ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Police Department is holding a gun buyback event on Tuesday, offering money in exchange for getting guns off the streets.
Organizers say the goal is not to discourage responsible gun ownership, but to allow people to get rid of potentially dangerous guns they no longer want. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Church of Love Faith Center on Exchange Street. There’s a no-questions-asked policy for the guns brought in.
People can drop off unloaded guns, placed in a bag or box, at a series of tables staffed by Rochester Police officers, Monroe County deputies, and other law enforcement agencies. Participants can receive a prepaid gift card worth up to $600 depending on the type of gun turned in.
The New York Attorney General’s Office is collaborating with RPD and the church on the event. Church leaders said every gun taken off the street is a potential life saved.
“They’re out of the hands of criminals. But in addition to that, if it’s out of the purview of a child who may inadvertently pick up a gun and accidentally harm himself or those around him or her,” said Hollise Mitter-Brown, minister of operations at the Church of Love Faith Center. “So this is a super huge event as far as we are concerned at the Church of Love, because it prevents harm.”
This is the second gun buyback event at the Church of Love Faith Center, with the first held in 2024. Mitter-Brown said they hope to replicate the success from the event two years ago.
“One tragedy, one shooting is too much. But because we are on a downward trend, we want to make sure we want to do everything that we can to ensure that we continue on that trajectory,” Mitter-Brown said. “We want to make sure, again, that there is a safe hit, that this is a safe haven. Our community is a safe haven. And that, again, people who should not have guns don’t have them.”
Mitter-Brown said she believes the anonymity of the buyback event is a win-win for all parties involved. Here’s how much you could get for each gun:
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