Inmate Inspired Buy Back Program Recovers 100 Plus Guns
By: Cierra Putman
Updated: September 22, 2012
With 28 homicides and countless shootings this has been a violent year in the City of Rochester. On Saturday there was an gun buy back program to help stop the violence - organized by prison inmates, church members and police.
Critics of gun buy back programs say the recovered guns aren't the ones used in crimes. Its actually why the Rochester Police Department hasn't held one in five years, but on Saturday that was not the case."
Ben Davis of Rochester turned in two guns at the buy back.
"If you can find one, you see one, get them off the streets," Davis said.
Orleans County prisoners came up with the plan and raised money. They then contacted the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church and police to put it in motion.
"This is a message from the inside to the outside," Pastor Ira White with Full Gospel Tabernacle Church said. "Maybe it will send a message to this community that there is a better life."
In just a few hours, Rochester police unloaded and disarmed more than 100 guns. At one point, they had to go buy more gift cards to pay for them.
"I am overwhelmed," Pastor White said. "I never thought this, this is beyond me. I never thought I would see this kind of success."
Davis found a sawed off shotgun in an abandoned building.
"When they're boarded up, they're not really boarded up people get in and out of them," Davis said.
"I have no doubt in my mind that it was probably used in either a shooting incident or reckless endangerment," Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard said.
Sheppard says stolen and illegal guns are a huge contributor to Rochester violence.
A quick glance in his wallet and Davis can show how close to home it hits.
"My son was killed about 15 years ago," he said. ""He was shot. It's really the reason to get them off the streets."
Davis hopes turning in these weapons saves a life
"Life is precious when it strikes home it just becomes more precious to you," he said.
So another family doesn't go through the pain of burying a loved one.
