{HARRISBURG} — More than 100 guns were sold back to Harrisburg Police on Saturday in its first gun buy-back event in more than 15 years.
Among the firearms sold back to Harrisburg Police were 77 handguns and 24 long guns, including rifles and shotguns. The event was hosted by the Kappa Omega fraternity, located at 2020 State Street in Harrisburg.
“[This total] is significantly greater than anything we’ve ever seen,” said Harrisburg Police Lieutenant Kyle Gautsch. “That’s a lot of firearms off the street. We feel very proud of the success that was made. It’s safer this way because that takes [guns] off the street, out of the house, and not subject to any burglaries or thefts.”
In exchange for firearms, the Kappa Omega fraternity brothers provided and handed out $100 gift cards.
Due to the extraordinarily high demand to sell back firearms, the fraternity had to pause the program multiple times so they could go buy more gift cards. Eventually, they ran out, and people volunteered to hand in their gun for nothing in return.
All firearms collected will eventually be destroyed.
Another gun buy-back event is in the process of being organized for later this summer, at a date and location still to be determined.
