Chicago's gun turn-in program brings in weapons

[Hazcat]

Police had hoped for nearly 14,000 turn-ins

By Gerry Smith | Chicago Tribune reporter
July 27, 2008

Chicago police received about 6,000 weapons Saturday during the city's gun turn-in program.

The program is in its fourth year, but the campaign came with a plea from the mayor and police chief after a rash of summer violence and a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that has challenged the city's anti-handgun laws.

Since 2006, more than 11,000 illegal guns have been collected through the buyback program, police said. Last year, 6,700 guns were collected, Mayor Richard Daley's office said. Police Supt. Jody Weis had said this year's goal was to collect twice as many firearms.

Guns were dropped off from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 25 locations throughout the city, no questions asked, police said. Participants received $100 for real weapons and $10 for BB guns, air guns and replica guns.

So many people came out that organizers ran out of the $100 prepaid debit cards for turning in guns, organizers said, adding that those participants would receive rain checks for the money at a later date.

Last week, Daley implored residents to get involved with the program despite questions about its effectiveness and reluctant corporate sponsorship.

On Saturday, Weis stood next to a table filled with guns at St. Sabina Church, a turn-in location on the South Side. Weis said during a news conference at the church that the weapons "don't serve much of a purpose except for killing human beings."

Then he picked up a sawed-off shotgun with an 8-inch barrel.

"That's not something you shoot ducks with," he said.

Also at the news conference was Annette Nance-Holt, whose son, Blair Holt, was fatally shot in May 2007 as he was riding home from school on a bus. She pleaded with the city's youth to report peers who carry guns.

"For you young people, the new word for you is: 'Start snitching,' " she said. "Start telling before it's too late and your mother is standing up here."

gfsmith@tribune.com

Video at link

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-gun-buyback_both_27jul27,0,160132.story

[Ron J]

And guess who is the pastor at St. Sabina?  Yep ... you guessed it.  Pfleger.   

Wonder if the short shotgun they mentioned was a Serbu?!?     

Love the line on "start snitching".  While it takes on the ghetto code ethics of not being a snitch, why don't they say "Yo dumbass, turn down that JayZ crap and quit being a social screw up?".   Just a thought. 

[Rastus]

Wonder how many of the stolen guns are being returned to the rightful owners..... 

I doubt if there was an effort to trace a gun at all unless it was to make certain it wasn't used in a felony (by some odd and outrageous chance of conincidence and paperwork) before it went home with the new owner......

[DDMac]

I surrendered a Springfield, bolt action .22 rifle at a buy back in Durham, NC a few years ago. It would fire about 10 seconds after the bolt closed, without human intervention.  Received $50.00 and got a dangerous gun "of the street". Most of the others were in worse condition. When the "event" ended, the guns were taken directly to a crush and melt yard and "pacified". No trace, no NCIC checks. After all, it was amnesty.

 Bought ammo on the way home.

Mac.

[brosometal]

Just a couple of thoughts:  if the mentioned shottie was actually sawed off w/ an eight inch barrel that was clearly an illeagal gun and did not actually exist because there is a law.  The second thought would parallel DDMack, how many of these guns were actually in working condition.  I'm curious, but I doubt the reporter would take the investigation that far.  After all, they already have the party template: guns kill people (right after they load them selves and head out for a night on the town).

[Sponsor]

[ericire12]

I surrendered a Springfield, bolt action .22 rifle at a buy back in Durham, NC a few years ago. It would fire about 10 seconds after the bolt closed, without human intervention.  Received $50.00 and got a dangerous gun "of the street". Most of the others were in worse condition. When the "event" ended, the guns were taken directly to a crush and melt yard and "pacified". No trace, no NCIC checks. After all, it was amnesty.

 Bought ammo on the way home.

Mac.

 

[alfsauve]

Police had hoped for nearly 14,000 turn-ins
[snip]
Chicago police received about 6,000 weapons Saturday during the city's gun turn-in program.
[snip]
Last year, 6,700 guns were collected, Mayor Richard Daley's office said. Police Supt. Jody Weis had said this year's goal was to collect twice as many firearms.
[snip]
So many people came out that organizers ran out of the $100 prepaid debit cards for turning in guns......

Then there's this thought.    They planned for failure.....they didn't really believe in their program.   If they had they, would have had 13,400 debit cards, instead of <6,000.   

[twyacht]

Turned in a H&R bent barrell .410 that I took from my former psycho roomate that wanted to make it an 8" "bit of nasty".

Got $50.00, and also bought ammo, and ribs for the grill on the way home.

IMHO, I'm glad these guns are turned in and off the streets, unfortunately, the resources to return them to the rightful owners,(if stolen, is so limited, they go to the crusher regardless.

Goes back to the previous thread of getting a good safe.. (I am entertaining offers,..)