On Saturday, more than 100 guns were turned in during a gun buyback event in Germantown, Maryland.
At the event, community members were able to trade guns for grocery gift cards. The type of gun determined the amount of the gift card and all of them had to be functioning firearms.
WTOP’s partners at 7News reported that handguns, rifles, and shotguns were traded for $100 gift cards while military assault-style guns and ghost guns fetched a $200 gift card.
The United Church of Christ of Seneca Valley in Germantown hosted the event, which was sponsored by a faith-based gun violence prevention group called the D.C. area Interfaith Gun Violence Prevention Network along with the Montgomery County’s Sheriff’s Office and the State’s Attorney’s office.
The D.C. area Interfaith Gun Violence Prevention Network said last month that the goal was to get 300 guns off the streets of Montgomery County to combat the rise of gun violence in the county.
The gun buyback event happened a day after five teenagers were shot and injured during “a senior skip day” gathering in a Prince George’s County, Maryland, park.
So far, the group has raised over $27,000 and is almost at its goal of $30,000. You can still donate on its website.
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