TUSCON—The Tuscon Police Department held a gun buy-back on Tuesday at the behest of Tuscon City Councilman Steve Kozachik. After the announcement of the gun buy-back, Former Republican Senator Frank Antenori of Tuscon announced he was going to assist the police in their efforts. In fact, he was going to offer double—$100—over the “crummy” $50 Safeway gift certificates.
Apparently the offer met with limited success as only about 30 weapons were purchased through private sales.
A Washington Post caption of a photo by Matt York erroneously read that the event was “disrupted by buyers who offered cash” to those who came for gift certificates. As NewsBusters’ Ken Shepherd pointed out, however, there were no reports of incident or arrests.
In Arizona it is legal to sell guns between private citizens.
The NRA attempted to stop the destruction of the weapons, but NPR in Tuscon reports that the Tuscon police sent the 205 weapons collected to be destroyed Tuesday Afternoon. This could be a violation of Arizona Revised Statute if the gift cards offered were paid for with taxpayer dollars.
Ted Robbins of NPR News in Tuscon stated, “…but in the current political climate, this controversy seems to show – in Arizona, at least – it’s tough for an owner to get rid of an unwanted gun.”
200 guns were collected by police and about 30 guns were purchased by the supporters of Senator Antenori. If that seems to be a small turn-out it could be that Arizona citizens are not as “dumbed-down” on the Second Amendment as Washington pundits would like them to be.
SEE ALSO: Arizona Daily Star – January 5
Arizona Daily Star – January 8
NPR News, Tuscon
Newsbusters
Photos:
tuscon-guns.jpg (NPR)
washington-compost.jpg (NewsBusters)