Aug 13, 2009 6:12 pm US/Central
Do Gun Turn-In Programs Prevent Shootings?
Mayor Daley Announces Gun-Buying Program Will Be Held This Weekend
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Mayor Daley announced a gun turn-in program to be held this weekend in exchange for money.
CBS
While a teen struggles to survive a shooting, the city tries to get guns off the streets. But do gun turn-in programs really work?
Taccara Swain, 15, was shot in the head three times Wednesday night. Police say she is an innocent victim who was trying to shield a young relative from the bullets.
It's this kind of tragedy the city of Chicago is trying to stop with a gun turn-in program this weekend. But are events like that effective? CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports that the continuing carnage in our streets suggests otherwise.
That 15-year old was reportedly caught in gang crossfire. As long as gangs control hundreds of millions of dollars by selling illegal narcotics here, they'll always be able to buy big firepower.
Illinois Gun Works Owner Don Mastrianni claims that Chicago's program to clear its street of guns by offering to buy them and melt them down has probably not prevented even one killing.
"Criminals aren't going to bring in their guns," Mastrianni said.
When asked if any murders have been prevented, Mastrianni said, "No. Not at all. Not in the least."
Mayor Daley today announced a new version of his long-running gun-buying program. This weekend, those who turn in weapons will receive debit cards worth up to $100 in exchange for an assault-type weapon.
"Now think of that. Here's the mayor of the city of Chicago asking people to turn in assault weapons," Mayor Daley said. "We're not in Iraq. We're not in Afghanistan. We're in America. We're asking 'em to turn in assault weapons. What do we need an assault weapon in America for?"
Among those who doubt that Daley's decades of gun-control efforts have made Chicagoans any safer: a police officer. He talked to CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman at the scene of yesterday's gang crossfire that left an innocent 15-year old girl critically wounded.
When asked if gun control would keep guns away, Officer David Montgomery said, "No, 'cause the underground market. You can always get the guns. There's the underground market out there. What can you do about it?"
One thing not worth doing, according to Mastrianni, is buying old weapons off the street.
"They're not really solving any crimes, and they're not really preventing anything. They may think they are. And I feel for them, because I believe they're frustrated," Mastrianni said.
Frustrated doesn't begin to describe Daley's mood in the face of all the gun violence. He bragged today that, since 2005, the city's gun-buying program has led to the destruction of more than 18,000 guns. Still, that's small comfort to the thousands of Chicagoans who continue to get shot each year.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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