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A gun buyback event will take place at Victory Church in Colonie on Saturday (April 4) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Albany Safe Summer Gun Buyback aims to reduce gun violence by offering $100 for every non-registered handgun turned in, with no questions asked and no police presence.
The event, organized by Victory Church, is part of a broader effort to get dangerous weapons off the streets, especially as multiple teens have already been affected by gun violence in Albany this year. According to readMedia, the church will hand over all collected firearms to the Albany County Sheriff.
Victory Church has a history of hosting similar events, such as the "Gifts for Guns" program, which has successfully removed hundreds of illegal firearms over the years. However, this year, the program operates without the support of the Albany County District Attorney's Office, which had previously backed it. Despite this, Pastor Charlie Muller remains optimistic about the impact of the initiative.
In addition to the church's efforts, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple has introduced a new mobile gun buyback program in partnership with the District Attorney's Office, offering $350 per gun. Pastor Muller expressed support for the new initiative, believing it will be successful due to the sheriff's involvement.
For more details about the event, NEWS10 reports that community members can exchange non-registered working handguns for $100 Visa gift cards at the event.