Newtown Action Alliance Foundation, Newtown Police Department, and multiple public safety groups on October 5 formally announced the first of what they plan will be an annual statewide gun buyback and gun safe giveaway day.

While the event had been announced in September, the formal announcement on October 5 confirmed the plans for the inaugural event planned for Saturday, October 16, from 10 am to 2 pm.

The gun buyback and gun safe storage giveaway day is an important community safety initiative that will help gun owners and their family members to dispose of unwanted and/or unsecured guns to help reduce the risk of homicides, suicides, unintentional shootings, domestic violence, and keep guns from getting into the wrong hands — such as children, individuals who may be facing a mental health crisis, individuals with dementia, perpetrators of domestic violence, and criminals.

The buyback and safe giveaway events in Bridgeport, Guilford, Hartford, Newtown, Stamford, and Waterbury will be 100% anonymous, according to organizers. IDs will not be required and no questions will be asked.

IDs will be required at the Norwalk buyback event, however.

Newtown Police Department, at 191 South Main Street, will be one collection point.

Additional anonymous buyback locations will be set up at Bridgeport Police Department, 1395 Sylvan Avenue; Guilford Police Department, 400 Church Street; Hartford Public Works, 50 Jennings Road; Stamford Police Department, 725 Bedford Street; and Trinity Health of New England, 15 West Dover Street in Waterbury.

The Norwalk event, where ID will be required, will be in the city’s police department building, 1 Monroe Street.

Details & Safety Guidelines

Buybacks will provide gift cards to individuals who turn in an operable firearm, at the following denominations: $25 for each single or double shot (Derringer-style) handguns and any type of black powder guns; $50 for rifles and shotguns; $100 for pistol or revolver handguns; and $200 for assault weapons (per Connecticut summary of gun laws, to be determined by police; no newly sawed-off shotguns will be accepted).

Nonoperable guns, BB guns, and ammunition will also be accepted during the collections, but gift cards will not be exchanged for these items.

Guns must be transported in the trunk of the car. They must be delivered unloaded in clear plastic bags, and any ammunition must be delivered in a separate bag in the trunk of the car.

COVID-19 guidelines will be strictly enforced. All participants must wear a mask and comply with all social distancing guidelines.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a gun-free home is the safest home for children and teens. Having a gun in the home doubles an individual’s risk for homicide and triples the risk of suicide.

If guns are present in the home, they must be safely stored to help prevent firearm deaths and injuries.

The voluntary gun buyback and safe firearm storage events in the participating communities will offer an opportunity for gun owners to safely remove their unwanted weapons from their homes and communities.

The events will also promote gun safety and safe firearm storage. For gun owners who want to keep their guns but seek a responsible way to better secure their weapons, a limited supply of biometric gun safes will be provided free of charge to those with a valid gun permit.

Among those making the announcement last Tuesday morning were Po Murray, chair, Newtown Action Alliance Foundation; Kristin Song, founder, Ethan Miller Song Foundation; James Dodington, Yale New Haven Hospital; Kevin Borrup, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center; Jonathan Gates, Hartford Hospital; David Shapiro, MD, Saint Francis Hospital-Trinity Health Of New England; Peter Murchison; Dr Pina Violano, Swords to Plowshares Northeast; Janet Rice, CT Against Gun Violence Education Fund, Inc; Deborah Davis, Mothers United Against Violence; Leonard Jahad, Connecticut Violence Intervention Program; and Michele Voigt, co-founder, Violent Crime Survivors;

They were joined by representatives of Bridgeport, Guilford, Hartford, Newtown, Norwalk, Stamford, and Waterbury police departments.