The Charlottesville Police Department (CPD) is hosting a gun buyback event on Nov. 22. Residents can receive between $75 and $250 for firearms, and no ID or paperwork is required.
The event is part of the CPD’s ongoing effort to reduce gun violence in the community and improve safety, the CPD news release said.
“This event is about preventing tragedies before they happen,” CPD Chief Michael Kochis said in the release. “Our goal is to reduce the risk of gun violence, accidental shootings and theft, while strengthening trust and partnership between our department and the community we serve.”
City-wide, there has been a 40% reduction in gun-related incidents over the past three years, Kochis told Charlottesville Tomorrow in September. But it’s not rooted out completely. For instance, in 2024, there were 29 visits to emergency departments in Charlottesville with gun-related injuries, according to Virginia Department of Health data analyzed by University of Virginia’s Center for Community Partnerships.
The payout for a surrendered weapon is $75 for revolvers, $100 for shotguns and rifles, $150 for semiautomatic handguns and $250 for semiautomatic rifles such as AR/M4 and AK models.
The payment will be in the form of $25 gift cards to Kroger, Wawa and Food Lion.
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The Charlottesville Police Department is hosting a firearm safety and buyback event
Residents can surrender firearms — no questions asked— in exchange for gift cards to Wawa, Food Lion and Kroger ranging from $75 to $250 per weapon, depending on the type.
The event takes place Saturday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church, 105 Lankford Ave., Charlottesville.
No ID or paperwork is required. For more information, read the CPD’s news release.
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