More Than 2K Firearms Voluntarily Surrendered During LA's Gun Buyback Program
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The city's annual Gun Buyback program collected more than 2,000 firearms Wednesday, Los Angeles officials said.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck and County Sheriff Lee Baca announced Thursday morning that 2,037 guns were taken in during the city's second Gun Buyback program this year.
The program, originally slated for the spring of 2013, was moved up to Dec. 26 in the wake of the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school that left 26 children and staff members dead earlier this month.
In total, 901handguns, 698 rifles, 363 shotguns, and 75 assault weapons were voluntarily surrendered at two Los Angeles-area locations, the Mayor's office said.
"The guns displayed here will never be used to harm innocent people. It is also a solemn remembrance of those victims' lives lost this year due to gun violence," Chief Beck said at a news conference.
The Dec. 26 program was so popular that authorities ran out of incentive gift cards to Ralph's.
The gift cards were valued at $100 for handguns, shotguns and rifles, and $200 for Calif. classified assault weapons.
In May of 2012, the city of Los Angeles collected 1,673 firearms, a four-year low.
CBS2 and KCAL9 were proud sponsors of the event.
