Gun-amnesty month helping take illegal firearms off the street

By Becky McMullen

BELLEVILLE – Hundreds of guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition have been handed in during a month-long gun-amnesty campaign across Ontario.

As of Monday, hundreds of people had made a call to police to turn in guns, according to the OPP.

A total of 267 weapons and 5,000 rounds of ammunition have been turned in. Weapons can include firearms, gun accessories, knives and other weapons, the OPP said.

Any Ontario resident can get rid of unwanted or illegally owned weapons and ammunition through the amnesty, which lasts until April 30.

The only things that cannot be turned in without repercussions are guns used in a crime and weapons or ammunition turned in anonymously.

During the amnesty month, Belleville Police have had five guns and around 140 rounds of ammunition turned in, according to Staff-Sgt. René Aubertin.