During a recent gun buyback event at St. Lucy’s Church in Syracuse, 130 assault rifles, including an Uzi submachine gun, were turned in by local residents, marking a significant increase from past efforts. This year’s initiative, which collected a total of 638 firearms over three hours, offered $750 for assault rifles—a strategy that clearly resonated with the community, given the collection was more than three times the number from a similar event just two years prior.
Officials from the Syracuse police and New York State Attorney General’s office facilitated the no-questions-asked buyback to promote the safe disposal of firearms that might otherwise remain stored in homes. Personal stories, like that of Maurice Harris, who turned in guns inherited from his late father, add a poignant dimension to the event, showing how community members are choosing safety and responsibility over sentimentality.
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