Santa Fe Gun Buyback Nets 224 Weapons

The Santa Fe Police Department accepted 224 guns during its second gun buyback on Saturday.

The event ran smoothly, according to police officials.

Police netted 123 handguns, 98 long guns and 3 assault weapons. They distributed over $22,000 in Visa gift cards and issued an additional $7,100 in IOUs.

The city paid $150 for operational handguns, $100 for long guns and $200 for high capacity or assault weapons.

The buyback ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and police accepted weapons until closing time. Officials were forced to pull the plug early during the city’s first gun buyback last month after running out of funding.

That gun buyback netted 194 guns. The city will hold its third and final buyback March 9. City officials turned away several people who attempted to set up their own gun purchase or trade operation on the outskirts of the event, but there were no incidents, police officials said.

Some photos:

Santa Fe Land Use Director Matt O’Reilly tells a man to leave the premises. The man wanted to trade his bow and arrows set for a gun.

Handguns collected by the police an hour or so after the start of the buyback.