Gun Buyback Yields 45 Illegal Weapons in Monmouth County

The Monmouth County gun buyback program brought in 45 illegal weapons last weekend, including an AK-47 and 15 other assault rifles.

A total of 1,581 guns were collected in Keansburg and Asbury Park on March 8 and 9.

Among the haul was 761 handguns, 409 rifles and 356 shotguns -- but only 40 were considered usable, said Chiesa. 

The state has now collected 7,092 firearms from state-run buyback programs, according to Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa.

The buybacks are funded through criminal forfeiture funds. In Monmouth County, law enforcement officers paid an average of $132 per gun, for a maximum of three guns per person. The county program cost $209,175 last weekend.

“Every gun turned in during this program had the potential to harm someone, whether intentionally or accidentally, because no one is immune to the potential of gun violence especially police officers and any of our sons and daughters,” said Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni in a news release. 

Chiesa said each gun will be checked against stolen gun records, but the investigation goes no further than that. All gun buyback days are operated with amnesty and anonymity.

Forfeited guns will be destroyed by the state.

Types of illegal weapons forfeited:

• 12 sawed-off shotguns
• one 12-gauge shotgun with a “streetsweeper” drum cartridge
• one Tech-9 semi-automatic pistol
• one AK-47 assault rifle and three M-1 type assault rifles

Noting that their support and leadership were vital to gaining community-level support for the buyback event, Attorney General Chiesa thanked Father Daniel Cahill of the Saint Ann Catholic Church in Keansburg and Rev. Mark White of the Shiloh Community Fellowship Ministry in Asbury Park.