Race Based On Inflation, Crime, Abortion
New Poll Reveals Who NYers Favor In Governor's Race Based On Inflation, Crime, Abortion As Election Day draws nearer, new polling is highlighting the issues that are top of mind for New York voters when choosing their next governor. Overall, incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul leads her Republican opponent, Rep. Lee Zeldin, by six points, 47 to 41 percent, according to a SurveyUSA poll released Thursday, Oct. 20. Earlier Report: Zeldin Holds Edge Over Hochul In NY's Suburbs, Among Independents In Brand-New Poll Four percent of likely voters said they plan to vote for another candidate, while 8 percent were undecided. Hochul’s lead has shrunk dramatically from August …
Hudson Valley County Exec's Congressional Special Election Win Cited Nationally As Bellwether Hudson Valley County Exec's Congressional Special Election Win Cited Nationally As Bellwether
Hudson Valley County Exec's Congressional Special Election Win Cited Nationally As Bellwether Democrats received a major confidence boost heading into the November midterms after Pat Ryan won a special election for New York's open 19th House seat in a race that's considered a national bellwether. Ryan, the Ulster County executive, was leading Republican Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, with 51 percent of the vote when the Associated Press called the race just after midnight Wednesday, Aug. 24. The swing district, located in the Catskills and mid-Hudson Valley regions and which includes Ulster and Dutchess counties, was left vacant when Democrat Antonio Delgado became …
Road Rage: Man Threatens Another Driver With Handgun In Pleasantville Incident, Police Say Road Rage: Man Threatens Another Driver With Handgun In Pleasantville Incident, Police Say
Road Rage: Man Threatens Another Driver With Handgun In Pleasantville Incident, Police Say A Hudson Valley man was nabbed for alleged road rage after allegedly pulling a gun on another driver he had been tailgating. The incident took place in Northern Westchester on Monday, Aug. 1 in Pleasantville, near Bedford Road and Cooley Street. According to Chief Erik Grutzner, of the Pleasantville Police, the two drivers had gotten in a "tiff" over a parking space and the incident continued when both cars were on the road. The second car, driven by a 27-year-old Carmel man, began tailgating the first car aggressively, causing the first car to stop, the driver to get out and ask him to st…
Listen, Learn, Volunteer — A Night To Take Action Will Be Held In Ridgefield Listen, Learn, Volunteer — A Night To Take Action Will Be Held In Ridgefield
Listen, Learn, Volunteer — A Night To Take Action Will Be Held In Ridgefield First it was New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. Then Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. And, finally, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. These three US Supreme Court decisions, among others, handed down this past June cheered many while galvanizing many others into angry action. Count Glori Norwitt and Jessica Mancini among the latter. The two Ridgefield women have been friends since their children met in preschool some 15 years ago. Mancini is a former member of the Ridgefield Board of Finance and Norwitt is an employment attorney, chair of Ridgefield's E…
Local Man Found With Loaded Gun At Airport In Hudson Valley, TSA Says Local Man Found With Loaded Gun At Airport In Hudson Valley, TSA Says
Local Man Found With Loaded Gun At Airport In Hudson Valley, TSA Says A local man is facing a “stiff” fine after he was found trying to board a flight at Stewart International Airport in Orange County with a loaded handgun. The Dutchess County man, identified as a resident of Poughkeepsie, was stopped by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers made the discovery Tuesday, July 5, according to the agency. A TSA officer spotted the gun during an X-ray scan of the man’s belongings. It was loaded and accompanied by five bullets, the agency said. The officer immediately notified police, who confiscated the gun and detained the man for qu…
New Westchester Law Requires Gun Shop Owners Post Warnings New Westchester Law Requires Gun Shop Owners Post Warnings
New Westchester Law Requires Gun Shop Owners Post Warnings In the wake of multiple mass shootings across the country, elected officials in Westchester took steps to help curtail the sale of potentially dangerous weapons in the county. Westchester County Executive George Latimer signed legislation that will require the posting of notices warning of the dangers of weapons or firearms at the point of sale and at the point of the issuance of a firearm license. The move comes following fatal shootings in Buffalo, Texas, Oklahoma, and other parts of the nation. Latimer likened the new legislation to that of the Surgeon General's warning on cigarettes re…
