Citywide Gun Buyback Gets 817 Guns

Los Angeles — Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck announced Dec. 16, that 817 firearms were taken off the street during the city’s Gun Buyback Dec. 14.

In total, 387 handguns, 268 rifles, 131 shotguns, and 31 assault weapons were collected at three in Central Los Angeles, Wilmington and Van Nuys.

In exchange for surrendering weapons, participants in the Gun Buyback receive a Ralphs pre-paid card. The amount per firearm is dependent on its type, up to $200 for assault weapons as specified by the State of California, and up to $100 for handguns, rifles and shotguns. The LAPD Gun Unit determines the type and classification of the firearm surrendered.

The Mayor’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development Office staff also conducted a voluntary survey to participants at all three of the Gun Buyback locations. A total of 500 surveys were collected and they noted the success of the program, highlighting that 90.7 percent of respondents felt their neighborhoods were now safer, 36.9 percent of respondents said they did not keep the surrendered firearms locked, 72.9 percent said they did not intend to buy another gun, and 58.6 percent of respondents said their home is now gun free.