San Mateo County guns for cash event last Saturday, 1/26/13

The Daily Journal (San Mateo), John S. Marshall, 1/28/13.  "Gun buyback a 'huge success'"

....  "In a buyback event held Saturday (1/26/13), the final tally shows that 680 guns — including 24 assault weapons — were turned in at the San Mateo County Event Center, said Detective Rebecca Rosenblatt, a San Mateo County sheriff’s spokeswoman. In addition to the assault weapons, 371 long guns and 285 handguns were turned over to officials, Rosenblatt said.

$63,500 paid to collect 680 guns  

....  In exchange for the guns, officials paid up to $100 in cash for a handgun, shotgun or rifle, and up to $200 for an assault weapon. ....  The event, sponsored by San Mateo County Sheriff Greg Munks, San Mateo County Supervisor Adrienne Tissier and U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, paid out more than $63,000 in cash in exchange for the guns, officials said.

....  “People are moved to get rid of guns they no longer need or want. Every weapon turned in is one less life that might be lost or damaged by a firearm, whether accidentally or intentionally,” the statement said. ....  Officials planned on destroying the guns collected, unless they had been used in a crime of if they were stolen, Rosenblatt said. “If we determine any of the guns were lost or stolen, we would do our best to get them back to the rightful owners,” Rosenblatt said."    Read article.  Note:  photograph from the article. 

Related article - San Mateo County times, 1/28/13, "Peninsula officials pay out $63,500 for 680 guns at 'buy back' event."  "This "buy back" event comes after a string of similar ones held around the Bay Area since the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left 20 children dead. It was co-sponsored by San Mateo County Supervisor Adrienne Tissier and Sheriff Greg Munks."

Posted by Kathy Meeh