{"id":30401,"date":"2023-11-28T21:56:24","date_gmt":"2023-11-29T04:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/gun-buyback-event-coming-to-farmington-in-december\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T01:18:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T07:18:43","slug":"gun-buyback-event-coming-to-farmington-in-december","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/gun-buyback-event-coming-to-farmington-in-december\/","title":{"rendered":"Gun buyback event coming to Farmington in December"},"content":{"rendered":"New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence partner with police for program\n

\"These
These are some of the guns collected at a New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence buyback event in Santa Fe in June. (Courtesy photo)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Gun violence has spiked in New Mexico and in the Four Corners in the past year. From the May 15 mass shooting on North Dustin Avenue in Farmington to an Oct. 23 mass shooting in Durango\u2019s Santa Rita Park, gun violence is not isolated to highly populated areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is not one community in New Mexico that does not have a problem with gun violence,\u201d said Miranda Viscoli, co-president of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Viscoli will bring the organization to Farmington from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 9 for a 2023 Gun Buyback Event in the parking lot on the corner of Municipal Drive and Navajo Street across from the city of Farmington Municipal Court House.<\/p>\n

The group is partnering with the Farmington Police Department on the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been talking to Chief (Steve) Hebbe about this for a couple of years, and we thought it would be a good time to do it,\u201d Viscoli said, adding the role of the Farmington Police will be to \u201cmake sure the guns are not loaded and do an NCIC check to make sure they are not stolen.\u201d<\/p>\n

If a gun is stolen, it will be returned to its rightful owner, Viscoli said.<\/p>\n

Viscoli started New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence in 2013 to \u201cpromote reasonable gun laws\u201d and educate the public about gun safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not anti-gun,\u201d Viscoli said of the buyback event, instead she characterized it as an event to help people discard their unwanted guns in a safe manner. \u201cIt\u2019s getting unwanted guns out of circulation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Farmington event will be the 19th buyback, since the nonprofit organization did its first in 2016 in Santa Fe, and developed the Guns to Garden program partnering with Robert F. Kennedy Charter School in Albuquerque\u2019s South Valley.<\/p>\n

\"This
This is an example of the types of garden tools made at Robert F. Kennedy Charter School by students who use dismantled guns to make garden tools. The guns are dismantled and provided from New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence buyback events.<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s a really good school \u2013 a school that has been deeply impacted by the issue of gun violence,\u201d Viscoli said.<\/p>\n

The guns are dismantled at the site of the buyback program, and then the scrap metal is given to students at the school to be turned into gardening tools.<\/p>\n

Since the inception of the Guns to Gardens, New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence has \u201ctaken in 2,000 firearms,\u201d and of those, 40% were \u201csemiautomatic and AR-15 style weapons,\u201d Viscoli said.<\/p>\n

This event will be Farmington\u2019s first gun buyback, and people from all over the region can bring in unwanted guns. Guns will be accepted from outside of New Mexico, as well.<\/p>\n

No information is retained on the people turning in guns, and they can turn in as many as they like.<\/p>\n

Those turning in guns will receive gift cards for such locations as Chevron Gas, Target, Walmart, Amazon and Smiths. The values range from $100 to $250 depending on the type of gun.<\/p>\n

\n

Value of gift cards from gun buyback<\/h3>\n

Type of Gun<\/strong>Gift card value<\/strong>Assault weapon$250 gift cardSemi-automatic handgun or semi-automatic rifle$200 gift cardLong guns, revolvers and pistols$100 gift card<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Viscoli wanted the public to know that New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence is paying for all costs associated with the event. \u201cFarmington is not paying for this,\u201d she said, adding \u201cnobody is forced to turn in guns.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those wanting to rid themselves of guns by making sure they don\u2019t fall into the wrong hands can do it at this event, Viscoli said, adding 3D printed guns will not be accepted.<\/p>\n

If participating in the buyback, keep guns unloaded in the trunk of the vehicle and drive-thru, while staying in your car. Gift cards will be issued once the gun surrender is completed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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