Hundreds turn out for St. Louis gun buyback program

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 6:14 pm, Sunday, December 24, 2017

ST. LOUIS (AP) — An effort to remove guns from the streets of St. Louis is being called a success, so much so that there wasn't enough money to buy up all of the offered weapons.

Hundreds of people turned out Saturday for a gun buyback program, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported . The city has recorded more than 200 murders this year, the most in two decades, and officials say part of the problem is too many guns.

Those bringing in guns were promised $100 to $200 per weapon, no questions asked. The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, along with individuals and some companies, raised $125,000 in donations.

It wasn't enough, and some people had to be turned away. Police said 303 handguns, 533 long guns and six assault rifles were purchased.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Hundreds-turn-out-for-St-Louis-gun-buyback-12453277.php

[OU65802]

1. I hope there wasnt a rash of gun thefts to sell to the program

[Lurks Often]

2. Probably 90% of the guns were low end junk,

if what was turned in matches the other gun buybacks held around the country.

[Hoyt]

3. If you read the article, you'll see they weren't stolen guns. People wising up, even turned in some

semi-auto "assault" rifles.

Too bad more gunners weren't are responsible. They'll just laugh at the program, and go to range to shoot targets that resemble humans.

[OU65802]

15. The article said no questions asked so that could encourage theft

[Hoyt]

17. Not really, they'd probably get more on street or NRA backed gun show,

assuming any were stolen.

[OU65802]

18. All gun shows require background checks

[Hoyt]

19. Nope. If selling guns is not a business, one can drape a confederate flag on a table,

and sell away without background checks in most states. And you can walk around with a gun or open your trunk in the parking lot, and sell away as well. Happens all the time.

You are spreading gunner junk, and I suspect you know it too.

[EL34x4]

6. Mostly pawnshop owners bringing in the junk they can't sell.

One such owner brought in a dozen guns. That's a pretty good payday!

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

8. The couple that happened around me

Didn't go well. Gun owners around here turn in fake "homemade" shotguns that are basically a pipe on a piece of wood. Costs them 10bucks to make and they get 100 bucks in gift cards. They also wait and talk to people right before the turn in location and offer to buy anything that looks good to them before it can be turned in.

[Fred Sanders]

12. You made me laugh. Satire? Police will accept a pipe on a stick as a firearm?? Really?

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

16. Wish it was.

[link:http://www.citypages.com/news/gun-fans-mock-minneapolis-buyback-program-over-crude-homemade-shotgun/391744431|

If you Google it, there are a couple other examples of it happening.

[sfwriter]

20. It WAS a woking firearm, and a dangerous one...

...to the person firing it.

[Amishman]

21. A gun is a simple mechanical device, a crude zip gun can be made in an hour

using hand tools and a few dollars in supplies from home depot

[Fred Sanders]

22. Looks like my comment response hit the bullseye with gunners. A stick and a barrel...and

authorities, firearms experts, will give you $200 to turn it in, in a WMD/Gun amnesty?

I laughed even more than before my bullseye comment!

[maxsolomon]

23. Whereas I hope that my aunt doesn't have balls.

"And now, for my 11th post, I will inject a bit of whataboutism into this otherwise uplifting story!"

Welcome to DU. Enjoy your stay.

[Wounded Bear]

4. I hope the weapons were properly disposed of...

We've heard too many horror stories of "buy-back" guns ending up back on the street in crimes.

Other than that, good on the folks of St Louis.

[logosoco]

5. It would be great to see them use the metal to make a statue to remind

people of the victims and how it should not be so easy to end a life with a gun.

[mitch96]

10. Swords to plowshares? n/t

[maxsolomon]

24. Can you cite a verified report of that happening?

Or are they just "horror stories"?

I'm not saying it hasn't happened. Just wanting context.

[OnlinePoker]

7. Only 360 million more to go.

Makes good headlines, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to the number sold across America on a given day.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/10/05/guns-in-the-united-states-one-for-every-man-woman-and-child-and-then-some/?utm_term=.94be95dc368e

[diva77]

9. True - but it's a start and if one life was spared due to a gun being turned in, that's worth more

than the $125K or whatever amt. was raised for 1 event -- in lawsuits alone, the money consumed could be much more than $125K, plus the value of a life.

Hopefully the publicity from this event will be valuable for generating more gun buyback events...

[Fred Sanders]

13. Clearly a great demand for these programs. Buy them all! No way!? Word - Alabama Senate.

[diva77]

14. I tried to google to find out what you meant about "Alabama Senate" -

would appreciate more details...thanks!

[mitch96]

11. Read a heart warming story about a gun buy back

Turns out this woman was going to turn in a WW2 "bringback" her father threw into his duffel bag before his return to the states.. So as the story goes, the gun sat in the attic for years and after he died she was going thru his stuff. She finds this rifle and decides to turn it in at a gun buy back. An astute police officer noticed the gun right away. A very rare model rifle from the German army. He told her not to turn it in and he would find her a collector that would pay her handsomely for it. And that's what happened. Wound up in a museum some place.. Sounded like a win/win for everybody...

m