Rocket launcher, Uzi among 408 firearms collected in San Jose gun buyback
SAN JOSE – A rocket launcher and an Uzi were among the 408 firearms collected by law enforcement at a gun buyback in San Jose last weekend.
Santa Clara County and the City of San Jose partnered with local law enforcement to hold the event at the Reid-Hillview Airport.
According to the office of Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee, 408 firearms were collected, along with 70 replica/airsoft/bb-style guns.
Of the 408 firearms, officials collected 133 handguns, 275 rifles, an Uzi submachine gun, a sawed-off shotgun, and a rocket-launcher. Twenty were ghost guns and more than a dozen were assault-style weapons
Gun owners received $40,050 for their weapons.
"Residents of the 408 area code stepped up to voluntarily turn in 408 firearms at the San Jose Gun Buyback at Reid-Hillview Airport on December 2, and that has us feeling extra grateful this holiday season," Lee said, in a statement.
"Since last May, we have collected more than 1,100 guns at three buybacks in Milpitas, South County, and San Jose - that's more than one thousand chances to save a life," Lee said.
The weapons are in safe storage with the sheriff's office until they are sent out for destruction. Residents may turn in unwanted firearms through the sheriff's office's gun relinquishment program. Visit https://countysheriff.sccgov.org/services/how-voluntarily-relinquish-firearms-sheriffs-office or call (408) 299-2311 for more information.