Evanston Police Chief Richard Eddington says Saturday’s gun buyback netted a total of 45 working firearms.
That’s a little over one gun for every 2,000 Evanston residents, or proportionately about a third as many as were turned in at a gun buyback held by Chicago police this summer.
Eddington says the weapons turned in, each in exchange for $100 in cash, included 26 handguns, 15 rifles and four shotguns.
The gun buyback was held at Christ Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 1711 Simpson St.
Eddington says Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl plans to consult with community members to determine their feelings about holding additional gun buyback events or other options.
At least $17,000 had been raised to fund the buyback program, and only a little over a quarter of the money was expended Saturdaay.
Alderman Ann Rainey, on her 8th Ward message board, said the buyback results were “pitiful” but “better than nothing.”
Top: Guns turned in at the buyback event. (EPD photo)
Up the ante
How about raising the dollar amount to $250 or so? Or maybe a big gift card for something beyond 250? Best buy, jewel, dominicks, etc?
No tax dollars used
The money used for the buy-back was not tax dollars. It was donated. Maybe you can get the ball rolling by donating a grand. That will buy back 4 guns at $ 250 a crack.
Donations
Hi OneSmartGuy,
I understand the pot is from donations. Nonetheless, thanks for finding my suggestion agreeable. And yes, $1000 would buy 4 guns at $250 per.
We are on the same page
Conor, I'm glad that we agree. What if any of the $ 100 guns were used in a crime. Can they trace them back to the person that turned the gun in? Do the police even check them or do they just destroy them?
I remember when they found 2 guns that were used in two different murders that had been previously destroyed by the Chicago police department. I don't believe this will happen in Evanston.
I also believe that if people want to donate money to buy back weapons they should be commended for following through on their believes. Programs like these don't hurt any one.
Have a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
buying guns does…what?
Is it possible to find out more about the guns that were purchased? Are they functional, do they use currently available ammunition and how long ago were they bought by those turning them in? I would hope that only weapons that can be used qualify for the program.
Another point – In the awful crimes of shooting that regularly occur, I've rarely heard of a gun being used that was taken, or bought, from a gun owner. In almost all cases, the guns are obtained by purchase from a dealer or at a gun sale and the purchase takes place not long before the crime is committed. Therefor, public agency purchasing of guns from those who have owned the guns for some time would have no impact on mass shootings.
While it is undoubtedly a good idea to get functional guns out of homes where children might be able to play with them, it seems unlikely that any parent concerned enough about this problem would a) have a gun in the first place, b) if they did have a gun, would not have it securely locked up, safe from access by kids or c) if not responsible enough to follow either a or b, would c) sell the gun to the city.
Can anyone give evidence that gun buyback programs work, considering the above issues?
Security Theater
No, there is no evidence of programs like this doing anything at all to minimize violent gun crime. This is just another example of Security Theater. It's for the children!
I'm just happy that Illinois will have Concealed Carry laws in less than 6 months. In the remote liklihood that I am ever confronted/threatened by one of these feral children, I'll be able to do the right thing (kill them before they kill me). Hey: if ya wanna to make an omelete, ya gotta break some eggs.
Simon
Yes, security theater
Yes, you'll kill them before they kill you. Because real life happens exactly like a movie, and you'll always have the presence of mind to know exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it in a manner that only kills the bad guys and not the good guys.
I mean, sure, there have been incidents of trained police officers accidentally shooting innocent bystanders in the chaos of the moment. And there have been high-profile incidents of concerned citizens acting out of fear and panic and killing young men armed with only iced tea and Skittles. But I'm sure you'll always get it right, because you're a good citizen and would never make a mistake that could cost someone his life.
Concealed carry permits are no less security theater than gun buyback programs. Carrying your firearm doesn't make you any safer, and likely endangers those around you.
But hey, it makes you feel safer, so the illusion is doing the trick. The gun buyback is more my style of illusion, because at least I know that with that form of security theater, I'm not putting my family at risk by having a dangerous weapon in my house.
And I'm not even going to touch the tinge of racism in your comment.
What ‘tinge’ of racism?
To what 'tinge' of racism do you refer? Is "feral children" racist? I'm certain that feral children come in all shapes, colors and sizes. I think you may be projecting.
Feral children
The writer apparently doesn't know the meaning of "feral"!!
Learn your words
fe·ral
/?fi(?)r?l/
Adjective
(esp. of an animal) In a wild state, esp. after escape from captivity or domestication: "a feral cat".
Resembling a wild animal
See? No mention of ethnicity anywhere in the definition. White, Black and Brown people can all be feral (depending on how badly their parents fail them). Do your research before making a complete fool of yourself.
Simon
More information
More information for you to study:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral
"A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer."
