Record haul of guns in third year of police weapons amnesty
A RECORD number of guns have been handed into police as part of an amnesty launched by a father-of-three who was shot on the doorstep of his home in Yorkshire.
Nearly 300 guns, knives and swords were handed in at police stations across West Yorkshire, after Christopher Wright, who was shot in Leeds and spent weeks in intensive care after the attack in April 2010, helped launch the initiative earlier this month.
They included 110 guns – up from 80 last year – as well as 158 knives and other bladed weapons and 29 lots of ammunition, equating to around 300 rounds. The Hand in Your Weapons campaign is the third annual amnesty to be run by West Yorkshire Police.
Last year’s amnesty resulted in 230 firearms and bladed items being handed in and destroyed.
Mr Wright said: “I am over the moon with the response. Clearly this will remove some of the potential danger and mean that other families do not have to endure what we have.”
This year Kirklees saw the most guns handed in – 32 – followed by Bradford with 29. Bradford saw the most weapons handed in – 70 – followed by Kirklees at 34. Leeds saw 25 guns handed in along with 30 weapons.
Last month, the city saw suspects arrested over the fatal shooting of Raheem Wilks, 19, and the unconnected stabbing of Irfan Wahid, 16.
West Yorkshire Police Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Angela Williams said: “We are delighted with the response.
“Two weeks ago, these items were in circulation and had the potential to fall into the wrong hands and harm our communities – now they are in our possession.”
West Yorkshire Police is keen to hear from anyone with information about the illegal possession of firearms including ammunition and are seeking help to identify “safe” houses where they may be held.