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 Linda Thomas
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Gun hell - where weapons collected in Seattle go to die

January 10, 2013 @ 3:35 am (Updated: 9:26 am - 1/10/13 )

gunhell_spd_shannachristie.jpg
Twice a year, Seattle Police destroy weapons no longer needed in their evidence room. The process is the same as what the city will do with weapons collected later this month during a gun buy back program. (SPD Photo)
What will happen to the guns collected by the Seattle Police Department and King County in the gun buyback announced this week?

The Seattle Police Department blotter shows how they'll be recycled, the same way they melt down weapons from the evidence room twice a year.

During the department's last semi-annual "gun burn" in September, 168 rifles, a few knives, BB guns, license plates, and computer hard drives were sent to the Nucor plant in West Seattle.

The guns were all either from closed investigations and court cases, or were turned into SPD by owners who no longer wanted them.

The SPD has some pictures and a colorful description of how the weapons are melted and remolded into products "which can be used to build things like the 520 Bridge or Optimus Prime."

By LINDA THOMAS

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Comments (17)


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  • shark75 wrote...
    Guns belong in Hell. After all, people don't break the 6th Commandment, evil guns do...
    January 10, 2013 8:06 am
    and they should go straight to hell!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • OceanPro wrote...
    Guns go to Gun hell.
    January 10, 2013 8:08 am
    In the picture posted in the story - there were 35 shotguns of the total 38 guns shown. I didn't see any Assault Weapons as defined by the critics. Shotguns are primarily used by hunters and usually are restricted to 3 rounds because that is all you can legally hunt with....high capacity bullet magazines? hardly... I would love to know how many Assault Weapons were included in the 168 guns destroyed. By the way, there are maybe 300,000 guns in the hands of legal gun owners in Washington State alone.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Guns go to Gun hell . . . .
    January 10, 2013 8:15 am
    so are the people that kill kids with guns. you that protect your gun rights are sitting on the fence.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • OceanPro wrote...
    Really?
    January 10, 2013 8:36 am
    The horses have left the barn...there are millions of guns in the hands of law abiding citizens and criminals alike. At this point, there isn't a real effective way to address criminals with guns, except with another gun. If someone could assure me that the police could make it to my location to save me from said criminal, then I would sell my guns. Until then, it is my right to have it to protect myself from the felons, murderers and mentally ill that our society does not address. When the police show up to save YOU from a bad guy, make sure you tell him to leave his gun in the police car...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    when the police show up....
    January 10, 2013 8:43 am
    It will be to put up yellow tape around your yard and draw white lines around your dead body. When seconds count, the police are minutes away.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CldWtrSrf wrote...
    what about the people that kill kids
    January 10, 2013 9:44 am
    With DRONES CH? Like your Dear Leader Obama? He murders hundreds of innocent children every year with "Love Bombs" from drones. You are a disgusting hypocrite just like all the "Liberals" and "Conservatives".
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • flipper wrote...
    Useless
    January 10, 2013 8:50 am
    Having been involved in one of these gun collection events in another city (it was exchange your guns for a new pair of basketball shoes), my experience was that about 95% of the guns that are turned in are inoperable or otherwise useless....as are the gun exchanges.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    correct!
    January 10, 2013 9:06 am
    You win the prize. Complete waste of time.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • irony wrote...
    go ahead, melt them down
    January 10, 2013 10:56 am
    then only the criminals will have guns and can rob us willy nilly. the crazies can bomb schools without fear of being shot by someone who is concealed carry, and can stab people on the street while lifting their wallet. most people blindly think that crime will go down, but the fear of being stopped will go down so that criminals will feel freer to commit more crime
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cw1997 wrote...
    Seriously
    January 10, 2013 11:12 am
    Linda, could you please tell the real truth about these types of programs, not just the emotional fairy tale. Please share with us the name of any city where this type of program has any any meaningful way reduced gun related crime. See, the law abiding gun owner does not commit crime, the non-law abiding folks could care less. They may well trade some piece of trash for a cash card or new tennis shoes, there is a message there, but in reality NO GUN ZONES or anything like that mean nothing. Perhaps a dose of reality might be better.
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  • TheNewsChick wrote...
    cw1997
    January 10, 2013 6:18 pm
    We have done stories on our site about the gun buyback program Seattle proposed, and those did include your observation that statistically the buyback program did not reduce crime. I should have linked (and will go back and add them) to those stories. This was more of a sidebar story.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    found a RWNJ - CldWtrSrf . . . .
    January 10, 2013 12:05 pm
    "Love Bombs" from drones? you need to put the kool-Aid down and sleep it off. A time out from fake news would also be useful for you. O this might be a news flash for you 'Bush' started the made up wars. King Obama will get us out!!!! Someone has to clean up 'bushes' dirty diapers. won't be a republican.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CldWtrSrf wrote...
    Just to be clear CH...
    January 15, 2013 10:37 am
    You believe that it was horrible when Bush was doing it, but it's great now that it's Obama murdering civilians right? That's what your saying, what your getting at? I was completely against Bush just like I am with Obama. YOU however are a disgusting sycophant hypocrite that can't think for yourself and believe you are "winning" because the propaganda has soaked your poor little brain completely.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • MainEvent wrote...
    this campaing........
    January 10, 2013 1:58 pm
    although meaning well is one of the most naive things I've heard. Do they really think gun "owners" of ill repute will trade in a gun worth hundreds for a stupid amazon gift card?????......Wow!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    bill when your pull head out of butt hole . . . .
    January 10, 2013 3:03 pm
    then we can talk. The only reason your here is to laugh at.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Snout wrote...
    Why not melt down the criminals?
    January 10, 2013 3:34 pm
    Instead of just recycling them as with Jumanji Jones.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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