Sarasota sheriff takes in 100 guns during event

Sarasota residents turned in more than 100 firearms on Saturday to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office as part of the agency's latest effort at providing a safe way to dispose of the weapons.

The gun turn-in event brought in 103 firearms in exchange for $50 gift certificates to various local businesses. It is the second such an event in Sarasota, with 250 weapons turned in during a similar operation in December. The weapons will all be destroyed, according to sheriff's spokeswoman Wendy Rose.

Last year, Manatee Sheriff Brad Steube held a gun buyback event in September in the wake of a wave of violence last year that resulted in the most homicides ever in Manatee.

In that event, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office took in 395 weapons and paid out $33,000 for them. The weapons bought during the operation were also destroyed.

--- Robert Napper