Uzi, Rocket Launcher Among Weapons Collected At San Jose Gun Buyback

SAN JOSE, CA — A rocket launcher, uzi and sawed-off shotgun were among the hundreds of firearms recovered by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office during a weekend gun buyback event in San Jose, officials said Thursday.

The weekend event took place at the Reid-Hillview Airport and invited residents to drop off unwanted firearms in return for cash with no questions asked.

Held in partnership with the sheriff's office, the City of San Jose, the San Jose Police Department, the county Public Health Department and Behavioral Health Services, the event collected 408 firearms and 70 replica, airsoft or BB guns, according to District 3 Supervisor Otto Lee.

That figure included 275 rifles, 133 handguns and 20 ghost guns, along with the rocket launcher, uzi and sawed-off shotgun. In return, the county paid out more than $40,000.

"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 in a statement. "The County of Santa Clara is committed to preventing gun violence and these buybacks are a key part of that. We're already organizing our next buyback events in 2024."

The sheriff's office stores weapons collected during the buybacks until they can be destroyed. Residents can also turn in unwanted firearms through the sheriff's gun relinquishment program.