In an attempt to crack down on gun violence, the Santa Ana Police Department recently hosted an event that encouraged community members to exchange unwanted weapons for gift cards. The town's first ever gun buy back event was proven to be a success, according to the Orange County Register. Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told the source that before the event began, so many people had attended there was a line around the corner for 20 minutes, and that he and his team collected more than 100 guns within the first hour. The source reported that individuals who turned in weapons such as rifles and handguns received $100 gift cards and people who turned in assault rifles received $200 gift cards.

The names of each of the individuals that were involved in the event will remain anonymous. In order to determine whether the donors lived in the community, the law enforcement officers asked for items such as utility bills and California identification in exchange for the gift cards. The officers collected a number of weapons, including rifles, handguns and assault rifles, which were all placed into trash cans and were later examined by ballistics technicians. Bertagna added that the bomb squad had to come out after someone donated an old mortar shell. Although the program was successful, the source reported the police officers don't expect it to be a long-term solution to the gun violence plaguing the community.

Injuring someone with a weapon can result in extremely harsh consequences, which can sometimes result in jail time. If anyone finds themselves in this situation, it is best to contact a Santa Ana bail bondsman to help them with the process.