Mayor Villaraigosa, LAPD Announce Fourth Year of Citywide Gun Buyback Initiative

Last Year, Gun Buyback Initiative Collected Over 2,000 Firearms Across the City

Gun Buyback podcast

LOS ANGELES – Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, gang intervention and prevention service providers, and victim advocacy organizations, announced today the fourth Citywide Gun Buyback program aimed at reducing the levels of gun violence in Los Angeles. The Gun Buyback will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2025 at six locations throughout the City.

An initiative of the Mayor's Gang Reduction and Youth Development Office (GRYD), the 2012 Gun Buyback will reward the voluntary surrender of firearms while engaging the community towards a common goal of reducing gun violence. In partnership with the LAPD and numerous community and faith-based organizations, the gun buyback effort will secure six neutral locations throughout the City where individuals can surrender their firearms—no questions asked.

In exchange for the firearm, the individual will receive a Ralphs or VISA pre-paid card. The cost per firearm will depend on its type, up to $200 for assault weapons as specified in the State of California and up to $100 for handguns, rifles and shotguns. The LAPD Gun Unit will be on site to determine the type of classification of the firearm surrendered.

Last year, the Gun Buyback Program collected over 2,000 firearms from across the City in one day. The GRYD office worked with the LAPD, Ralphs, media partner KCAL 9/KCBS 2, and numerous community organizations to plan, outreach, and raise donations for the event.

The Gun Buyback Program will be held at the following six locations throughout the City:

LAPD Northeast Area
LAFD’s Frank Hotchkins Training Academy
1700 Stadium Way
Los Angeles, CA 90012

LAPD Harbor Area
Park & Ride Parking Lot
1300 West Pacific Coast Highway
Wilmington, CA 90744

LAPD 77th Area
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
7900 South Western Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90047

LAPD Southeast Area
Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church
10435 South Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90002

LAPD Olympic Area
Korean Evangelical Zion Church
2149 West Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90018

LAPD Mission Area
Facey Medical Center Parking Lot
11165 Sepulveda Boulevard
Mission Hills, CA 91345