Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 9-18-20

Local
Sheriff Collects More Than 600 Firearms During Gun Buy-Back
Last Saturday, the Hills- borough County Sheriff’s Of- fice collected 681 handguns during their annual Gun Buy-Back event. The initia- tive was called the “Drive & Drop Gun Swap.”
Deputies collected the unwanted guns at two loca- tions, the Hillsborough County West Service Unit on Sheldon Road and the Falkenburg Jail on Falken- burg Road.
In return for voluntarily dropping off the guns, the contributors were given $50 for each weapon. They all re- mained anonymous and no questions were asked.
Sheriff Chronister
said, “With each weapon taken off the streets, we eliminate the risk of it get- ting into the wrong hands, whether it be that of a child or a criminal.
“I am proud to say these hundreds of unwanted firearms have added to the more than 3,600 unwanted firearms we have collected through our gun buy-back events in recent years.”
The guns were checked after being surrendered. Po- lice discovered 6 of the firearms were stolen and
Chad Chronister, Hillsborough County Sheriff, is assisted by deputies during gun buy-back.
More than 600 firearms were collected during the four-hour gun buy-back event last Saturday.
Missing Woman, Newborn Located
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has located a woman and her newborn in- fant daughter. They are both safe.
According to police, Ms. Kanasia Johnson and her newborn daughter, Brinae Sherman, were last seen at St. Joseph’s Hospital last Thursday. Police said Ms. Johnson’s parental rights had been terminated and she had not informed her case manager that she was preg- nant.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Child Protec- tive Investigators were un- able to locate Ms. Johnson or the newborn infant after
KANASIA JOHNSON
she left the hospital.
Police did not reveal
where the mother and child were located.
were returned to their own- ers.
"There is a great respon- sibility that comes with gun ownership, and I'm glad we were able to provide a con- venient and safe way to dis- pose of any unwanted firearm for the hundreds of people that stopped at our sites today. The best part, the event comes at no cost to the hardworking taxpayers of Hillsborough County," Sheriff Chronister, said.
The other guns surren- dered will be safely disposed of and later melted down and
recycled into rebar.
The money given to gun
owners at the "Drive & Drop Gun Swap" was provided by the Law Enforcement Trust Fund (LETF). The LETF was established to allow law en- forcement agencies in Florida to seize and forfeit any contraband that has been used in the commis- sions of felonies. The pro- ceeds can then be used by the law enforcement agency for community programs like crime prevention and drug abuse education.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2020