Peekskill Gun Buyback Is Saturday

From the Peekskill Police Department

This Saturday, September 15, 2018, from 9:00am to 3:00pm, the Peekskill Police Department will host an anonymous gun buyback at the United Methodist Church located at 1040 Main Street, Peekskill NY.

“Keeping Peekskill one of the safest cities in New York is our top priority,” said Chief Don Halmy. “We must continue to engage our community by raising their awareness to the tragic effects of gun violence and use their assistance in getting guns off our streets and out of homes where they are unwanted and easily accessible.”

At a fundraiser held this past June at the River Outpost Brewery, $12,000 was raised by the Peekskill PBA to help finance this event. The overwhelming sentiment of those attending was the same, the epidemic of gun violence in America has gotten out of control and it is up to everyone to do their part to help change this. Every gun that is taken out of circulation, whether it is an illegal handgun on the street, or a shotgun or pistol that has been living in someone’s closet, is one less weapon that can cause extensive damage.

According to Gun Violence Archive, in 2018 alone, firearms have caused the death of almost 10,000 Americans. Not only do we want to minimize the risk of unsecured weapons being used for criminal activities, it is imperative that we also eliminate their accessibility to the mentally unstable and our children.

This Gun Buyback/Amnesty Program is completely anonymous. There will be no questions asked, donors will simply present their guns and in turn be given a cash payout of $250 for assault rifles, $200 for handguns, and $100 for rifles and shotguns. Payments are capped at $450 and active/retired Law Enforcement is ineligible. We ask that all weapons be unloaded and that they be carried in some type of case or holster if possible. These cases or holsters will be returned to the owner if desired. Safety during this event is of paramount importance and personnel will be available to assist if needed.

Image via Shutterstock

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