Brooklyn Lawmakers Renew Push To Pass State Bills Targeting Gun Traffickers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Brooklyn lawmakers are renewing a push to get illegal guns off the street. It comes as the NYPD is increasing arrests and seizures.
A quarter of all shootings in New York City happen in five precincts in Brooklyn.
"We've also seen more investigations into those areas by moving more detectives in those areas. What we've also done is we've moved more technology into those areas," NYPD Chief Michael LiPetri said.
The result is gun arrests now inching closer to pre-pandemic levels after the clearance rate plunged during the summer, CBS2's Aundrea Cline-Thomas reports.
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Many are repeat offenders associated with gangs in a cycle of retaliation using illegal guns that are easy to buy on the street.
"The penalties for selling drugs are more significant currently than the penalty for selling these firearms. That makes no sense. We have to change the law," Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez joined lawmakers to urge the passage of two state bills aimed at targeting gun traffickers.
One would triple the minimum jail time and the other would require tracing where the guns originated.
Officials say nearly 70% of the guns used in these crimes come from three or four states, mainly in the south. It's known as the iron pipeline.
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Victim's families are supporting the legislation, although it doesn't provide much solace.
"It's no consolation to a family who has a member stolen from them forever," said Jay Brown, whose cousin Michael Scully was killed while walking his dog in the usually quiet Bay Ridge neighborhood.
With the illegal flow of guns, no one is safe. A renewed effort from law enforcement and lawmakers to get to the root of the problem.
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