Durham sheriff holds first gun buy-back of 2023. How many weapons were turned in.
Nearly 150 guns were turned in at two locations Saturday in the latest gun buy-back held by the Durham County Sheriff’s Office.
This was the first buy-back the sheriff’s office has conducted in 2023. Two held last year brought in roughly 500 firearms combined, according to a sheriff’s news release.
“It was very encouraging to see the local community turn out in large numbers to voluntarily turn in working guns of varying types and models,” Durham Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said. “The primary goal of this continuing effort is public safety and we are glad to report since 2022 we have successfully removed close to 650 weapons off the streets of Durham.”
Deputies collected the guns at the Durham County Stadium and at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church. The sheriff’s office paid $100 in cash for long guns, $150 for handguns and $200 for assault rifles. They had to be working and unloaded.
“You may turn in any working gun with no questions asked,” according to a flier the sheriff’s office posted Monday.
Other police agencies across the state also have held buy-backs. Last year, the Raleigh Police Department collected nearly 280 weapons in a buy-back.
