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Government

More than 2,000 Guns Collected in One Day During Groceries-for-Guns Exchange

Dec. 27, 2012 7:00pm Jason Howerton

An LAPD officer stands before collected assault weapons during the LAPD Gun Buyback Program event in the Van Nuys area of north Los Angeles, on December 26, 2012. Los Angeles’ no-questions-asked gun buyback event, where weapons could be exchanged for up to $200, was held five months early after the Connecticut school shooting. Gun owners could take their arms to one of two locations in return for a $100 grocery store gift card for handguns, rifles and shotguns, or a $200 card for automatic weapons. Credit: AFP/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A one-day gun buyback program in Los Angeles brought in 2,037 firearms.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office says the weapons collected Wednesday included 901 handguns, 698 rifles, 363 shotguns and 75 assault weapons.

Long lines of cars and people showed up at two locations to exchange their weapons for supermarket gift cards of various values ranging up to $200 depending on the type of gun.

The buyback is usually held in May but was moved up in response to the Dec. 14 massacre of students and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Featured image via AFP/Getty

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Comments (113)

dosdelgados
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:23pm
I would scout the line…anything good or restorable I’d offer maybe $50 more than what the buy back is offering.

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- banjarmon
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:37pm
  The guy in the pic dose not practice gun safety!!!!…. FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER!!!
  
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- J.C. McGlynn
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 11:21pm
  Either of you want to bet half of them were used in at least one murder?
  
  Report this comment
- Trigus
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 10:19am
  @JC – best comment yet. No one ever gives us the Stats on how many of these “turn in guns” are stolen or used in the commission of a crime. Now we have the instrument but those who have used these “turn in guns” are still on the street with the ability to get more illegal firearms and commit more crimes.
  
  Report this comment
- PA PATRIOT
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 10:49am
  How many of them are registered?
  
  Duh
  
  Report this comment
- ron2win
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 6:17am
  These are more then likely stolen guns.This was done before .They found out that most of the guns were stolen and either turned in by the thief or a thief’s girl friend ,friend.Hey , the gun is stolen and the government is paying for them to turn them in. Its a 100% profit for the thief . All they have to do is go out and steal some more . Which is what they would have done any ways as a matter of professional behavior .These thief’s are laughing all the way to their local drug dealer. “get your money for nothing and your drugs for free”. You just have to love the logic of a liba – lizard !
  
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THXll38
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:21pm
There is some nice stuff in that picture. List these on gunbroker.com! I see a few I am interested in.

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- ICEDRAGONNITE
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 4:19pm
  I have a question. Did anyone hear the term cherry picked? Are these all guns turned in or are some confiscated in other crimes or even personal weapons of the police or reporters to make a story? It’s not that I don’t believe my own lying eyes. I just don’t believe the lying Police and the Lying Fifth Column. Do you?
  
  Report this comment
Rob
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:19pm
These people are so dumb….

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- RamonPreston
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 9:09pm
  They are going to wish they had kept them
  
  Report this comment
- rcguy
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 9:45pm
  Idiots, idiots………
  
  Report this comment
- FieldJudge
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 1:54am
  We conservatives may have it all wrong… possibly could learn something here…
  When confronted, let’s say a home invasion, rather than reach for a loaded gun, we engage in food dialog with the intruders. Think of it going this way:
  
  “Wait! Who are you? Don’t shoot because we have canned green beans, canned corn for you… also, there’s all beef hot dogs, and frozen TV dinners, take them… just don’t shoot us!”
  
  THAT is how to reduce gun violence. Attack ‘em with grocery gift cards or our food pantries!
  
  Report this comment
- WATER-THE-TREE
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 3:47am
  The people that turned these guns in were probably left them by someone that died. You know the widow that could care less about her husbands gun collection. Actually I know just this scenario. A friends mother had her boyfriend die and he left quite a collection.
  
  Report this comment
- pavepaws
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:03pm
  Anyone who turns a gun in for anything didn’t deserve to have it in the first place.
  
  Report this comment
Helpful
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:07pm
Have another Glass of Kool ade, here have another drink, you people must be hungry,maybe you will be First in the Fema Camps. I guess you guys wanna throw rocks. You can’t fix stupid…………

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- superchaos
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 9:00pm
  And the first to riot when the promises of a better life are not made for them.
  
  Report this comment
BlackCrow
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:59pm
They sell their freedom for 200$? A low price for a slave.

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- Gorp
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 3:40am
  I paid less than that for my dog!
  
