Nearly 700 Unwanted Guns Returned At Morris Co. Buy Back Event

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Morris County residents turned in 674 unwanted guns at the county's recent "Guns for Cash" event on Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15 at Budd Lake and Parsippany.

Six assault rifles, 309 rifles and shotguns, 301 handguns, 12 inoperable firearms and 46 BB guns were among the firearms surrendered, according to Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll.

Among the items surrendered were two "ghost gun" assembly kits. These kits, which include an assembly jig, have presented law enforcement with a new challenge in the form of "homemade" handguns that are untraceable and as lethal as a manufactured firearm.

According to a release from the county, no questions were asked at the event, and guns and ammunition in any condition were accepted.

This year's event will pay out a total of $104,675 through program funding from Morris County Crime Stoppers, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, the Morris County Commissioners, and the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Forfeiture Funds.

The following was the payment schedule for surrendered firearms:

• Assault firearms: $300
• All handguns: $200
• Rifles/Shotguns: $150
• Inoperable Firearms: $25
• BB Guns: No cash value

Participating citizens expressed gratitude for the opportunity to surrender firearms that had been sitting idle in their homes for years, having been inherited or not used in years. They were concerned about:

• Young children accessing them
• Having them stolen and possessed by criminals
• Safeguarding loved ones struggling with mental health issues including suicidal ideation
• Keeping them out of the hands of those seeking to do harm to others

“I have a very sick relative in the house and I was so scared they would try to use this gun when no
one was around, thank you for easing my mind when I come home each day,” said a participant at the event.

"Public safety and the security of our residents is of the utmost importance to me and the officers of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office. The collaborative efforts of this program have increased the level of both by providing an avenue of disposal for unwanted firearms,” Sheriff James Gannon said.

Morris County last held a gun buyback program in March 2013 — months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre that inspired similar buyback programs in communities throughout the nation.

"We are extremely pleased with the results of this program and thank our funding partners for their support. Nationally and regionally, we are seeing a significant rise in gun-related violence, most recently the tragic attack in Buffalo N.Y.," Carroll said.

Thank you for reading! Have a news tip, correction or comment? Email vianella.burns@patch.com. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter here.