ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — This Saturday, New Mexicans have a chance to get unwanted guns out of homes or off the street in exchange for a gift card.

“This is a voluntary event. you know, we’re not forcing anybody to turn in their guns,” New Mexico State Police Public Information Officer Wilson Silver said.

New Mexico State Police have put on events like this in the past, giving out $200 to $300 gift cards. But this time, they’re changing the amount given after the agency ran out of gift cards at a gun buyback in November.

“We did have individuals that after the gift cards ran out, they didn’t voluntarily want to turn their firearm,” Officer Silver said. “So, this is just a way that hopefully we can spread out the amount of gift cards in case we do have a large turnout like we did last time. So that’s why we reduced the price to $100 and $200.”

Officer Silver says the funds for the gift cards come from New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Public Health Emergency Order.

All of the buybacks will be held on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations:

• Albuquerque Expo New Mexico, 300 San Pedro, Gate 8 off Louisana
• Farmington Harriet B Simmons Office, 101 W Animas
• Las Cruces First Baptist Church, 4201 N. Sonoma Ranch
• Española Española Annex Building, 1101 Industrial Park

The Albuquerque and Las Cruces locations will each have 750 gift cards to hand out while Española and Farmington will have 440 gift cards each.

The buyback event in Farmington comes as the city decided to cancel its own gun buyback event last month – just three days before it was supposed to happen.

The city and its police department were planning on partnering with New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence. KOB 4 spoke to the co-president of the group, Miranda Viscoli, about Saturday’s upcoming event.

“We know that there were guns that people wanted to be dismantled. We help some people dismantle those firearms and there is a deep need in San Juan County and Farmington for people to have a space to get rid of those unwanted firearms,” Viscoli continued. “So we are deeply grateful that this gun buyback is finally going to happen in Farmington, New Mexico.”

She says the group hopes this event opens the door for collaboration in the future.

“We hope to work with the governor and state police to continue our buyback programs, throughout New Mexico. I think it would be great for us all to partner together on these programs,” Viscoli said.

If you’re turning in unwanted guns make sure all firearms are unloaded and are secure in the bed or trunk of your car. An officer will come up to your car and handle the firearms.

NMSP wants to remind the community to not get out of their cars during the process. They are giving $100 gift cards for handguns and $200 gift cards for rifles or shotguns.

FINAL NUMBERS

Across the four locations, State Police bought back 1,256 guns and collected 33 donated guns. Of those 1,289 guns, 10 were reported as stolen. Here are the numbers by location:

Albuquerque

• 150 handguns
• 422 rifles and/or shotguns

Las Cruces

• 136 handguns
• 307 rifles and/or shotguns

Farmington

• 42 handguns
• 108 rifles and/or shotguns

Española

• 27 handguns
• 64 rifles and/or shotguns