February 6, 2026

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

My office hosted another successful gun buyback event this past weekend with our partners at the NYPD and the office of Attorney General Letitia James. This event was held at the Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Jamaica with the help of the church's pastor, the Rev. Dr. Frankco J. Harris.

Gun buybacks are an anonymous, no-questions-asked opportunity to surrender a working firearm in exchange for a bank card pre-loaded with cash.

Last Saturday, we received 124 guns, including 10 automatic weapons -- a record-breaking total for this office.

These weapons are now permanently removed from the streets of Queens and will not be used for harm in our neighborhoods.

This was my office's 12th gun buyback event since 2020, and we have collected a total of 741 firearms. Every gun collected is a potential life saved.

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

In Friendship,

Melinda Katz

Queens District Attorney

Cases of Interest

• A Brooklyn man has been indicted for a near fatal attack on his cousin. The defendant was charged with assault and reckless endangerment for punching his relative when the pair argued. The victim was left unconscious on Rockaway Boulevard and was later run over by a passing vehicle.
• The District Attorney's office secured a court order to return stolen homes in Queens Village and Kew Gardens Hills to their rightful owners, who were the victims in a deed theft scheme. Four defendants were previously convicted and sentenced.

Information Wanted

If you have any information about the death of an unidentified young man, whose remains were found on the service road of the Van Wyck Expressway in South Ozone Park 32 years ago, please contact NYPD Crimestoppers by calling 800-577-TIPS, or through the online form.

It is never too late for justice.

Celebrating Black History

It was a pleasure to host our annual Black History Month celebration, to remember the innumerable accomplishments and contributions Black people have made to this country and beyond.

This year's event was held at the Rochdale Village Community Center Grand Ballroom, where NY1 anchor Cheryl Wills served as the emcee. The event honored State Senator Leroy Comrie and Rochdale Village Community Center Director Julia Shaw, along with members of the QDA staff -- Assistant District Attorney Dina Hodges and Secretary Rhonda Shecut -- for their contributions to the culture.

Local Cops, Local Crimes Act

I joined Gov. Kathy Hochul, Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch and my fellow district attorneys last week for the governor's announcement of the "Local Cops, Local Crimes" act. The proposed law would strengthen constitutional safeguards and prohibit local law enforcement from being deputized by ICE for federal civil immigration enforcement.

Local law enforcement officers must prioritize upholding local laws while building trust with the cummunities they serve. That trust is essential to public safety. We continue to work closely with our federal partners in criminal investigations and in pursuit of defendants accused of breaking New York State laws. At the same time, our local law enforcement partners must remain at the forefront of day-to-day enforcement operations.

Join Us at the Lefferts Library

Meeting Queens neighbors where they live and play, the DA's Mobile Office visits to various community libraries are a perfect opportunity to get the answers you need.

At a recent visit to the North Hills library, an Assistant District Attorney joined staff members to meet the public, answer questions and provide information about resources available at the Queens District Attorney's office. The next stop for the Mobile Office is the Lefferts Library.