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City renews strategy to get guns off streets with another gun buyback effort

gun buyback collection
Organizers of the gun buyback program collected more than 200 firearms, no questions asked, at an event in January 2021. It's part of a coordinated, multi-pronged gun violence prevention strategy that targets loose firearms and other items in households.
Bilal Qayyum

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council is continuing its efforts to get crime guns off the streets by partnering with police and the community in another gun buyback event.

Philadelphia police officers took more than 5,000 crime guns off the streets in 2020 and at least 837 so far in 2021. Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said that's just the tip of the iceberg.


"I'm asked on occasion if gun buybacks really put a dent in crime, and I say yes," she said, adding gun buybacks give the community a chance to take action. "These opportunities provide a safe space for the community to drop off unwanted firearms anonymously."

The next buyback opportunity is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at two locations:

• Mount Airy Church of God In Christ, 6401 Ogontz Ave., West Oak Lane
• Mount Carmel Baptist Church, 5732 Race St., West Philadelphia

People can drop off a firearm or semi-automatic weapon, no questions asked. In exchange, the person will receive one of 150 $100 gift certificates to Brown's ShopRite.

"We are prioritizing gun safety," said City Councilmember Curtis Jones, who is also the leader of the Public Safety Committee.

Jones said a similar event earlier this year was successful. They collected more than 200 weapons.

Police say the returned guns will be traced to figure out their origins. About 80% of crime guns came from purchases made in Pennsylvania.

If you or someone you know has information about an illegal firearm and would like to report the information anonymously, call 215-686-TIPS.