Gun Buyback Event in SoMa Held to Help Mitigate Future Gun Violence
An anonymous gun buyback event Saturday that was hosted by United Playaz — in partnership with SFPD and the Mayor’s Office of Violence Prevention Services — had received over 200 surrendered firearms by noon.
Though the pandemic has helped mitigate violent crimes in San Francisco, gun violence still remains a large problem in the city. 2020 alone saw a 32 percent uptick of reporting gunfire shots in San Francisco over last year; Oakland has seen a 47 percent jump over the past twelve months — a worrying trend toward increased gun violence in the East Bay. In an effort to thwart more episodes of gun violence (and offer a no-questions-asked opportunity to hand over firearms), a City-participated gun buyback event was held from 8 a.m. to noon off 1038 Howard Street.