Hundreds of firearms collected during the LAPD gun buyback events over the weekend

Los Angeles, California – One of the programs that law enforcement agencies hold occasionally is the gun buyback. While the police department considers these kinds of events beneficial in the fight to reduce gun violence, it is also beneficial for gun owners who have the chance to trade their firearms, usually for vouchers, without being subject to background checks and even without being required to provide identifying information in some cases.

People in Los Angeles had the opportunity to trade their guns for gift cards on Saturday at the two gun buyback events that were held by the Los Angeles Police Department, allowing authorities to move one step closer to reaching their goal of reducing gun violence while they obtained gift cards in the amounts of $100 and $200 depending on what kind of weapon they turned in.

The events were held at the Valley Traffic Division, at 7870 Nolan Place in Panorama City, and at Exposition Park, 2986 Hoover St., between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., where LAPD collected 459 firearms, including 138 rifles, 168 pistols, 80 shotguns, 13 assault weapons, 21 machine guns, 38 ghost guns, and one firearm that was categorized as “other.”

Those who turned in handguns, shotguns, and rifles on Saturday obtained gift cards worth $100, while those who turned in ghost guns and assault weapons received gift cards worth $200.

In comparison, during the last gun buyback program, which was held at five locations across the city on March 26, 2022, authorities collected 267 firearms, including 15 ghost guns.