19 Guns Purchased By Evanston Police At Buyback Event

EVANSTON, IL — A gun buyback event Sunday in Evanston took in four long guns and 15 handguns, eliminating the risk that any of them might one day be fired in a suicide, accidental death or crime.

In addition to the 19 firearms, police also collected two air rifles and an unspecified amount of ammunition from residents of Evanston, Skokie or the North Side of Chicago.

Officers pay $100 per gun for the weapons — no questions asked. There are no arrests as part of the program, and the guns are sent to a company that dismantles them and sells them for scrap.

"Police and community cooperation is what made this event a success," according to a statement from Evanston police. "Amnesty based gun buyback events are an opportunity to get guns out of the community and disposed of properly."

Evanston police held the event at Christ Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 1711 Simpson St., in partnership with the church, the Evanston Community Foundation and Carolyn Murray, who has spearheaded the city's gun buyback program for the past eight years and is a currently a candidate for 5th Ward alderman.

According to past reports, the city's first gun buyback event in recent years brought in 45 firearms in December 2012.

A June 2018 buyback event at Christ Temple Missionary Baptist brought in 32 firearms with the help of a $3,200 cash contribution from an anonymous donor.

In December 2018, a gun buyback event organized in partnership with Moms Demand Action at the Unitarian Church collected 59 guns.

Evanston has an ongoing gun buyback program funded by the Evanston Community Foundation. Evanston residents may receive a voucher than can be exchanged for $100 at the city collector's office every time they turn in an operational firearm to police.

As of earlier this year, the city had distributed more than $22,000 to community members in exchange for firearms.

To participate, residents may call 311 or the Evanston Police Department at 847-866-5000 to arrange for an officer to pick up the unwanted gun at the resident's address. Police reminded members of the public not to bring guns to the station without prior approval.