BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the results of the first two weeks of the Violence Prevention and Elimination Response (VIPER) Task Force Friday.
The VIPER Task force, a partnership between federal and local authorities, is a 60-day surge aimed at removing violent gun offenders from Buffalo and Rochester to enhance public safety and reduce violent crime.
From July 7 to July 22 the U.S. Attorney's Office says the following results were achieved:
Total Arrests – 138
- Firearm Related Arrests - 45
- Narcotics Related Arrests - 45
- Violent Felony Arrests - 38
Total Illegal Firearms Seized - 22
Defendants Adopted for Federal Prosecution - 15 (with 21 additional defendants currently under review for federal prosecution).
“All residents in both Rochester and Buffalo deserve, and are entitled, to feel safe in their own homes,” stated U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. “Our efforts are designed to remove the worst of the worst from the streets of our communities, and the guns from their hands, so that residents can do just that. The tremendous coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement combined with the outstanding cooperation we have received from the community have combined thus far to produce some pretty remarkable results.”
