Drizzt
Member
Citizens fired up about annual gun buyback event
Collections quickly deplete $8,000 pot
Sunday April 06, 2003
By Wayne Knabb
Staff writer
A program to get guns off the street stopped abruptly Saturday when the money ran out after two hours.
More than 180 guns had been exchanged for $50 apiece or a $50 gift certificate during the Greater New Orleans Buy Back Committee's fourth annual effort at the Velocity Foundation, said the Rev. Norwood Thompson, committee chairman.
People who came from as far as Houma created a line that wrapped around the building when the doors opened at 9 a.m. By 11 a.m., the $8,000 donated by business, civic and religious organizations had been distributed, Thompson said. Some people donated their guns without receiving a reward, Thompson said.
The committee also gave gun locks until the supply was exhausted, he said. The locks were the remainder of a supply of 200 donated last year by Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, he said.
"If locks had been on the guns which killed two children playing with them last week in New Orleans, they would be alive today," Thompson said.
Sawed-off shotguns, pistols and antique guns were turned in, and their serial numbers were recorded. But no questions were asked of those turning them in, Thompson said.
"Every gun collected today through the gun buyback campaign will be destroyed and turned into boat anchors," New Orleans Police Superintendent Eddie Compass said.
Thompson said the committee had collected about 350 guns in the previous annual campaigns. More than 30,000 guns have been pulled off the nation's streets since the gun buyback program was started in 1995 by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he said.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1049614046268860.xml
Collections quickly deplete $8,000 pot
Sunday April 06, 2003
By Wayne Knabb
Staff writer
A program to get guns off the street stopped abruptly Saturday when the money ran out after two hours.
More than 180 guns had been exchanged for $50 apiece or a $50 gift certificate during the Greater New Orleans Buy Back Committee's fourth annual effort at the Velocity Foundation, said the Rev. Norwood Thompson, committee chairman.
People who came from as far as Houma created a line that wrapped around the building when the doors opened at 9 a.m. By 11 a.m., the $8,000 donated by business, civic and religious organizations had been distributed, Thompson said. Some people donated their guns without receiving a reward, Thompson said.
The committee also gave gun locks until the supply was exhausted, he said. The locks were the remainder of a supply of 200 donated last year by Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, he said.
"If locks had been on the guns which killed two children playing with them last week in New Orleans, they would be alive today," Thompson said.
Sawed-off shotguns, pistols and antique guns were turned in, and their serial numbers were recorded. But no questions were asked of those turning them in, Thompson said.
"Every gun collected today through the gun buyback campaign will be destroyed and turned into boat anchors," New Orleans Police Superintendent Eddie Compass said.
Thompson said the committee had collected about 350 guns in the previous annual campaigns. More than 30,000 guns have been pulled off the nation's streets since the gun buyback program was started in 1995 by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he said.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1049614046268860.xml
