By Aaron Lighter
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The Baltimore Police Department announced the launching of a gun buyback program, offering money in exchange for firearms and magazines.
Mayor Catherine Pugh and Interim Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle made the announcement in a press conference at Baltimore Police headquarters on Tuesday.
The program will offer individuals $25 for Hi-Cap magazines and between $100 and $500 for firearms.
“I can say to folks over and over again, one life lost in this city is one life too many,” Pugh said. “It’s just too much gun violence in this city.”
The aim of the buyback is to remove illegal firearms from the public.
“We need to get these illegal guns off our streets,” she said. “The majority of the cases that we find in the city where people are committing, they are committing them with illegal guns.”
Pugh acknowledged there was some concern over a recent gun store robbery in Baltimore County, which she said resulted in 59 guns being stolen.
“For me it’s more than enough is enough,” she said. “We’ve got to get the guns off of our streets because innocent people are being killed.”
Tuggle said many illegal guns in the city are the result of home robberies and end up being involved in crimes.
“If you’re a legitimate gun owner and you don’t have a need for that weapon, turn it in. Let us buy it from you,” he said. “If you have a relative that’s in a safe position, legitimate gun owner that doesn’t have a legitimate need for it, turn it and we’ll buy it from you.”
Tuggle said that those who chose to turn in weapons should bring them unloaded and that ammunition should be left at home.
The buyback — which will be completely anonymous — will take place at three different locations on three days from Noon to 8 p.m. The locations and dates are: Dec. 17, Shake and Bake, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave.; Dec. 19, McElderry Park Community Center, 611 N. Montford Ave.; Dec. 21, Perkins Square Baptist Church, 2500 Edmondson Ave.
Those that are interested can call 410-637-8880 for more information or visit www.baltimorepolice.org.