City of Petaluma buys 150 firearms at county’s first-ever buyback event

The first ever gun buyback event in Sonoma County saw 150 firearms turned over within a 4-hour period, the Petaluma Police Department announced Tuesday.

The event, hosted Saturday by the city of Petaluma at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, was part of an effort to reduce access to “unwanted firearms” by offering cash for them, according to a news release.

Up to $200 was offered for each assault weapon and $100 per handgun or rifle.

In total, the city shelled out $15,100 cash for the 89 rifles or shotguns and 59 handguns, which included two assault weapons, one ghost gun a firearm — with no serial number, brand or model — and two 80% polymer handgun lowers.

The Petaluma Police Department thanked the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad and Santa Rosa Police Department officers who assisted at the event.

All of the firearms collected will be destroyed unless they were reported stolen, in which case they will be returned to their owner.

Another buyback event, hosted by the city of Santa Rosa, will be held Oct. 8 and the time and location is still being worked out, said Magali Telles, the city’s community engagement director.

“It’s fantastic that they were able to get 150 guns,” Telles said. “I anticipate, given the success of Petaluma, that we will be able to reach our goal or at least get very close to it.”

You can reach Staff Writer Alana Minkler at 707-526-8511 or alana.minkler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @alana_minkler.