Albany

A $10,000 donation in memory of an Albany Memorial Hospital employee who was shot and killed in June has helped kicked off Albany County’s nine-year old gun buyback program with more money than any other year, and allowed it to expand to Troy.

The donation from St. Peter’s Health Partners, parent of Albany Memorial, in memory of 46-year-old Terrance “Deke” Roberts brought this year’s donations to the Gifts for Guns program to $17,000, according to Heather Streeter Orth. The Albany County Sheriff’s Office donated $4,000, and the Capital Gun Group, a gun shop, has contributed $3,000.

“We want to make sure we are doing our part to help realize the vision of a community without illegal guns,” Virginia Golden, chief executive of St. Peter’s and Albany Memorial hospitals, said in presenting the health system’s gift Tuesday at St. Peter’s Hospital. “We also hope our involvement and support will inspire other organizations and businesses to get involved, and get their colleagues involved as well.”

Roberts was killed in June at an annual Father’s Day cookout in the city’s South End. A fight had broken out between his wife and another woman, and Roberts was shielding his spouse when someone pulled out a gun, his niece, Latoya Wimbush, told the Times Union then. Roberts was shot more than once, with at least one bullet striking his head, police said.

A second St. Peter’s Health Partners employee was at Crossgates Mall when shots were fired there about a year ago, Golden said. She recounted to health system officials the ordeal of running for her life with her grandchild to get safely out of the mall.

“Illegal guns have no place in our community,” Golden said.

The Gifts for Guns program has taken more than 650 guns out of the community since its inception in 2008, said Albany County District Attorney David Soares. The program was launched after 8-year-old Kathina Thomas was shot and killed by a bullet intended for someone else. Soares’ office partnered with Pastor Charlie Muller of Victory Christian Church to create the program.

How to exchange illegal guns In Albany County, call Pastor Charlie Muller at 519-434-6100 to make arrangements for an exchange. In Rensselaer County, visit the Victorious Life Church at 1838 5th Ave., on the first four Saturdays of December from 10 AM to 2 PM. See More Collapse

Through the program, anyone can exchange an illegal gun for a $150 Crossgates Mall gift card. The idea of offering gift cards came about after officials learned that people were being robbed in the Guilderland mall’s parking lot for holiday shopping money, Muller said.

“It’s been an incentive, and it’s worked,” Muller said. “We go with what works.”

This year’s donations are expected to allow Gifts for Guns to take 125 firearms off the street. Muller said he is hopeful the program will be able to run right through the spring and summer months.

“Shootings have gone up, and people are outside,” he said.

According to Albany police data, there were 63 incidents of shots fired in the city last year, injuring 28 people and killing one man.