The city collected 778 guns during a buyback event held Saturday at two locations, city officials announced today.
The Los Angeles mayor’s office and the police department held the buyback events in Van Nuys and the Mid-City area on Saturday, collecting a total of 369 handguns, 228 rifles, 140 shotguns and 41 assault weapons, with no questions asked.
The Van Nuys location took in 154 firearms, while 215 weapons were collected at the Mid-City site.
Pre-paid Ralphs grocery cards were given out to those who surrendered the weapons, each valued at either $100 to $200 depending on the type of weapon.
“The gun buyback gives Angelenos the opportunity to help make our city safer by taking these guns off the street so they don’t fall into the hands of criminals or children,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Since the Mayor’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development Office began the buyback program in 2009, the city has collected 13,696 guns.
