Mercer Island Launches Its First-Ever Gun Buyback Program
Mar 29, 2025 Sat
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9 AM to 12 PM
Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) is set to host the city's first-ever anonymous and voluntary gun buyback event this month, following approval from the City Council.This public safety initiative will provide residents with a safe and incentivized method to dispose of unwanted firearms in their homes.Event DetailsDate: March 29Time: 9 a.m. to noonLocation: City Hall Campus, 9611 SE 36th St.Terms of Exchange:$25 for non-working firearms and pellet guns$100 for bolt-action rifles and shotguns$200 for handguns$250 for assault-style riflesGift cards are limited and subject to availabilityEligibility: Participants must show proof of Mercer Island residency (identification card, utility bill, or other paperwork)Safety Requirements: Firearms must be unloaded and transported in the vehicle trunk; participants should remain in their vehicles unless directed otherwise by staffContextThe program was prompted and approved by the Mercer Island City Council, with Councilmember Craig Reynolds serving as a strong advocate for the initiative.This decision follows a history of Mercer Island residents contacting the police department about safely disposing of unwanted firearms and ammunition. Prior to this formal event, the department has typically collected two to three firearms monthly for destruction when requested by residents.Community ImpactMercer Island joins other Washington cities in implementing gun buyback programs, notably following Kirkland's "Guns for Gift Cards" program. Since launching five years ago, Kirkland police have collected more than 272 firearms and distributed over $33,550 in gift cards. Following the Mercer Island event, certified firearms specialists will catalog and destroy all collected weapons without recording any identifiable information from participants.Reynolds and Islander Gwen Loosmore have also testified on gun-violence prevention bills in the state Legislature, with Loosmore serving as the legislative advocate for Washington State PTA and leading the Moms Demand Action group for Mercer Island/Bellevue.According to Reynolds, "More than 120 people a day die from gunshot wounds in the United States, and firearms are the second leading cause of death for Americans below the age of 20." He added, "Every gun we take off the streets and destroy is a gun that will not be used to kill someone," and reminded residents that MIPD provides free gun locks to help secure weapons that remain in homes.
