Gun buyback organizer wants weapons destroyed, not recycled

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Last weekend, Metro Detroit residents did their part to stop gun violence in their communities by dropping off guns to St. David’s Episcopal Church for its second annual gun buyback.

The church received 224 guns, which included more than 130 handguns and nearly 90 long guns - even surpassing last year's total.

"So many people, so many people were in line with us saying thank you for taking these guns - 'I feel much safer. my grandkids are coming over, my son moved in,'" said Rev. Chris Yaw, the church pastor, who organized the event. "Very few people in line didn’t say thank you," he said. "There were so many appreciative thankful people in line, and as a pastor, it’s so encouraging to see how we’re all connected all on the journey together."

Now that the firearms are in the custody of police, Yaw wants to make sure they don’t get back in neighborhoods.

"We are calling upon our city, county, and state leaders to please (not) recycle those guns, please destroy them," he said. "We are currently in discussions with legislators, the police department on all levels, trying to see if we can embargo these weapons and have them set aside until we can get a contract or whatever arrangement we have with GunBusters."

GunBusters provides free firearms destruction for law enforcement agencies using a gun pulverizer.

Despite receiving more gun donations than the year before - coincidentally and tragically, the buyback happened on the same day a 5-year-old found an unsecured gun, shot, and killed himself in Detroit.

That’s why Yaw says his job is far from finished.

Gun deaths among American children spiked 50 percent from 2019 to 2021.

In 2022 guns remained the leading cause of child deaths.

Yaw believes the buybacks can play a role in reducing child unsecured gun deaths and suicides.

"A number of people in line were saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so glad you’re doing this. my uncle left me a gun. My husband died. I didn’t know what to do with it,’" Yaw said. "And so we’re out here saying will be happy to help."

Yaw said the buyback is not meant as a way to disarm the public.

"This is not, at all, a movement to take away, guns for people who who have them and want them." he said. "This is simply for people who are saying you know what i just don’t want this in the house and so the church is happy to fill-in."

Southfield police and Oakland County commissioners assisted in collecting donated guns.

Father Yaw says there are plans in the works to continue gun buybacks in the future.