Posted on 01/05/2007 9:00:01 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A gun buyback scheduled for this weekend to honor a slain Jacksonville woman has been canceled because there's not enough money to give out, the African Methodist Episcopal Ministerial Alliance said.
Violent crimes are the reason the group of local ministers started the gun buyback program, which has gotten hundreds of guns off the streets.
This weekend's buyback was supposed to be in honor of a mother who was shot and killed while doing her job.
Shannon McCants was shot by a gun that should have never entered Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center's pharmacy where she was working.
McCants' life and death was the inspiration for a proposed fourth gun buyback, which has been canceled.
"It is somewhat disheartening that a gun buyback in her honor has not garnered support," said a pharmacist at the hospital where McCants worked.
The Rev. Mark Griffin has been busy petitioning for money for the program that in the past has lined up hundreds of people with guns in hand, trading in their weapons for $50.
"One lady found a sawed-off shotgun under her son's bed, and we recovered that gun and gave it to the authorities," Griffin said.
So far, the AME Ministerial Alliance has collected 800 guns and turned them into police. Police said 10 of the weapons recovered had been reported stolen and none of them had been used to commit a crime.
However, the gun buyback program is now without funds.
Griffin said he could not get anyone to donate to the program that the sheriff's said works.
"You're talking about almost 800 firearms. One of the things I can tell you is that I know with 100 percent certainty that those guns will not be used to seriously injure anybody or kill anybody," said JSO Director Michael Edwards.
"We have been given a lot of lip service, but nothing has materialized as far as financial support," Griffin said.
Other initiatives, such as the Gun Bounty program, have received a great deal support. The Gun Bounty program is aimed at getting guns and criminals off the street, and tipsters can get $1,000 if police get a gun and make an arrest.
The program received a $200,000 donation from the Chamber of Commerce. So far, the program has given out $2,300 and made 31 arrests, but there are still tens of thousands of dollars left to be handed out.
Griffin said he was hopeful the group would able to get money to rejuvenate the gun buyback program.
Anyone who wants to get rid of a gun can call the sheriff's office at 904-630-0500, and an officer will come by to take the gun.
These gun buybacks serve no useful purpose.The thugs and robbers aren't going to turn THEIRS in and the law abiding folks SHOULDN'T turn theirs in.
My position on guns is quite simple.Use a gun in a crime,go to prison.Law abiding citizens should have no restrctions on possesion in their house or on their person.
So, you start out with 200K, give out 10% of it and only have "tens of thousands of dollars" left.
This program has way too much overhead/waste.
~ Blue Jays ~
Fifty fifty sixty sennty five sennty five- I'll go a hunnert wit two mags, hunert, hunnert, gone once, gone twice...
How to bankrupt a buiyback program. You'll also need a hacksaw.
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Detailed Description
Includes Incomplete Bolt
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