GPD to host gun buyback Saturday 

Jun 5, 2024 3:52 pm
Gainesville Police Department building
GPD's event is part of larger community efforts to combat gun violence.
File photo by Seth Johnson

The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) will host a gun buyback event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at Antioch Holiness Church. 

Participants can turn in their firearms anonymously, no questions asked, and get a gift card in exchange. 

GPD asks that anyone donating a gun follow the instructions of department members at the event, as well as the following: 

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  • Before arrival, place the firearm, unloaded, in the trunk of your car—preferably in a box or other case or container. 
  • Turn on vehicle safety flashers upon arrival. 
  • Do not reach for or handle any firearm. 
  • Donors will be directed to wait for further instructions at a staging area with GPD personnel. 

The gun buyback initiative is intended to reduce unwanted firearms in the community to make the area safer.  

The Gainesville City Commission declared gun violence a public health crisis over a year ago and held a gun violence prevention summit last summer. Alachua County set aside $150,000 for gun violence prevention earlier this year, and the Children’s Trust of Alachua County committed up to $250,000. 

Last month, the city of Gainesville unveiled IMPACT GNV, an initiative that includes all the city’s gun violence prevention programs. The city also announced that its task force will continue to apply pressure in its search for illegal guns, which led to 81 seized firearms between March 5 and May 3. 

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  • Glory Reitz

    Glory Reitz is a Mainstreet Daily News reporter based in Gainesville. She earned a degree in communication with an emphasis in journalism and has served as editor-in-chief for two college newspapers. Glory is a sucker for any good story but is especially distractible by anything pertaining to Africa or classic British literature. A big fan of long, long walks, Glory has yet to actually get lost in the woods—but that doesn’t mean she’ll stop trying.

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Ragnar Lothbrook

Generally, the only thing they get is junk.

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Neil

Yep, just another act to make the scarecrows without a brain, “feel better”.

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Mentality

Gunnsville is dangerous.

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Bradford Bumpkin

Amazing how the city can spend YOUR tax money to buy back what they never owned to start with.
Nothing more than a feel good gesture for the voters.

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