It’s not a binary thing, there are more choices than either 1) hand over the guns or 2) be shot by a SWAT team. His attorney could have taken custody of the firearms and arranged for safe storage while the case settles, but for some reason the lawyer thinks it’s OK to let the Police hold them. I’m not sure I’d have gone the route they did. Maybe he couldn’t take custody, even though he’s an officer of the court.
I'm not sure what the legal procedures are for the transfer of seven handguns in New York.
I'm pretty sure it isn't as simple as it is in North Dakota...