Yankees, Other Pro Sports Teams Urge Fans To Take Action On Gun Law Reform After Mass Shootings Yankees, Other Pro Sports Teams Urge Fans To Take Action On Gun Law Reform After Mass Shootings
Yankees, Other Pro Sports Teams Urge Fans To Take Action On Gun Law Reform After Mass Shootings The game of baseball took a backseat for a pair of rival teams who took the opportunity to encourage gun control and legislative action after the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, Texas, and elsewhere in the US. Social media departments from the New York Yankees and AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays teamed up during their matchup on Thursday, May 26 to forego tweeting and messaging about their game, and instead used it to promote gun law reform. “In lieu of game coverage and in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Rays, we will be using our channels to offer facts about the impacts of gun violence,…
ID Released For Detective Shot During Sting Operation In Westchester ID Released For Detective Shot During Sting Operation In Westchester
ID Released For Detective Shot During Sting Operation In Westchester A veteran police detective in Westchester is recovering from surgery after being shot during an FBI anti-gun task force sting operation. The Yonkers Police Department said that Det. Brian Menton, a 27-year-veteran of the force who was a week from retiring, was shot at approximately 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20 in a small grocery store near the intersection of Elm Street and Linden Street in the city. Earlier story - New Details Released After Officer Shot, Hospitalized In Yonkers At the time of the shooting, Menton, who was assigned to the Westchester County Safe Streets…
Man Tries To Bring Loaded Gun On Plane At Westchester Airport, Authorities Say Man Tries To Bring Loaded Gun On Plane At Westchester Airport, Authorities Say
Man Tries To Bring Loaded Gun On Plane At Westchester Airport, Authorities Say A Connecticut man was arrested by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented him from carrying a loaded handgun onto his flight at the Westchester County Airport. The incident involving a man from Fairfield County happened on Tuesday, April 5 after the Town of Fairfield resident was busted with a .40 caliber gun loaded with 10 bullets attempting to board a flight at the White Plains airport. According to TSA, an officer spotted the handgun on the checkpoint X-ray machine’s monitor as the man’s belongings entered the X-ray unit. TSA alerted the Westchester…
Man Menaces Victim With Gun During Dispute Over Personal Matter In Westchester, Police Say Man Menaces Victim With Gun During Dispute Over Personal Matter In Westchester, Police Say
Man Menaces Victim With Gun During Dispute Over Personal Matter In Westchester, Police Say A gun-wielding Westchester man out on bail for a previous weapons charge was taken into police custody after allegedly menacing and making threats toward a neighbor with a handgun, authorities announced. In Port Chester, police received a complaint at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30, from a man who said that during the course of a confrontation with a person known to him, a handgun was displayed and threats were made. It is alleged that the suspect, Port Chester resident Diego Orozco, age 29, proceeded to flee the scene in his vehicle after making the threat, which the compla…
Gun Manufacturer Settles With Sandy Hook Families For $73M, Marking Historic First Gun Manufacturer Settles With Sandy Hook Families For $73M, Marking Historic First
Gun Manufacturer Settles With Sandy Hook Families For $73M, Marking Historic First Families of five children and four adults killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting reached a historic $73 million settlement with gun manufacturer Remington, officials announced. Attorneys for the families who filed the suit against the now-bankrupt Remington and its four insurers, announced on Tuesday, Feb. 15 that they had reached the settlement, representing the first time a gun manufacturer has been held liable for a mass shooting in the US. As part of the settlement, lawyers for the families said that Remington agreed to release thousands of pages of internal company do…
100+ Firearms Seized, 11 Arrests Made In Westchester Ghost Gun Probe 100+ Firearms Seized, 11 Arrests Made In Westchester Ghost Gun Probe
