COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) -- No questions asked: That's the promise made to the people who showed up for Columbus Police Department's gun buyback event Monday.
Curt Hickey was among those who turned out at four locations throughout the city.
"Basically, I just got a bunch of rifles taking up space, and (it's) time to get rid of them," Hickey said.
He was glad to get the extra cash.
Handguns sell for $100, shotguns $200 and assault rifles go for $300.
Marshall Eubanks, Sr. hoped for a good deal on some old guns.
When he arrived, $10,000 in taxpayer dollars set aside for the program had already been claimed.
"I think it will help, but it's not going to stop it. But it's a way for people go get rid of old junk that they've got laying around," Eubanks said.
That's the argument some critics use when referring to gun buyback programs.
Pontotoc County Sheriff Leo Mask said most gun buyback programs essentially recover old weapons nobody wants.
But Tishomingo County Sheriff Glenn Whitlock had a different view, saying this effort could help curb the number of accidental shootings.
The top law enforcement officer in Columbus agreed.
"One of these weapons could have been used to kill someone, so if we save one life, then I feel like we've done our jobs," Columbus Police Chief Selvain McQueen said.
Eubanks believes the program is a good one regardless of where the weapons originate.
"You give it away and somebody finds it, it winds up killing somebody. Then I think it's a good thing for them to buy it back," Eubanks added.
