County to Hold 2nd Gun Buyback

Santa Clara County is planning a second gun buyback event this Saturday, following a highly successful buyback on March 2 that netted more than 1,100 firearms.

The collection event offers the same deal as the previous buyback—$100 for each handgun, shotgun and rifle and $200 for each assault weapon, said Michelle Pelayo-Osorio, spokeswoman for Supervisor Dave Cortese.

Cortese decided to use funds left over from the first buyback to have another one the same day as the third annual Unity Day celebration in East San Jose, where youths are encouraged to turn in street gang paraphernalia, Pelayo-Osorio said.

He will be joined at the buyback by Sheriff Laurie Smith and representatives from the San Jose Police Department and the district attorney's office.

The buyback event is scheduled for 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Reid-Hillview Airport at 2500 Cunningham Ave.

It will take place prior to the start of a Unity Day resource fair, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Most Holy Trinity Church at 2040 Nassau Drive.

As part of the Unity Day celebration, there will be 1.5-mile "peace walk" beginning at 11 a.m. at the church, followed by a noon "weapon and gang color turn-in," Pelayo-Osorio said.

The turn-in offers cash gift cards and sporting event tickets in exchange for gang-related gear as well as guns and other weapons, Pelayo-Osorio said.

"We collect a lot of knives and gang paraphernalia, belts, shirts, hats—anything that is gang-related," she said.

The turn-in will be followed by a presentation by the county Public Health Department on healthy eating.

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