100+ Firearms Seized, 11 Arrests Made In Westchester Ghost Gun Probe More than 100 firearms were seized and 11 people were arrested following a six-month, multi-agency investigation into “ghost guns” and illegal weapons in Westchester and Putnam counties. Search warrants were executed at eight locations by local, county, and federal authorities in Westchester and Putnam this week, which led to the seizure of rifles, handguns, “ghost guns,” and multiple high-capacity drum magazines. Police investigators added that some of the weapons lacked or had defaced serial numbers. Other seized items include silencers, ballistic vests, counterfeit police shields, and q…
ID Released For 16-Year-Old Gunned Down In Westchester ID Released For 16-Year-Old Gunned Down In Westchester
ID Released For 16-Year-Old Gunned Down In Westchester Police investigators in Westchester have released the ID of a 16-year-old who was shot and killed by a teen now facing a murder charge. Officers from the New Rochelle Police Department responded to the corner of 4th Street and Washington Avenue at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 25, where there was a report of a shooting that had just taken place. Upon arrival, New Rochelle Police Capt. J. Collins Coyne said that officers found the New Rochelle resident, Julian Oliveros, on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. Officers administered first aid at the scene, and Oliveros was tran…
TSA Officers Stop Man From Carrying Handgun Onto Flight At LGA TSA Officers Stop Man From Carrying Handgun Onto Flight At LGA
TSA Officers Stop Man From Carrying Handgun Onto Flight At LGA Transportation Security Administration officers stopped a Fairfield County man from carrying a handgun onto his flight at LaGuardia Airport. The Darien man was detained on the morning of Monday, Jan. 10, after a TSA officer saw the .38 caliber handgun on the checkpoint X-ray machine's monitor, the TSA announced. TSA said the gun wasn't loaded. Port Authority Police responded to the checkpoint and brought the man in for questioning before they arrested him on weapons charges.  The man reportedly told authorities he didn't realize he had the gun with him. The man is also facing a fede…
Westchester County Man Busted At JFK Airport With Handgun Westchester County Man Busted At JFK Airport With Handgun
Westchester County Man Busted At JFK Airport With Handgun Thanksgiving travel got off to a rocky start for a Westchester man who was busted by TSA officers at the JFK Airport with a loaded handgun. On Monday, Nov. 22, officers spotted a man with a .22-caliber handgun at one of the security checkpoints at the airport, loaded with four bullets inside. TSA officials alerted the Port Authority Police, who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the gun, and arrested a man from Tuckahoe on multiple weapons charges.  Officials did not release the man’s identity, but noted that he also faces thousands of dollars in federal fines for bringing the …
Deputy Mayor In Hudson Valley Nabbed With 16 Assault Weapons, Fake FBI IDs Deputy Mayor In Hudson Valley Nabbed With 16 Assault Weapons, Fake FBI IDs
Deputy Mayor In Hudson Valley Nabbed With 16 Assault Weapons, Fake FBI IDs A local government official in the Hudson Valley is facing multiple weapons charges after police say they discovered an arsenal of guns in his home. Airmont Deputy Mayor Brian Downey, age 47, was arrested on Friday, Sept. 3, after Rockland County authorities were alerted by the Department of Homeland Security that he had purchased an illegal rifle suppressor over the internet. During a search of his home by investigators from numerous departments, agents found 16 assault weapons and 13 silencers, along with a large stash of fake federal IDs, including FBI credentials, said the Rockland Cou…
Surgeon Busted With Weapons Cache In Westchester Pleads Guilty Surgeon Busted With Weapons Cache In Westchester Pleads Guilty
Surgeon Busted With Weapons Cache In Westchester Pleads Guilty A Long Island surgeon who was busted with a cache of weapons in his BMW in Westchester will avoid prison time after reaching a plea agreement. Nassau County resident Matthew Bonanno, age 49, of Great Neck, pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon for owning a 9mm pistol and was sentenced to five years of probation by acting state Supreme Court Justice Terence Murphy on Long Island. Bonanno had been charged in a 13-count indictment in Nassau County that alleged he illegally possessed five assault weapons and two pistols that authorities seized from his former Nort…
Police Investigating If Road Rage Led To Fatal Shooting Of Yale University Graduate Student Police Investigating If Road Rage Led To Fatal Shooting Of Yale University Graduate Student
