Hartford's Gun Buy-Back Program

By Renee Smith
DTHartford Staff

        Guns are not only the top weapon for killings but also the top guns for accidental or suicidal killings and 60 percent of killings are a gun homicide. In Connecticut there has been a number of shooting incidents as well as self-inflicted killings. This is why pediatric trauma surgeon Dr. Brendan Campbell and adult trauma surgeon Dr. David Shapiro began the gun buy-back program to take unsafe and unused guns off the streets and from homes.

         “Even one gun taken out of circulation is important because it reduces the potential that someone could use that particular gun in a lethal matter” said Bill Seymour, head of public affairs in the gun buyback program.

        Within the gun buyback program Dr. Campbell and his team hold as many buybacks that is set up at the local St. Francis Hospital. At the buy-back you can actually turn in your gun and what the program does with the guns is melt them back into metal so they are never used again. The program also rewards with a $25-$75 gift card depending on which firearm is turned in. To keep the program running, help from Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, St. Francis Hospital, Hartford Police Department, and more show their support with donations. These buybacks only happen every so often due to funds. Even with all the buy-backs support there are still more buy-backs to be held.

        A student from The University of Hartford, Slone Davis, was able to work with the program and participate in one of the buybacks along with speaking about the program on FOX CT news in 2012.          “This experience opened my eyes to gun safety and the importance of educating those who are unaware of how to safely keep a firearm,” said Davis.

         A big concern for the program was that some individuals might look at this program as an anti-gun program, which is not the case. The programs focus is to take unused and unnecessary guns out of the hands of individuals who may or may not be at risk for lethal matter. The program knows they are not reducing gun violence but they believe that the buy-backs are reducing the chances of an accident waiting to happen.

         Dr. Campbell, pediatric trauma surgeon has seen the worst of child gun wounds and experienced all the repercussion from the parents after letting them know details of their children’s conditions. As a parent himself “I never want to experience some of the heart break and unfeasible emotions some of the parents feel after I tell them horrific news about their child,” said Dr. Campbell.
           After interviewing Dr. Campbell on what his job entails as a trauma surgeon and why he helped start the buy-back program, Dr. Campbell said, “If 6 year old Wyatt Matteau had his father turn in the gun instead of keeping the pistol under his pillow, Wyatt Matteau wouldn’t have gone into his fathers bedroom and shot himself in the eye.”

           “We believe in what we are doing, we think it’s important,” said Bill Seymour when expressing his future aspirations about the program and how important it is to continue growing the program and gaining more support. The gun buy-back program would like to raise $12-15 thousand in 2013 if possible. They have a huge support system but in this case it will never be enough.

For more information on Hartford gun buy-back go to the following websites Connecticut Children's Medical Center and the  Gun buy-back Facebook page.