A one-day gun buyback event is taking place at Bethany Baptist Church in Newark on Saturday.
Law enforcement officers will be on hand to collect firearms of all types, from BB guns to assault weapons. Essex County Bar Association President Raj Gadhok says they’re taking them with no questions asked.
“Essentially we’re allowing people to come in and turn in their guns without any fear of prosecution if that weapon had been used in some sort of crime. I know a lot of people have some concern over that but that doesn’t mean that the person turning it in has committed a crime,” he said. ““Sometimes there are weapons that are out there that people don’t know where they’ve come from and they’re hesitant to turn them in. It’s our goal to encourage them to do so by letting them know there will be no questions asked, no fingerprinting, nothing like that. Our goal is just to take the guns off the streets.”
Working condition and type of firearm will determine how much it’s worth.
“It’s going to depend on the condition of the weapon, whether or not it’s operational,” Gadhok said. “A handgun or a BB gun, you’ll probably get $50 but you can get up to $250 depending on what it is.”
The event will run from 8am-5pm. The church is located at 275 W. Market Street in Newark.