  Report this comment
StandingUpForAmerica
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:57pm
Those guns are props, Hollyweird props. Anyone that would turn in there guns for a 100 to 200 is dangerous no matter the weapon used. Automobiles Killed 11 locally over the weekend not one gun death.

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- DadRocked
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:05pm
  Maybe 30 ‘weapons’ on display for this propaganda pic?
  Hmmmmm…
  
  Report this comment
TX_45_ACP
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:37pm
Only 2000 guns? Drop in the bucket.

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4q2obama
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:37pm
Movie prop.

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- RedManBlueState
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 12:29pm
  Question is… Were these props laid out for a staged photograph, or did these idiots really pay $200 to “buy back” toy guns?
  
  Report this comment
John 1776
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:34pm
$200 for an automatic? I seriously doubt there is a single automatic that was turned in.

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- TSUNAMI_22
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:43pm
  I agree. If the cops that took these “automatics” in didn’t arrest the people who turned them in, the cops should be fired for dereliction of duty.
  
  This whole thing smells like a “let’s get the ball rolling” lie to incite a lemming masses into leaping over the cliff.
  
  Report this comment
- Xiccarph
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:58pm
  Remember, an “automatic” to these goofs will include semi-autos.
  Hmmm, nice UZI…looks like it might be one of the wood stocked Norincos that came in. See the light (probably a laser) attached to the pistol grip? An easy $800 firearm given away for $200. Idiots.
  
  Report this comment
- Maxim Crux
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 9:04pm
  My thoughts exactly. Did you also notice that none of these pieces of junk would not be seen at a gun show. If they had real guns out there, perhaps it would be a little bit more believable.
  
  Report this comment
- superchaos
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 9:05pm
  Dear John,
  
  Los Angelians and San Francisoans are some of the dumbest people around. I guarantee you they are real and people really turned them in. I come across a lot of people who have spouses that die and they call the police to take and destroy the cache of weapons. I have seen $2,000.00 weapons be turned in for destruction. It is sickening.
  
  Report this comment
RolandofGilead
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:33pm
I would expect all these fools to be among the first to rat out their fellow americans for having guns that were not turned in.

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- DadRocked
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:57pm
  You may have an end around run in your comment.
  If your a non-believer with this turn in, then you’re unAmerican…
  LAPD, here’s my neighbor, a picture from my cell and his address…
  A warm and fuzzy, feel good for a minute American citizen…
  Not too far fetched…
  You may be onto something with your writing…
  
  Report this comment
Black Midge
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:29pm
I think that these gun buybacks and turn in’s are a great way to get rid of evidence, is any one doing ballistics on these guns and trying so see if they can match any to unsolved crimes? and are they taking names and addresses when the guns are turned in?

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- Silvertruth
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:56pm
  No, it’s ‘no questions asked’ and yes, a lot of them are likely ‘hot’. I think they might have video of the people turning them in, maybe license plates of the cars to match them to, but I have no idea if they are actually testing them.
  
  Report this comment
TJexcite
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:29pm
Easy way to explain the success. Pawn shops can’t buy guns. You don’t have a licenses to sell and they don’t have a licenses to re-sell. The paperwork to get a title change is expensive and you only get at most 20% of value of the weapon. Most will be lucky if they get $50 at a legal gun store after the fees on the background checks on the gun to make sure they are not hot or use in crime.

People have already pawned their TV, Stereo, Game system and jewellery for rent and grocery money but, can do the same with the guns.

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dmerwin
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:26pm
I do not know who wrote the caption, but the use of the term “automatic weapon”, should probably “semi-automatic”. We must be accurate in our terminology as the left talks out of their arses as they don’t know the difference. They use half truths and outright lies to scare their constituency into accepting less liberty and self determination . Molon labe.

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8YRSOFHELL
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:20pm
You can’t fix stupid!!! So are they collecting registered guns or illegal??? And if they’re illegal they should arrest them or follow the trail… Maybe it leads to Eric Holder And Obama…..My guess is they are illegally owned but they won’t be arrested because they are not part of the TEA party…..

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- SgtB
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 11:14pm
  What exactly is an “illegal” weapon? How can an inanimate object break a law? Only people can commit illegal acts and by definition, if criminal intent is not evident, then no crime has taken place. It is not illegal to own any object. It is not illegal to use drugs. It is however, quite illegal to assault a person, steal from them, or kill them. Of course, what is legal and what is not is now decided by judges instead of our Constitutionally guaranteed jury of our peers in all matters exceeding a value of $25.
  
