By Rich Bockmann
As a southeast Queens community still reeling from a senseless murder earlier this summer prepared to rally against crime, two more handguns were taken off the streets.
City Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica) delivered two firearms to South Jamaica’s 113th Precinct Tuesday evening that he said a constituent had brought into his office, no questions asked.
“I didn’t ask any questions about how he got it,” Wills said. “You don’t want to ask questions. Once you do that, people don’t want to bring them to you.”
Just before the 113th’s celebration of National Night Out Against Crime got underway at nearby Baisley Pond Park, Wills walked into the station house and handed over a cardboard box containing an Iver Johnson revolver and a Star automatic pistol.
“Thanks so much for bringing these in,” Deputy Inspector Milt Marmara said as Officer Tom Masi checked the firearms to make sure they were not loaded. “Unfortunately, guns like these are all too common.”
Wills said the constituent called his office not long after Borough President Helen Marshall sponsored a gun buyback event to honor the memory of D’aja Robinson, the 14-year-old girl who was killed May 18 when a gunman opened fire on the bus she was riding.
Kevin McClinton, 21, of Rosedale, was later arrested and charged with her murder.
The June 29 buyback netted nearly 30 firearms.
Wills said the constituent missed the buyback, but under the city’s Cash for Guns program, anyone can receive $100 for surrendering a gun at the local precinct. The councilman waited while the 113th processed two $100 vouchers, which he said he planned to deliver to the community member.
On the heels of last summer, when it seemed as if every week there was a violent shooting that grabbed headlines, D’aja’s murder appeared to portend another violent season, but it has not played out that way.
According to the NYPD’s crime statistics through the end of July, shooting incidents were down 50 percent for the year, from 36 to 18, and the number of shooting victims had fallen 53 percent.
Murders, in one of the most heavily affected precincts in the city, were down about 71 percent from year to year. By the last week of June 2012, there had already been 14 murders in the 113th, compared with only four so far this year.
“D’aja’s death really brought everything to the forefront,” Marmara said. “People are bringing in tips. We’re getting guns through buybacks. The community just does not want any part of it.”
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
