On the east coast of the United States, the city of Baltimore (600,000 inhabitants) is considered one of the most dangerous in the country with approximately 300 homicides per year, most by firearm. To stem this violence, the police buy weapons from the population, as other American cities do.
The authorities offer $100 for a handgun, $500 for an automatic rifle. The operation is taking place this week and aims to recover as many firearms as possible. No information is requested: you put down your weapon without disclosing your identity, and without giving any information on the circumstances in which you got it.
Jay is in his thirties, and he arrives carrying a case in his hand: “I brought four in total. Two semi-automatic pistols, a rifle and a revolver. But I still have about 20 firearms at home. All purchased legally. I have no criminal record , I’ve never done anything wrong. I came for the money. After all, it’s almost Christmas! And at Christmas, everyone needs cash, right?”
Then the young man enters the communal center. He will leave with 700 dollars in his pocket.
300 homicides in one year
The mayor of Baltimore, Catherine Pugh, is at the origin of this operation “gun buyback programm” (program to buy back firearms), in a city plagued by violence and drug trafficking.
In 2018, the number of homicides will once again exceed the frightening figure of 300.
“We have to get rid of all illegal weapons from our streets,” said the elected official. “Every day, innocent people are killed, others unwittingly find themselves in the middle of shootings. One life lost is one too many.”
The operation aims to recover a maximum of illegal weapons but also those legally possessed by their owners: “One of our problems”Adds Commissioner Gary Tuggle, Chief of Police of Baltimore, “It’s that we have gun owners who have one or more of them in their homes. With a permit, everything is in order. But if their home is burglarized, these guns will then be stolen and we find them in criminal cases and on the streets of Baltimore. So if you have a legally acquired gun back home but you don’t need it, bring it. Let us buy it for you.”
“In the past, it did not yield any results”
On Montford Avenue, from noon to 8 p.m., it is an almost uninterrupted ballet of inhabitants who come to lay down their arms and collect their dollars.
Kenny comes to get rid of a gun he says he hasn’t used in thirty years. When asked if he thinks this initiative of the town hall is useful, he answers:
“Not really… Decent people are going to bring guns for sure, but not thugs, not criminals, not gang members who are going to keep their guns. If at least it saves a life, then Is it worth it.”
John, who has just sold a handgun for $100, is more critical: “It’s stupid. They’ve done this before and it didn’t work. So people like me come and sell their old stuff and make some money. I think all this , it’s just a way for politicians to pretend that they are doing something about this problem. But in truth, they are not doing anything. First, they are fixing the education system. jobs in this city and in this country! And then maybe we’ll start to solve this problem of violence and guns!”