D.A. Bragg Marks End Of Gun Violence Awareness Month, Emphasizes Comprehensive Approach To Reducing Shootings And Homicides

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr., marked the end of Gun Violence Awareness Month by emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to reducing gun violence. That approach was illustrated by the Office's work this June, which included gun violence prevention funding, a gun buyback, a gun trafficking indictment and a collaborative discussion with other district attorneys around the country.

As of June 21, shootings in Manhattan were down 62% and homicides were down 74%, compared to 2021, the year before D.A. Bragg took office. Shootings are also down 21% and homicides are down 45% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

"Public safety is strongest when we pair accountability with prevention and investments in the communities where we all live. Throughout Gun Violence Awareness Month, we brought together law enforcement, elected officials and advocates to address gun violence from every angle - from investing in young people and supporting prevention initiatives to removing illegal firearms from our streets. This holistic approach is delivering promising results, contributing to significant reductions in shootings and homicides in Manhattan. While there is still more work to do, we remain committed to building on this progress to create a lasting impact for the safety and wellbeing of all New Yorkers," said District Attorney Bragg.

Prosecutions & Enforcement

D.A. Bragg, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced the takedown of a gun trafficking operation, in which four defendants were indicted for allegedly conspiring to traffic firearms up the iron pipeline from Georgia into New York City, including selling 45 guns to an undercover officer.

D.A. Bragg stood with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tish and fellow district attorneys to announce the seizure of more than 2,000 illegal firearms from our city's streets this year.

Investing in Prevention

The Office awarded a total of $300,000 to 10 different community-based organizations to fund youth gun violence prevention initiatives this summer. For the fifth consecutive summer, the Office's funding provides organizations the ability to compensate young New Yorkers for engaging in meaningful programs - including career readiness, self-expression, and community activation - intended to address the root causes of youth gun violence. Since the launch of the program in 2022, more than 560 young people throughout Manhattan have been served by over 20 organizations.

The Office commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Lower East Side Gun Violence Prevention Collaborative, which was created in 2025 in response to the violence in that community. The Collaborative brings together city agencies, law enforcement and community organizations to coordinate prevention efforts, share resources and implement targeted strategies aimed at prevention and community engagement.

The Office, in partnership with the NYPD, elected officials and community partners, hosted a citywide gun buyback at Central Baptist Church on the Upper West Side. We were joined by the NYPD, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Jackie Rowe-Adams of Harlem Mothers & Fathers S.A.V.E. A total of 147 firearms were turned in, making it the most successful gun buyback held under D.A. Bragg and the largest Office-hosted buyback since at least 2011. It was also the sixth gun buyback since D.A. Bragg took office.

Leading the Fight Against Ghost Guns & 3D-Printed Guns

Prosecutors Against Gun Violence (PAGV), co-chaired by D.A. Bragg and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, hosted a webinar with a panel of experts, including from Everytown and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, who discussed the current landscape of 3D-printed ghost guns and the risks they pose to public safety.

PAGV also sent a letter to 3D-printer manufacturers Bambu labs, Creality and Flashforge, urging them to proactively implement printer-based solutions blocking the manufacturing of 3D-printed firearms and parts. The letter was signed by 20 members, representing communities from California to North Carolina. Read the letter here.

D.A. Bragg has been a national leader in the fight against the proliferation of ghost guns and 3D-printed firearms. In addition to the proactive cases the Office has brought against defendants who have manufactured or sold ghost guns, gun parts and 3D-printed firearms, the Office worked with Governor Kathy Hochul to get legislation passed that:

• Requires first-in-the-nation minimum safety standards for 3D printers sold in New York to be equipped with basic technology that prevents the unlicensed, illegal production of lethal firearms and firearm parts.
• Criminalizes the unlawful possession, sale, or distribution of blueprints that allow the printing of illegal guns and gun parts, and the manufacture of 3D-printed firearms.
• Requires all pistols sold in the state to private citizens to be designed in such a way that ensures they cannot quickly and easily be turned into machine guns using common tools.

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