13 Guns Turned In At Brick Firearm Collection Event

BRICK, NJ — A voluntary firearm turn-in event in Brick resulted in 13 guns being turned over to law enforcement on Saturday, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato and Brick Township Police Chief James Riccio said Monday.

The joint news release said the four-hour event resulted in 10 long guns (rifles) and three handguns being turned in at Brick Township police headquarters.

"All will be destroyed," said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor's office.

The announcement of the event had drawn criticism among guns rights supporters, who called it fear-mongering. But Riccio said the event was prompted primarily because the department receives phone calls about what can be done with firearms that aren't wanted, often from family members cleaning out a relative's home after they've died.

"Usually it's from family members who come across guns that they have no interest in keeping for themselves and are looking for a way of safely disposing of them," Riccio said. "We usually will have them turn them into us and we will dispose of them."

Della Fave said seven people took advantage of the program, and that the most common reasons cited for turning in firearms were that they had received it after the death of a loved one or that they purchased the firearm many years ago and now no longer had interest in keeping the weapon.

The event was a collaborative effort by the Brick Township Police Department and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office to give individuals a safe and convenient option to dispose of unwanted firearms before a tragedy occurs, the prosecutor's office said. The guns turned in can never be stolen in a burglary and used later in a violent crime. Additionally, they can never fall into the hands of a curious child and cause the death of that child, a friend, or some other innocent person. (RELATED: Gun Turn-In Program's Intent Is Education, Brick Chief Says)

Della Fave said other police chiefs in the county have contacted the prosecutor's office for similar events.

Photo via Brick Township Police Department