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SALT LAKE CITY — The first Salt Lake City-sponsored gun buyback program since the 1990s resulted in 103 firearms that were turned over, Salt Lake police announced Monday.
The Salt Lake City Police Department said during Saturday's event it collected 38 rifles, 28 revolvers, 24 pistols and 13 shotguns that will either be donated to Salt Lake City's Police Mutual Aid Association's Museum, the police department crime lab or be destroyed. Five of the firearms had been previously reported as stolen.
Police Chief Mike Brown views the number as a victory, asserting that it means there are 103 fewer guns that may end up in the hands of someone who will use them for harm, which he believes is a step in the right direction in curbing gun violence.
"We would be naive to think this will be the solution to gun crimes in our community, but the Salt Lake City Police Department is fully committed to doing everything we can to reduce the chance of a firearm being used illegally, lost, stolen or abandoned," he said in a statement. "Many of the people who turned in their firearms said they wanted to make sure their guns wouldn't end up back on the streets and that's why this gun buyback was so important."
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall first announced the event during a gathering at the International Peace Gardens on National Gun Violence Awareness Day earlier this month. It was organized in response to a rash of deadly mass shootings across the nation.
The city offered $100 gas cards to people who brought in firearms described as assault rifles and $50 gas cards for any other type of firearm. Police officers didn't ask any questions or require any identification as people turned in their weapons.
Some individuals who attended Saturday's event offered to buy the guns for more in cash instead of a gift card, arguing the benefit of guns. The gun advocates promoted more education courses as an alternative to the buyback.
It ultimately didn't change the mind of attendees like Brannon Richardson, who showed up to the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building on Saturday to turn in a rifle his dad gave him years ago that he said he had no use for.
"I honestly think guns are for cowards," he told KSL.com on Saturday, shortly after turning the gun in. "I can now say, as of 30 seconds ago, I'm no longer a gun owner."
A police spokesman said Monday they didn't only receive guns that people wanted to get rid of. They received $1,000 to support the gun buyback event from an anonymous member of the community on Friday.
The department also plans to hold similar events in the future "as resource and funding matters are considered."
