Photo: Courtesy of the Cambridge Police Department.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — While lawmakers in Congress discuss national gun reform, the Cambridge Police Department and community organizations hosted an event for gun owners to turn in their firearms in exchange for varying cash value gift cards. Official say the seventh annual “Safer Homes, Safer Community: Cambridge Gun Buy-Back” initiative collected more than 200 guns, ammunition, and parts in its first hour.
The buy-back event is an endeavor led by Cambridge's interfaith-based organizations, non-profit community, and regional partners, and was held at the Reservoir Church on Rindge Avenue and the Margaret Fuller House off Cherry Street.
The CPD said the events are held to offer residents the opportunity to anonymously and safely dispose of their unwanted firearms— an effort police say reduces the risk of suicide, potential for accidental discharge, and 'wrongdoings' in the city. The previous six Cambridge-based gun buy-back events collected more than 320 guns, and offered information related to gun safety and suicide prevention.
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Participants were able to drop off their guns with no questions asked and with no identification required, and were offered gift card incentives for turning in unwanted firearms over to police.
Those gift cards were awarded based on what type of firearm was submitted:
- $200 gift card for an assault weapon.
- $100 gift card for a revolver, handgun, semi-automatic, shotgun, or rifle.
- $50 gift card for a BB gun, pellet gun, or ammunition (with a maximum of $200 awarded).
- Children who wanted to turn in any toy guns were rewarded with a $5 gift card for ice cream.
The event was held in partnership with the Gift Cards For Guns interfaith organization.
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