Hartford Gun Buyback Program Enters 12th Year

HARTFORD, CT — For the twelfth consecutive year, several local organizations will host the Capital Region Guy Buyback Program to reduce the number of unwanted and unsecured guns in Greater Hartford homes. Partners in the project include Connecticut Children’s, Saint Francis Hospital, and Hartford Hospital, who are collaborating with the City of Hartford, Hartford Police Department, the Hartford State’s Attorney Office, and several others.

This year’s Capital Region Gun Buyback Program will be held on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Willie Ware Recreational Center at 697 Windsor St. in Hartford.

Attendees are encouraged to pre-register for a scheduled time slot to drop off their unwanted firearms to limit the number of people gathering at one time, however, walk-in buyback participation is also encouraged.

Masks will be required for all attendees, temperature screening will be in place, and the event will follow social distancing guidelines. The goal of the event is to reduce the number of gun-related injuries locally and regionally.

"Every unsecured or unwanted firearm poses a risk to those who encounter it. While firearm injuries are not the most common injuries we see, they are the most devastating," David S. Shapiro, vice chair of the Department of Surgery at Saint Francis Hospital, said in a statement. "We have seen an increase in gun violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, not just in Hartford, but across the country."

Everyone who turns in a working gun will receive a Stop & Shop gift card. Gift cards range from $200 for assault rifles, to $100 for handguns or revolvers, to $25 for shotguns or rifles.

Guns must be unloaded and placed in a clear plastic bag, and inside a paper bag or box. Guns may be submitted anonymously.

"Hartford’s trauma centers, including Connecticut Children’s, have seen an uptick in gun violence during the pandemic," Brendan Campbell, who runs the Pediatric Trauma Program at Connecticut Children’s, said in a statement. "The 12th Annual Gun Buyback Program gives Connecticut residents an opportunity to make Connecticut a safer place to live by removing unwanted guns from homes."

All guns received at the event are destroyed unless forensic testing confirms they have been used in the commission of a crime. Non-working guns, black-powder weapons, BB guns, flare guns, and ammunition can also be turned in; however, they may not be eligible for a gift card.

Over the past ten years, more than 1,375 firearms have been collected during this initiative. Each year more than 33,000 people die from firearm injuries in the United States. According to the City of Hartford Compstat report, there have been 208 shooting incidents in Hartford this year, an increase of 60% from 2019.