Watch CBS News

Dozens Of Illegal Guns, Assault Weapons Turned In At N.J. Gun Buyback

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - A two-day gun buyback program staged in two northern New Jersey counties last weekend netted about 1,600 firearms.

Acting State Attorney General John Hoffman announced the results Tuesday.

"Of those, about half of those were handguns, the most dangerous firearms from the police perspective because of their concealability, Hoffman told WCBS 880 on Tuesday. "There were about 150 illegal guns and about 12 assault weapons."

He says the weapons collected at six churches - three in Hudson County and three in Union County.

Hoffman says 1,010 firearms were turned over in Union County, while 589 were collected in Hudson County. Gun owners were allowed to turn in as many as three weapons for cash with no questions asked and received up to $250 per gun.

"Some of the refrains that we hear most consistently are a thanks for providing a safe opportunity to do what many people have wanted to do for a long time, which is to get rid of lethal weapons and get them out of the house, but they just didn't know how or where or when," Hoffman told WCBS 880.

Hoffman says officials spent $228,725 in forfeiture funds to buy the firearms.

The state's gun buyback initiative has now netted more than 14,000 weapons since December.

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.