  Report this comment
Babnik
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:19pm
Take a look at the guns in this picture. Any one of them could be sold by numerous means for well over $1k. Either L.A. is full of really dumb people, really rich people who want to feel good about something they’ve done for society………….or this is a put-on, propaganda event meant to sway your opinion about turning in your weapon(s).

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- brigott
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 8:29pm
  How about choice D: All of the above.
  
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noslave
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:18pm
2000+??guns traded for taxpayers dollars no questions asked??? did eric holder ever locate the fast&furious guns misplaced?? or did L.A.gangmembers upgrade their weapon stash??

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thegreatcarnac
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:17pm
So…these guys brought guns. It doesn’t mean they gave the city their only gun or their best gun. Personally…..I would rather starve than give up my guns. With guns…I can get food or anything else.

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- oldguy49
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:32pm
  AMEN…….pass the ammo please
  
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The-Monk
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:14pm
I seriously doubt the weapons in that photo were turned in.

I call BS and a big lie…..

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- grimmster
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:21pm
  Monk,i’m with you on that,no way those guns were “turned” in for food…L.A. needs to come up with a better lie than that…….
  
  Report this comment
- mtsnj
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:22pm
  This is BS those pictured are well worth more than 200 bucks, you’d have to be a fool or really hungry to do that..Maybe Holder can find some of his lost ones in there.
  
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- yougottabekidding
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:24pm
  If you could afford to pay black-market price for what is there you sure don’t need the $200 from the cops you could sell it for more the that
  I would really have to see it happen to believe it
  
  Report this comment
- RoDogg
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:25pm
  I don’t buy it either. Most of those guns look illegal for california and I know the silencer is.
  
  I would imagine the person with the silencer getting arrested on the spot with LAPD and all.
  
  Makes me wonder? either fake or Police turning a blind eye?
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:34pm
  Does anyone have a good theory as to why the LAPD would try to pass this off as true?
  
  I wonder if by doing this, with the weapons presented in the photo, they are trying to say, “Hey, just look at what’s out there? We need (more) Federal assistance.”
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:45pm
  Hi MONK, I’m with you on that assessment. MAC11 with supressor, MAC 10, Uzi carbine with wooden **** stock, three TEC9 minis, etc, etc. More like weapons confiscated during the commission of crimes on display.
  
  Report this comment
progressiveslayer
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:12pm
Modern day Amerikans really are quite stupid,they could learn a lot from the Americans that founded this once free republic but sadly what passes for an education in modern day Amerika is sorely lacking to say the least.

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pantokrator
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:10pm
That’s a great idea! We should hold one of these events. We’ll host an exchange: Give me your gun, I give you gift cards, and then I take the gun you just gave me, and rob you of your gift cards.

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- lillymckim
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:14pm
  Obama should do this in Mexico maybe he will find all the guns he and Holder put on the streets…
  yes American guns that killed two Americans and over 300 souls in Mexico by Obama and Holders hand.
  
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- Babnik
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:24pm
  …More like, “you turn in your gun. I give you a $200 gift card”. I turn around and sell your guns for it’s real value and make a 500% profit, rinse and repeat.
  
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- pantokrator
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 10:54pm
  I like your thinking Babnik! Although, I’d still rob the dude who just gave me his gun with his gun, though. ;)
  
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TSUNAMI_22
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:09pm
I hope these fools that turned them in are the ones who starve first.

Whether it’s 1939 or 2012, people are still as stupid as ever.

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- thegreatcarnac
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:15pm
  Even more stupid because people now can look back and see what will happen to them.
  
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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:16pm
  Yes indeed and those cupcakes that turned in their firearms for some crumbs will be among the first to perish. Automatic Darwin awards to anyone willingly giving up their firearms for food or any reason.
  
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Lordchamp
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:07pm
They will most certainly wish they had them back in a short while. No way I would ever live in ANY big city and not be armed. They are just asking to be slaughtered when it hits the fan and the fan is spinning faster every day.

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Cemoto78
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:06pm
We’ll see how this works out for them when someone does a home invasion at their house. I guess they could always throw a can of soup at the attackers.

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nighttrainno9
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:05pm
Damn fools, goodluck when the feds or the blacks come to cart you off to a fema
camp.

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- catty
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:21pm
  You are a sterotype nighttrain
  
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bmfh58
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:03pm
If any of these guns are found to be stolen will they be returned to the rightful owners??

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- TSUNAMI_22
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:07pm
  Yeah, right.
  
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- DadRocked
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:59pm
  Returned to Holder?
  Hello, Fast & Furious Dept? I’d like to return some weapons that were registered to the gun shops your bamboozled…”
  
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