Kane sheriff's gun buyback event so successful a second session planned for Sunday was canceled
The first community gun back buyback program hosted by the Kane County Sheriff's Office in more than 20 years generated so much interest Saturday that a second planned session this weekend was canceled.
The no-questions-asked event was more popular than expected and $100 per-gun gift cards provided by Community Christian Church and other organizers ran out well before the three-hour event ended. The gift cards were to stores such as Target, Meijer and Jewel, organizers said.
"We are completely out of gift cards. This is more successful that we anticipated," Undersheriff Pat Gengler said at about 11 a.m., an hour before the scheduled closing.
At that point, Gengler said organizers were still counting but more than 100 guns had been turned over. About a dozen participants were waiting when the event opened.
Due to the turnout, Sunday's event was canceled.
"We are going to meet with our community partners and evaluate the need for holding future events," Gengler said.
Co-hosted by the Kane County Health Department and Aurora police at the health department's office in Aurora, the intent was to improve community safety.
"We hope that turnover of unwanted, operational firearms from our citizens will decrease the likelihood of accidental injury or death and guns being stolen from homes and later used in the commission of crimes," Sheriff Ron Hain said in advance of the event.
Authorities didn't expect gang members or criminals to be turning in their illegal guns, Gengler said. Instead, the event provided an avenue for people to dispose of guns they no longer wanted.
Most of the weapons turned in were old rifles and revolvers, Gengler said, although an M1 carbine and an old black powder gun a man made himself were also received.
Guns had to be unloaded, operational and brought in a case, box, bag or trunk of a vehicle.
"They were mostly, 'We're really not sure what to do with them,'" participants noted, according to Gengler. "We're not asking any questions, we're just taking them," he added.
He said the event provided an avenue for the guns to be disposed of without fear they may be used to commit crimes later on. One woman said she thought about selling the gun but was worried what would happen with it after it was resold, according to Gengler.
Saturday's event was to get a sense of the need and level of interest. With that, part two of the buyback scheduled for Sunday likely will be rescheduled, Gengler said.