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Nassau County Holds One Of The Largest Gun Buybacks In Its History

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- One of the largest gun buybacks in Nassau County history was held Saturday morning, and police believe the large turnout had to do with the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Conn.

As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, the doors of Grace Cathedral, at 944 Jerusalem Ave. in Uniondale, were only open about 20 minutes before police collected 50 weapons.

Nassau County police Commanding Officer Patrick Ryder said the county has been holding gun buybacks for five years, and this was one of the largest.

Nassau County Holds One Of The Largest Gun Buybacks In Its History

He said, along with giving $100 for handguns and $200 for rifles, for the first time, the county is giving $400 for assault rifles.

"After the Sandy Hook incident, it's those guns that are legally possessed in somebody's house now that have become illegal," Ryder said.

One man turned in several weapons.

"Eleven pistols, one MAC-10 machine gun, and one rifle," he said. I got $2,700."

Cuomo signed the toughest gun control law in the nation and the first since the Sandy Hook Elementary School Massacre.

Under prior state law, assault weapons are defined by having two "military rifle'' features spelled out in the law. The new law reduces that to one feature and include the popular pistol grip.

It also forces gun owners to renew their licenses every five years, stiffens penalties for using a gun in the commission of a crime and for bringing a gun on school property.

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