Gun buyback collects 359 firearms including 5 assault weapons
$25,000 paid out over two days
A two-day gun buyback program aimed to provide an anonymous way to surrender weapons brought in 359 guns this past weekend at locations in Asbury Park and Rumson, according to a news release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office.
On Friday, 209 firearms were surrendered: 112 in Asbury Park and 97 in Rumson.
On Saturday, 150 firearms were surrendered: 76 in Asbury Park and 74 in Rumson.
A breakdown of the final count surrendered includes five assault weapons, 59 semi-automatic handguns, 157 revolvers, 52 shotguns, and 56 rifles. Nine inoperable weapons and 21 BB-guns were also surrendered despite no payout offered for those items. Included among the assault weapons surrendered was a MAC-10 with sound suppressor and high-capacity magazines; a SKS Soviet military-style semi-automatic weapon with fixed bayonet; a Marlin Model 99 .22-cal. Rifle; an Arsenal SLR-95 AK-47 reproduction model; and an M-1 carbine military assault rifle.
The program, held at the Asbury Park Satellite Office of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Rumson Police Department, disbursed $25,100 for the surrender of the weapons.
“Every weapon was voluntarily surrendered and will be slated for destruction,” said Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni. “The naysayers of gun amnesty programs like this miss one important issue – not everyone understands about responsible storage of weapons and some don’t know the law concerning the sale of weapons, so a gun buy back program offers the best solution, because unwanted and improperly stored weapons can end up in the wrong hands of the wrong person.”
The gun buy back program was made possible in part by a donation from the Sellig family and the Community Foundation of New Jersey.
[Photo at top: MCPO Deputy Chief Albert DeAngelis [left] and MCPO Detective Sgt. Rocco Santorsola look over the 359 weapons voluntarily surrendered during the gun buyback program. At right: MCPO Deputy Chief Albert DeAngelis inspects the sound suppressor for a MAC-10 surrendered. MCPO Detective Sgt. Rocco Santorsola looks on. Both photos provided by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.]
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