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Phoenix officers seize 1K+ guns, make 1K+ arrests in three months

Operation Gun Crime Crackdown to be extended
Guns
Posted at 9:25 AM, Oct 05, 2022
and last updated 2022-10-05 12:42:20-04

PHOENIX — Phoenix police say they have seized more than 1,000 guns and made more than 1,000 arrests in three months as part of an ongoing operation.

Operation Gun Crime Crackdown was launched in July 2022 in an effort to get firearms associated with crimes off the streets.

RELATED: Maricopa County Attorney's Office making changes to stem gun violence

Earlier this summer, Phoenix police said homicides with firearms were up 45% over the same time last year. Aggravated assaults with firearms were up 23% in the same period.

Phoenix PD has reportedly taken in 1,181 guns across the city and arrested 1,114 people in connection to those guns.

“It’s important to emphasize that the guns seized were directly related to a crime or taken from a prohibited possessor,” the department said. “This enforcement is not about taking guns away from legal, responsible gun owners.”

The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office are in support of extending the operation to further help curb gun violence in Phoenix.

stop gun crimes

Anyone who has information on people illegally in possession of a firearm is asked to alert authorities. You may remain anonymous.

You can contact Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center's tip line at 602-644-5805 or online. You can also reach out to Silent Witness at 480-948-6377, or 480-837-8446 for Spanish.

Video in the player above shows ABC15's initial coverage of the crackdown.