Marin DA Gun Buyback: 240 Firearms Surrendered in Novato

NOVATO, CA — Marin County District Attorney Edward Berberian gave a breakdown Friday of the results of a "highly successful" gun buy-back event held at five locations across the county earlier this week — including at the Novato Police Department — during which 685 firearms were surrendered by residents of Marin and the neighboring counties of Sonoma, Contra Costa and San Francisco.

The last such event held in Marin was in 2013, when 857 firearms were surrendered over two days. Going into the Sept. 13 buyback, $81,000 was available for the purchase of any qualifying surrendered firearms.

"All members of our County Board of Supervisors endorsed the program and contributed $40,000 toward the purchase of firearms," Berberian said in a news release Friday. "In addition, I provided an additional $41,000 that I had within my budget center, which I had generated from public contributions."

The buyback got under way at 11 a.m. at the Pt. Reyes Sheriff's Substation and police departments in Mill Valley, Corte Madera, San Rafael and Novato. Residents received $200 cash for operable semi-automatic guns and assault rifles and $100 for any other operable firearm — with a compensation limit of three firearms per person.

By 6 p.m., all the available funds were depleted, Berberian said.

"At that point, we provided the public still waiting the opportunity simply to turn in their firearms without compensation and a number of people did in fact do so," he said.

Here is a breakdown of the number of guns surrendered at each of the five designated locations:

Central Marin Police Authority, CHP Corte Madera office

• 92 firearms
• $11,900 paid out

Mill Valley Police Department

• 101 firearms
• $12,500 paid out

Novato Police Department

• 240 firearms
• $24,000 paid out

San Rafael Police Department

• 204 firearms
• $25,600 paid out

Sheriff's Substation Pt. Reyes

• 48 firearms
• $5,600 paid out

Additionally, 955 rounds of ammunition were surrendered: 100 at the Central Marin Police Authority site and 855 at the San Rafael Police Department site.

Of guns surrendered for compensation, 346 originated from Marin County, 75 were from Contra Costa, 162 from Sonoma and 27 from San Francisco. Another 12 were from other areas, and the origins of 63 additional guns surrendered for no compensation after funds were depleted were not recorded.

The type of firearms surrendered covered a wide variety of models and categories, according to Berberian. There were long rifles (bolt action and semi-automatic), shotguns, sawed-off shotguns, pistols and semi-automatic handguns.

Of note, the district attorney said, was a Heckler & Koch MP5 9mm sub-machine gun surrendered at the San Rafael Police Department.

"This particular firearm had a double magazine clamp with 15-round capacity magazines," Berberian said. "The individual surrendering this firearm also surrendered two silencer attachments along with a few 30-round capacity magazines."

Also surrendered were an additional MP5 and a couple AK-47s.

"The MP5 is a fully automatic firearm used in the past by our Navy SEALs and clearly not a legal or appropriate firearm for the private citizen, and is an extremely dangerous firearm to have on our streets or in our homes," Berberian said.

According to the District Attorney's website, the guns surrendered at buy-back events are destroyed in an incinerator.

"I personally believe the removal of these 685 firearms from the homes in our community and our neighboring communities means there are 685 fewer chances that a firearm will be the cause of an accidental death due to the negligent handling by an adult or child; or be available to someone despondent and suicidal; or be in a home and stolen during a burglary and then subsequently appear in a criminal enterprise; or be available during an explosive domestic violence incident; or be available to an emotionally or mentally challenged individual at a time of crisis."

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