An 11-year-old Massachusetts boy died this past winter after accidentally shooting himself at home with a loaded firearm.
While Massachusetts has the lowest rate of gun deaths in the country, heartbreaking stories like this reinforce the importance of community gun buy-back initiatives, such as the third annual “Safer Homes, Safer Community” event in Cambridge, which was held on June 10 at the Pentecostal Tabernacle and Reservoir Church.
Nearly 40 unwanted firearms were safely turned in for destruction, including BB guns, shotguns, rifles, and handguns (two of which were loaded). Residents also dropped off an inert grenade, ammunition and toy guns. Over the past three years, public safety officials have collected more than 110 firearms at the Cambridge event.
The Cambridge gun buyback is a collaboration of the city of Cambridge, the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, and faith and community-based organizations. The event is part of the city’s broader “Safer Homes, Safer Community” initiative aimed at reducing accidental injury in the home.
On behalf of the city, I want to recognize the many local groups that helped make this event possible through planning, participation, support, and donations.
The nearly 50 organizations include: A Place to Heal Ministries, Abundant Life Church, Cambridgeport Baptist Church, Cambridge Community Fellowship Church, Congregation Eitz Chayim, Christ Church, First Church in Cambridge Congregational, First Holiness Church, Friends Meeting Cambridge, Harvard Epworth United Methodist Church, Harvard Memorial Church, Islamic Society of Boston, Journey Church, Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church, Parish of Saint Paul, Pentecostal Tabernacle, Reservoir Church, Rush AME Zion Church, St. James Episcopal Church, St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Temple Beth Shalom, Union Baptist Church, Cambridge Community Foundation, Cambridge Community Center, Cambridge YWCA, Community Art Center, East End House, Many Helping Hands, Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, Cambridgeside Galleria, Fresh Pond Market, East Cambridge Business Association, Harvard Square Business Association, Pemberton Market, Star Market/Shaw’s, Toscanini’s, Trader Joes, Whole Foods Market, Cambridge Domestic & Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge Peace Commission, Cambridge Police Department, Cambridge Public Health Department, Cambridge Veterans Services, Massachusetts State Police and the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone who turned in unwanted firearms at the June event and city leaders for their ongoing support of this initiative. Together, we are making our homes and community safer by limiting the unintended access to these weapons.
If you would like to dispose of an unwanted gun in your home, please contact the Cambridge Police Department at 617-349-3300.
The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 7 years ago.
