Over 400 Guns Collected During San Mateo County Gun Buyback Event

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — San Mateo County collected 425 guns, six assault weapons and three ghost guns during a gun buyback event in San Carlos on Saturday.

The event was the first of five gun buyback events in the county. The weapons were collected anonymously and voluntarily in exchange for cash, and they will be destroyed, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

The county was hoping to capitalize on the first such event held since the pandemic "due to multiple assumptions including increased firearm sales during shelter-in-place and the continued economic hardships of many residents who may need the cash," according to a staff report.

San Mateo County supervisors approved a gun buyback pilot program last month with $375,000 in funding from Measure K reserves, the sheriff's department and Citizens for a San Mateo County Gun Buyback.