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Contra Costa To Fund Countywide Gun Buyback

MARTINEZ (KCBS) - Authorities have launched a fundraising effort to pay for the first countywide gun buyback in Contra Costa planned for later this summer, the District Attorney's Office said Friday.

"If we did five locations in our county in one day, we're thinking we would need over $200,000," said Deputy District Attorney Bruce Flynn.

Contra Costa Looks To Fund Countywide Gun Buyback

The countywide gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 3 will provide gift cards n exchange for shotguns, handguns, assault rifles and other weapons.

"One of the concerns is, well, maybe people turn in old guns for cash and use that money to buy better guns," he said.

The buyback will offer $50 for a rifle or shotgun and up to $200 for an assault weapon. All weapons turned in that are not stolen will be destroyed.

"The ones that we would love to get off the street are the ones that do the most damage, things like assault rifles, semi-automatic handguns," he said.

Back in March, the Pittsburg Police Department collected 291 firearms. Locations for the countywide event have not yet been chosen.

Any firearm that's turned in must be unloaded and placed in the trunk of a vehicle.

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