More Than 1,000 Guns Turned In During Tampa Gun Buyback Events

TAMPA, FL — Within four hours of opening gun buyback events Saturday morning, Tampa police collected more than 1,002 guns.

With the help of a $100,000 private donation, police paid residents $100 for every firearm turned in at two locations.

"I want to thank the donors who initiated this effort, and the community members who came out because they were looking for a safe way to dispose of their unwanted firearms," said Tampa Police Chief Mary O'Connor. "The level of interest clearly shows that there are still some people who want to safely get rid of the guns they no longer want, and we will start planning our next event in the very near future."

Anyone who was unable to turn in an unwanted firearm Saturday is asked to ensure it is safely secured, so it cannot get into the hands of a child or someone with criminal intent.