Police Investigating If Road Rage Led To Fatal Shooting Of Yale University Graduate Student A Yale University graduate student who was killed after being shot multiple times may have been targeted and police are investigating if the killing was an act of road rage. Kevin Jiang, age 26, who lived in West Haven, was shot to death on Lawrence Street between Nicoll Street and Nash Street Saturday, Feb. 6. During a press conference on Monday, Feb. 8, New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes said Jiang was familiar with the neighborhood where he was killed, and that a vehicle was involved in the incident. He declined to offer additional details of the crime but did say detectives had …
Police Officer Arrested, Charged For Fraudulent Attempt To Buy Firearm In Westchester Police Officer Arrested, Charged For Fraudulent Attempt To Buy Firearm In Westchester
Police Officer Arrested, Charged For Fraudulent Attempt To Buy Firearm In Westchester A police officer in Westchester attempted to deceive a gun shop owner to fraudulently purchase a firearm, despite being disciplined for an off-duty incident. Sanjay Richards, an active duty member of the Yonkers Police Department, was arrested and charged with a pair of felonies after he allegedly attempted to fraudulently purchase a weapon at a gun shop in Mount Vernon. Richards, 40, a five-year veteran of the department, surrendered at Yonkers Police Headquarters on Tuesday, Oct. 13 following an investigation by the department and Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Yonkers De…
Westchester Man Indicted For Attempted Murder During Botched Robbery Westchester Man Indicted For Attempted Murder During Botched Robbery
Westchester Man Indicted For Attempted Murder During Botched Robbery A member of the Yonkers Blood Hounds gang has been charged with attempted murder after shooting an area homeowner with his own gun during a botched burglary. Yonkers resident Luis Sanchez, 28, was indicted for attempted murder and multiple other charges in the April shooting of a man during an attempted burglary on Western Avenue. Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr. said that at approximately 2:15 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, the Yonkers Police Department received an emergency call regarding shots fired at a residence on Western Avenue. It is alleged that Sanchez’s vi…
Video Released Of Police-Involved Shooting In Westchester Video Released Of Police-Involved Shooting In Westchester
Video Released Of Police-Involved Shooting In Westchester Video footage of the chase and confrontation that led to the fatal police-involved shooting that of a 24-year-old convicted felon in Westchester has been made public. The New Rochelle Police Department released six videos taken from private businesses in the city that depict the officers’ pursuit of city resident Kamal Flowers on Friday, June 5 before he was fatally shot. In the videos, Flowers can be seen taking off from a Dodge Charger as it was stopped by officers, before the car drove off, prompting the initial pursuit. In others, police can be seen chasing and engaging with Flowers as …
NY Schools First To Have 'Red Flag' Power On Guns: Here's What It Means NY Schools First To Have 'Red Flag' Power On Guns: Here's What It Means
NY Schools First To Have 'Red Flag' Power On Guns: Here's What It Means Another first for the Empire State. Schools statewide in New York began the academic year this month with a new tool to help prevent student suicides or violence. Approximately one-third of states have “red flag” laws, which allow courts to temporarily take weapons from people who may be a danger to themselves or others. Earlier this year, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation to follow suit. Now, New York has become the first to implement legislation that will allow schools, as well as police and family members, to petition courts to remove firearms from potentially dangerous peop…
Ocasio-Cortez, Gillibrand Slam NY Times Headline On Trump's White House Address On Racism Ocasio-Cortez, Gillibrand Slam NY Times Headline On Trump's White House Address On Racism
Ocasio-Cortez, Gillibrand Slam NY Times Headline On Trump's White House Address On Racism Freshman New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand among the cacophony of voices that forced the New York Times to alter a headline online from its print edition. Following the mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas, which left 31 people dead, The Times' front-page headline on Tuesday, Aug. 6 read “Trump Urges Unity vs. Racism” after President Donald Trump’s address at the White House. Leading up to Trump's remarks on Monday, Aug. 5 in the Diplomatic Room of the White House, the president’s rhetoric in rallies and on Twitter was widely criticized…