San Francisco

Dozens of Guns Turned In at Gun Buyback in San Francisco

San Francisco police say 91 weapons were taken off the street in an unusual gun buyback event in which guns were bought with cash from medical marijuana dispensaries.

Fifty-one handguns, 23 rifles, 14 shotguns and 3 assault rifles were taken off the street, San Francisco police spokeswoman Officer Grace Gatpandan said. That included an AR15 military style rifle worth thousands of dollars that was bought back for $200.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports police, pot clubs and community groups formed an unusual partnership to organize the event. Three of the city's two dozen medical marijuana dispensaries donated $50,000 to underwrite the buyback.

Any money not spent on the weapons would go toward funding after-school jobs and helping the families of violent crime victims

Gatpandan said that the event was successful.

People dropped off dozens of unwanted guns at a buyback event Saturday in San Francisco's Western Addition neighborhood, no questions asked.

Organizers said it was more important to get guns off the street, as part of the city’s ongoing effort to curb violent crime.

“The police, they can't do it alone. so we have to step up as a community and work with the police department to make sure we're doing to do everything we can to get guns off the street,"  San Francisco Board of Supervisors President London Breed said.

Most people turning in guns received $100 cash. Assault rifles were bought back for $200 each.

Nearly 100 weapons were turned in, including a crossbow by a father concerned about his son's behavior.

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