More than 130 firearms were turned into the Sacramento Police Department this past weekend as part of its “Gas for Guns” buyback event, which provided a safe and efficient way for community members to hand in unwanted firearms with no questions asked and no identification required.
More than 100 people attended the May 21 event at the Public Safety Center on Freeport Boulevard, where Sac PD officers and community partners facilitated the safe exchange of firearms for $50 gas gift cards.
At least one assault weapon, numerous components for privately manufactured firearms (ghost guns) and multiple other illegally configured firearms were among the 134 firearms collected at the event.
“As a department, we will continue to use innovative ideas to increase the safety of our community,” said Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester. “I truly believe violent crime prevention is a shared responsibility, and (the) overwhelming community participation is evidence of the success we can achieve together.”
The main reasons cited by community members for participating in the exchange included a lack of experience or knowledge with firearms, concerns about the legality of certain firearms and an inability to safely store firearms, officials said.
