Fall gun buyback in El Paso deemed convenient step toward safer community
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Cars lined up at Ascarate Park and El Pasoans handed in firearms ranging from non-functioning pieces, to handguns, shotguns, and semi-automatic assault rifles during the county’s gun buyback initiative. During four hours on Saturday in October El Paso Sheriff’s deputies collected 491 firearms. Each person was allowed to turn in a maximum of 10 guns so long as they owned the weapons. In exchange they received a gift certificate of a minimum of $50 for weapons that no longer worked, $100 for handguns, $150 for rifles and shotguns, up to a maximum of $200 for semi-automatic assault rifles. Ammunition was also accepted but without a reward. “The idea with this program is to make it safe, easy, convenient, and to incentivize people that do not want their weapons, to come forward and anonymously turn them in,” Jo Anne Bernal, El Paso county attorney said.