Lansing community members take action against guns

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Dozens of cars lined Amwood Drive full of people waiting to turn in their guns at Saint Michael’s Episcopal Church.

Joe Jean was one of those waiting in line.

“I don’t want to see this go to anybody and I wouldn’t feel right selling it to somebody,” said Jean. “It’s something that I don’t want to sell to anybody, I was going to hack-saw it myself put it in the bandsaw, and destroy it, but the gun buyback I’ll get back about what I paid for the thing. And I know that it’s going to be destroyed.”

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On Saturday, Lansing Police checked the guns for their serial numbers to make sure they were not used by criminals. Tim Flynn helped organize the buyback and said he wanted to help keep guns off Lansing’s streets.

“They don’t want it or it’s an old gun that they don’t use anymore, maybe it doesn’t work properly but the idea is while you might not use the gun for you know crime it is not to say that somebody could break into your house and steal it and use it in the commission of a crime.”

The church raised the money needed for the buyback and people sold their guns for $100-200.

Flynn said when the money ran out, people started donating their guns.

“We weren’t expecting the number of cars that showed up today and we were kind of scrambling for payment for everyone but most people - even though we ran out of cash - most people still continued to donate their guns for this,” said Flynn.

Saint Michael’s Church said it hopes to have more gun buybacks in the future and expand it across Mid-Michigan.

Police say the guns will be sent to Michigan State Police where they will be destroyed.

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