"One of the numerous dictionary definitions of a feral animal states that a feral animal is an animal which has escaped from a domestic or captive status and is living more or less as a wild animal. Other definitions realize the shortcomings of the first definition and simply say that a feral animal is an animal which has changed from being domesticated to being wild, natural, or untamed.
Zoologists generally exclude from the ‘feral’ category animals which were genuinely wild before they escaped from captivity: neither lions escaped from a zoo nor the sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) recently re-introduced into the UK are regarded as 'feral'. As far as animals are concerned, this article assumes the ‘zoological definition’ of feral. Some common examples of animals with feral populations are horses, dogs, goats, cats, and pigs.
The term 'feral' should not be used to describe the naturalization of a wild (i.e. non-domesticated) species.[1] Nor should "feral" be used to describe a population of a species which although descended from a domesticated population has severed itself from dependence on humans and lived independently in the wild for a long period."
You're welcome.
I see five semi-automatic
I see five semi-automatic pistols… the rest are revolvers… As the article states there are rifles and shotguns… I can only assume that they all go bang… sadly, guns do not wear out. If this program makes people feel better, from NU and Evanston Northshore with their miniscule donations to the poor friends and family of the victims, so be it. At the end of the day, no one should feel any safer rom this collection.
Not sure where you get the idea that "…the guns are obtained by purchase from a dealer or at a gun sale and the purchase takes place not long before the crime is committed." I don't this that statement is accutrate. Keep in mind, for less than $500 you can legally buy a new semi-automatic, two 15-round magazines, amo plus registration fees. I suppose a buyer could get an illegal gun substantially cheaper or more expensive… depending on how motivated the seller is. Take a trip out to Cabela's and you can buy a usd AR-15 for about $800.
What do police officers think?
I've heard lots of citizens comment on whether they like or dislike this program- But mostly there is no evidence to support or refute the program. It's all just feelings.
Some posters, like above, seem to know more about guns that others. If there are police officers on this thread, I'd love to see what you all think about this idea.
The chief didn't seem to speak against or in favor of this idea, but he's got to play politics.
What do cops on the street actually think about gun buy back programs? In your experience, do the kinds of guns turned in actually cause crimes?
What do you think would cut back on crime in this town?
Gun victory
I’m never amazed at the idiocy of the comments from the citizens on these threads. Whether its taxes, new supermarkets, restaurants etc…. But these comments, especially the one from “Simon Jester” have reached a new level of insanity. I certainly hope this was written in “Jest”, but even if it was, the joke is dumb. I highly doubt that if push came to shove this tough guy would act like a comic book superhero and take the person out with extreme prejudice with no regard for human life.
I don’t know what kind of numbers Ald. Rainey or anyone else was expecting, but realistically 45 guns is OK. The crazies and gangbangers aren’t going give up their guns, so we can count them out. A lot of people don’t have guns, so we can them out. 45 guns are now off the street and out of houses. That’s called a victory.
The cynicism of everyone on here is mind-numbing. Go outside, get some fresh air. Watch the waves roll onto the shore. Pet a puppy.
Concealed Carry
I love that the Concealed Carry law is going to set the Evanston granola-head tofu-eating liberals into a tailspin. Sorry about your luck! Installing bulletproof glass for your Prius or Chevy Volt?
Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl plans to consult with community members
So the Mayor plans to consult with us? Please, she will consult with her friends behind closed doors, to come up with more silly and ineffective ideas.
By the way, I am not against the community trying to get guns from people who have no use for them or can not keep them safe. That is really about all this program does. It may prevent a gun accident. A organized program not for the Mayor's political purposes is fine with me.
When the Mayor uses this for her political agendas I have no use for it, along with her.
I do not believe there is a large number of guns in this community on a per population basis, there are a large number of guns in the hands of the criminal element in this town. The criminal element is not that large but large enough to continue to cause problems here, which the Mayor has been in total denial about for years.
When will the Mayor discuss the real problem here and stop pretending she is solving it handing out free beach tolkens?
I found it all the more amusing, looking at a gun web site which was commenting about the gun buy here, that someone posted on the site,they know Chief Eddington and he is an expert shot who participates in target practice events.Its good to know our police officiers know how to use their guns. It good to know after the city's continued screw ups, trying to get the police target range built the officers can now final use it.
Suburban Taxes … Urban Crime
The fact that there even is a gun buy back program is sad. Considering what we all pay in taxes there should be less crime, better schools, paved alleys, period. Something is broken here in Evanston and no one is fixing anything. But you know what? Let's keep on raising taxes while increasing debt and maybe Evanston will eventually get bailed out by Northwestern….
I dont believe that any
I dont believe that any criminal who paid 500-1000 dollars for their gun would actually give it back forb only 100 dollars. If the people that have these guns have money to buy them off the street what is 100 gonna do for them? If 17,000 was raised and safety is the main concern set realistic goals to make our community safer!