Colonie Police seize nearly two dozen firearms off the streets
COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Colonie Police Department continues to confiscate illegal handguns off the streets. This past Friday, they recovered two more in a traffic stop. That ended up being the twenty-second illegal gun Colonie police have seized this year.
Convicted sex offender Nelson Marrero, of Albany, was stopped early Friday with two guns and a small amount of drugs. Colonie Police Lieutenant Bob Winn said, from all types of illegal guns like pistols and riffles, he said they have seen it all.
"In Friday's arrest, there was a loaded .22 riffle. It had a device on it that looked like a mask. It was set up to catch the shell casings so they wouldn’t be at the scene," said Winn.
Back in 2015, Colonie Police confiscated 11 illegal handguns. Winn said that number was the highest in the past four years. But in 2020, that number has doubled to 22. He said it's the most weapons they have seen in years.
“We have twice as many guns as we had in the last five years. It's hard to believe, and we still have some of 2020 left,” he said.
Winn said all of their 22 illegal handgun confiscations have led to arrests. He said the majority of them are also not Colonie residents. Winn mentioned how the guns have mainly been taken from traffic stops or at local motels on Central Avenue.
“The guns are found on people. They are found in their backpacks, vehicles, or in their motel rooms. Every single one of them has been loaded," he said.
Throughout the past couple of months, the Capital District has seen an uptick of gun violence. Police around the region have been continuing to get the weapons off the street.
Albany Police reported 78 guns being taken so far in 2020. Troy Police reported 55, and Colonie Police reported 22 year-to-date.
Winn said most of the illegal guns are being taken from specific groups.
“They have been recovered from known gang members in the Capital District. We are aware and familiar with them. When we call our counterparts in the cities around us, they are familiar with them as well,” he said.
Winn said these individuals are carrying the weapons because of the gun violence.
“They are telling us flat out I need to have a gun because I have to protect myself,” he said.
Colonie Police said they will continue to recover illegal guns to keep their neighborhoods safe.
“We are hoping by taking these guns we have saved someone from becoming a victim of gun violence."
Winn said if you know someone with an illegal gun, but you are afraid to report it, there's a solution. You can call Capital Region Crime Stoppers. He said it's completely confidential.
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