Crime & Safety
Tampa Gun Crimes Drop After Buyback Event
The Tampa Police Department hails December's gun buyback in Seminole Heights as a success as gun crimes dropped by 24 percent in the month that followed.
The city of Tampa saw a drop in gun crimes in the month following a gun buyback event in Seminole Heights, police officials said Wednesday.
More than 1,000 guns were turned in at — more than doubling the Tampa Police Department's goal.
In the month that followed, 38 crimes were committed with a gun in Tampa, representing a reduction of 24 percent. In that same period a year earlier, 50 gun crimes were committed, a drop of 8 percent.
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"The community can take comfort in knowing the guns we recovered will never be used against an innocent victim," TPD Chief Jane Castor said in a media release. "This includes more than two dozen sawed-off shotguns or short barreled rifles that are most often found in the hands of criminals."
The buyback program was funded by the Tampa Bay Lightning and Kelly Curtis, the widow of slain Tampa Police officer Dave Curtis, plus seized drug money. TPD paid $50 for each gun that will now be destroyed.
Find out what's happening in Seminole Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
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