Middlesex & Somerset Co. Collect 621 Guns During Buyback Event

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A total of 621 guns were collected from Middlesex and Somerset Counties during the recently held gun buyback event, authorities said. The buyback was held at the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in what authorities called "New Jersey's largest ever single-day gun buyback" event.

In all, nearly 3,000 firearms were collected at gun buyback events held at 10 locations in Bergen, Camden, Cumberland, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Salem, Somerset, and Union counties, according to officials.

Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck made the announcement with county prosecutors and law enforcement leaders during a news conference at the Nation Guard Armory in Lawrenceville on Thursday.

The "Guns for Cash" events were held at Englewood, Camden, Bridgeton, Trenton, Somerset, Asbury Park, Carneys Point, Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Westfield yielded 2,806 firearms. They include 1,196 handguns, 1,206 rifles/shotguns, and 29 assault rifles.

Middlesex and Somerset counties jointly held the event and a total of 274 rifles/shotguns, 239handguns, and two assault rifles were collected, authorities said.

“The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office is proud to have shepherded this important endeavor undertaken by Middlesex and Somerset law enforcement and made possible by the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens,” Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said in a statement. “With nearly 3,000 firearms safely recovered from across our State, these are weapons that can never find their way into the hands of those who would do harm to our communities.”

Bruck said that every gun recovered represents a potential life saved. "Our gun buyback events are a great example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies work together with the communities they serve," Bruck said.

New Jersey residents were invited to turn in up to three firearms of any type "no questions asked," and could earn up to $750. Under standardized pricing set for the buybacks, gun owners were paid $25 for inoperable firearms and BB/pellet guns, $125 for rifles and shotguns, $200 for handguns, and $250 for assault rifles.

The buybacks were funded predominantly by forfeiture dollars obtained by the local police departments and county prosecutors' offices, as well as forfeiture funds from the Division of Criminal Justice.

For the event, law enforcement collaborated with community stakeholders, who promoted and assisted with the events. The guns collected at the buybacks were rendered inoperable by local police who staffed each event and will be melted down.

"We are committed to doing everything in our power to reduce gun violence in New Jersey," said Lyndsay V. Ruotolo, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice. "We saw an outpouring of support from community members and leaders this past Saturday, and the latest results are proof positive that the gun buyback is a successful way for us to actively, collaboratively, and successfully participate in a united violence reduction effort."

Here's a breakdown of the firearms collected by county:

Bergen County (Englewood) County Prosecutor Mark Musella

Total guns: 248
Assault rifles: 1
Rifles/shotguns: 95
Handguns: 119

Cumberland County (Bridgeton) County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McCrae

Total guns: 391
Assault rifles: 10
Rifles/shotguns: 142
Handguns: 168

Mercer County (Trenton) County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri

Total guns: 194
Assault rifles: 2
Rifles/shotguns: 102
Handguns: 58

Middlesex/Somerset Counties (Somerset) County Prosecutors Yolanda Ciccone & Michael H. Robertson

Total guns: 621
Assault rifles: 2
Rifles/shotguns: 274
Handguns: 239

Monmouth County (Asbury Park) Acting County Prosecutor Lori Linskey

Total guns: 360
Assault rifles: 3
Rifles/shotguns: 133
Handguns: 159

Salem County (Carneys Point) Acting County Prosecutor Kristin J. Telsey

Total guns: 223
Assault rifles: 3
Rifles/shotguns: 92
Handguns: 86

Union County (Elizabeth, Plainfield, Westfield) County Prosecutor William A. Daniel

Total guns: 520
Assault rifles: 6
Rifles/shotguns: 267
Handguns: 247

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