Hundreds of weapons returned during restitution event

From Bar Harbor to Old Orchard Beach and many places in between, Maine gun owners turned in hundreds of guns Saturday during the Maine Gun Safety Coalition's turn-in program.

Nacole Palmer, executive director of the coalition, said 290 weapons were destroyed Saturday. Although she doesn't yet have a final tally, she estimates that more than 100 other weapons have been gathered at 16 police precincts across the state.

“Gun violence is preventable,” she said. “There are common-sense steps we can take to reduce gun violence. »

The coalition organizes this event every two years. The metal parts of the weapons are melted down and recycled, with some parts reused as art and other products.

In addition to the coalition, the program is sponsored by the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Swedish development partner IM's Humanium initiative.

And while the coalition considers the event a success, Gun Owners of Maine say there are other ways to get rid of unwanted guns.

Laura Whitcomb, president of the group, said police precincts will accept guns at any time and that a program called Hold My Guns works with federal gun licensees to store the weapons.

“Hold My Guns is a really good program for people who recognize that they are in a place where they have problems,” she said.

The program allows people experiencing a mental health or other crisis to temporarily surrender their firearms.

Whitcomb said his organization also encourages people to take a gun safety course. And she fears that some of the weapons destroyed during the surrender days could have historical significance.

“Unfortunately, they take these guns and destroy them,” she lamented. “We could destroy a historical relic.”

Whitcomb and Palmer spent months this year fighting in the State House over several gun bills following the Lewiston mass shooting in October that left 18 people dead at a bowling alley and a bar.

Lawmakers have passed a bill to expand background checks for advertised private gun sales. The legislation also amends the state's current yellow flag law to allow police to go directly to a judge for a warrant if they suspect a person with weapons poses a danger to themselves or others.

In addition, the state is expanding mental health services and investing in violence prevention programs.

Another measure provides for a waiting period of 72 hours between the time a weapon is purchased and the time it is recovered.

This bill passed the Legislature and became law without the governor's signature. It is expected to go into effect in early August, but Whitcomb said his group is moving forward with plans to sue to stop it.

“We are fully prepared to go as far as necessary,” she said.

Supporters of the law say it is designed to prevent suicides in which guns are used, while opponents say it puts up a barrier for hunters and others to obtain a gun in timely.

Palmer, of the Gun Safety Coalition, said at least two of the guns returned Saturday came from families who lost someone to suicide.

“It’s a stark reminder of why we hold these items and it was important for these family members to know they were destroyed,” she said.