City Offering $100 Per Gun In Buyback Program

City officials are offering $100 cash for every gun turned in during a buyback program next Saturday, Dec. 15. 

Launched partly in response to the shooting death of 14-year-old Dajae Coleman this September, the program is “amnesty-based,” meaning no police enforcement actions will be taken when someone turns in a firearm, even if it is illegal. 

“We encourage anybody that has a firearm and wants to turn it in to do it, whether they have an FOID or not,”  Evanston Police Cmdr. Jason Parrott told Patch earlier this month. “We’re trying to get firearms off the street that are in workable condition and can harm the public.”  

Earlier: City Will Give Cash For Guns Dec. 15

The program is being facilitated by the Evanston Police Department in cooperation with the city council and Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl, who announced the program would be funded at a community meeting held shortly after Dajae Coleman's death.

Officials will accept unloaded guns only from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Christ Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 1711 Simpson St. Participants must have proof of Evanston residency, which could include a piece of mail, an Evanston Public Library card, student ID or government-issued ID. Weapons should be transported in the trunk of a vehicle or in an inaccessible area of a van or pickup truck, according to police Residents are also encouraged to bring ammunition, ammunition clips and magazines.  

City officials initially did not know how much they would be able to offer for each gun turned in. But police announced Wednesday that each gun would be rewarded with $100 cash. There is a limit of two guns per person for cash, however.

Several local institutions have donated money to support the program, including Northwestern University ($10,000), NorthShore University HealthSystem ($1,000) and the Cherry Family Foundation ($5,000). The Evanston Community Foundation contributed $1,000 to the program and established a fund to accept residents’ contributions. Donations can be made on the Evanston Community Foundation website or by mail to Evanston Community Foundation, 1007 Church St., Ste. 108, Evanston, IL 60201.  

To find out more about the gun buyback program, read our past coverage on Patch.