What to Know
- Prosecutors cannot pursue a gun charge against a Brooklyn lawmaker following a police lab report showing the firearm was unloaded and inoperable
- Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a Republican and vocal supporter of Israel, was seen in photos and videos with the butt of a gun jutting out from her waistband while she was counterprotesting at an Oct. 13 pro-Palestinian rally at Brooklyn College
- Vernikov had a license to carry a concealed weapon, but under New York law, licensed gun owners may not bring weapons to certain sensitive locations, including protests and school grounds
A Brooklyn lawmaker arrested last month after she was seen on social media displaying a handgun at a pro-Palestinian rally at Brooklyn College will have her criminal charges dismissed, the prosecutor's office confirmed.
Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a Republican and vocal supporter of Israel, was seen in photos and videos with the butt of a gun jutting out from her waistband while she was counterprotesting at an Oct. 13 pro-Palestinian rally at Brooklyn College, according to prosecutors.
She filmed herself in front of the protesting crowds, calling them "pro-Hamas" and that she was there to help "Jewish students feel safe." Vernikov called the Palestinian supporters "nothing short of terrorists without the bombs."
Vernikov had a license to carry a concealed weapon, but under New York law, licensed gun owners may not bring weapons to certain sensitive locations, including protests and school grounds. Additionally, the state requires people licensed to carry handguns to keep them concealed.
Vernikov surrendered her gun after the arrest and was later arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court on one count of possessing a gun at a sensitive location.
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The firearm the councilwoman turned over to police was unloaded and missing the recoil spring assembly, "rendering it inoperable," Oren Yaniv, spokesperson for Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, said Friday.
"In order to sustain this charge, it must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the weapon in question was capable of firing bullets. Absent such proof, we have no choice but to dismiss these charges," Yaniv's statement on the dismissal, first reported by THECITY, said.
The councilwoman's attorney, Arthur Aidala, said his client “is pleased to have this all behind her and looks forward to continuing her fight on behalf of all New Yorkers to keep this city the greatest city in the world.”
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams previously said in a statement that Vernikov's actions were "unacceptable and unlawful." Adams added that the council would be "investigating the impact of Council Member Vernikov’s actions and the disposition within the legal process on her participation in the body."
The city council's Progressive Caucus said in a statement that Vernikov should face an investigation for expulsion by the council's ethics committee.
Vernikov was elected in 2021 to represent the 48th District in Brooklyn. Her district comprises neighborhoods including Brighton Beach, Homecrest, Manhattan Beach, a small section of Coney Island and parts of Midwood and Sheepshead Bay, with a significant Orthodox Jewish population. Her seat was formerly held by Anthony Weiner.
