Missile launcher turned in during Seattle’s Gun Buyback
Jan 26, 2013, 3:30 PM | Updated: 3:42 pm
Seattle police say the gun buyback program ended early because of the large crowd. After two hours more than 160 guns had been turned in. They'll report the total results Monday morning. (Seattle PD photo)
(Seattle PD photo)
A nonfunctional missile launcher was among the weapons that showed up Saturday at a gun buyback event in Seattle.
The military weapon was a single-use device that had already been used, according the Seattle PI. Another person in line offered bought the launcher, which police confiscated for a short time then returned after determining it was non-functioning.
Seattle police say the gun buyback program ended early because of the large crowd. After two hours more than 160 guns had been turned in and $35,000 in gift cards had been distributed.
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and other leaders have praised the buyback effort, saying it will reduce gun violence. But statistics show a previous effort in Seattle failed to do that.
After a similar effort in 1992, the average number of firearms-related murders increased in Seattle.
The police department says over the weekend, they will tally up the total number of weapons turned in and gift cards distributed. The Mayor’s Office will announce the total on Monday morning. listen to Seattle’s Morning News – 97.3 KIRO FM – 5-9 Monday for the results.
Then the guns will be sent to Gun hell, where weapons collected in Seattle go to die.
By LINDA THOMAS
