October 30, 2026

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We hosted our 14th gun buyback event last weekend and collected 176 firearms – the most surrendered during a buyback since 2020 and the second highest total collected through such events in New York City this year.

We have now taken a total of 1,025 guns off the streets of Queens through this initiative.

Gun buybacks are an effective tool to help reduce the senseless cycle of gun violence that exists in our city.

We hosted the event with the NYPD at the Majority Baptist Church in Jamaica. Anyone was welcome to surrender a firearm - no questions asked and no identification required.

Yesterday, I joined NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch and other officials to announce that more than 4,500 guns have been removed from the streets of New York City this year – including 868 in Queens – through gang takedowns, long-term investigations and arrests.

Every firearm removed represents a potential tragedy prevented



My top priority will always be keeping you and your loved ones safe.



In Friendship,

Melinda Katz

Queens District Attorney

Cases of Interest

• A 33-year-old Far Rockaway man has been indicted for first-degree murder, arson and other crimes for killing his mother and sister in their home in July, allegedly shooting both with a shotgun. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, if convicted.
• An Edgemere man has been charged with murder in the shooting death of his 35-year-old girlfriend, whose remains were discovered in a shallow grave at Rockaway Community Park on October 24. The defendant, 26, faces up to 25 years to life in prison, if convicted.

Information Wanted

Priscilla Pimentel was found stabbed to death with her hands bound behind her back in a home on 87th Avenue in Richmond Hill 20 years ago. If you have any information about this crime, please contact NYPD Crimestoppers by calling 800-577-TIPS, or through the online form.

It is never too late for justice.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

This week we hosted our fourth annual Domestic Violence Awareness Month luncheon to empower survivors of intimate partner violence to rise up, embrace their strength and have the courage to persevere.

No one deserves to suffer violence at the hands of a loved one. We are here to help with services, support and opportunities to move forward. I created a 24-hour helpline in 2020 to give anyone impacted by domestic violence the opportunity to speak to a prosecutor or a service provider.

If you need help, call 718 286-4410. If you are in immediate danger, always call 911.

Hope and Healing Event

A Cause, A Concern, A Solution Network is a grassroots, community-based organization dedicated to helping women, children and veterans. The organization has hosted numerous giveaways to neighborhood residents from school supplies to turkeys to toys.

My office co-sponsored the group's Inaugural Hope & Healing Awareness event last weekend at the Union United Methodist Church to provide information and resources. I presented a citation of honor to Chaplain Christina Winslow, who founded the organization.

Illegal Scooter Seizures

My office is committed to removing illegal motorized scooters from the streets of Queens. A team of QDA detectives working with officers from the 114th Precinct, Patrol Borough Queens North and the New York State Police were in Jackson Heights and Astoria.

A total of 33 scooters were seized. Most were unregistered and parked illegally on the street or the sidewalk.

Join Us at the Library

Meeting Queens residents where they live and gather, the DA’s Mobile Office is a great opportunity to get the answers you need. Our latest stop was at the Hunters Point Library in Long Island City where QDA staff talked to residents and shared information about services and resources.

We look forward to meeting with Queens neighbors and being part of the community. Everyone is invited to visit. The next Mobile Office stop will be on November 12 in Maspeth on Grand Avenue.

Join Us in Observance of Our Veterans

You are invited to join District Attorney Katz on November 5 for our annual Veterans Day Observance Ceremony as we pay tribute to those who have served and sacrificed for our nation.