SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — "People were rightfully concerned because they were under the impression that they were going to be destroyed," Reverend Chris Yaw said about guns surrendered during a buyback event at St. David's Episcopal Church in Southfield.
People surrendered 224 guns at Saturday's event last weekend in exchange for gift cards.
But a short time before the event, another priest alerted Yaw that the guns surrendered in the buyback programs, which are turned over to Michigan State Police, are not completely destroyed.
Once the weapons are processed, weeding out guns that have been stolen or used in crimes, MSP turns the remaining firearms over to GunBusters, a Missouri-based company that destroys the receivers or frames of the weapons. Other parts are resold.
"GunBusters will strip the component parts (e.g. grips, magazines, slide assembly, trigger group, etc.) for resale," the company writes on its website. "The sale of the parts and accessories allows GunBusters to offer destruction services free of charge."
Yaw alerted Southfield police and that some parts are resold was also surprising to Chief Elvin Barren.
"This information was new to me," Barren said. "It was also new to many of my colleagues in law enforcement. We weren't aware of this process."
The buyback event proceeded, but Yaw reached out to GunBusters to find out if they would pulverize the weapons in their entirety. Yaw said the company president told him they would.
"While we are appreciative of this gesture, which costs more than $15,000 retail, we are concerned about the fate of more than 11,000 guns that Michigan sends to GunBusters every year," Yaw said.
Some state lawmakers are now on board with helping to change the process, so that all parts of each firearms are destroyed.
"This is a new awareness to us," State Rep. Natalie Price said at a press conference with Yaw and Barren Friday. "I do want to assure you it is a top priority for us."
Part of a statement from MSP said: "All firearms surrendered to the MSP are turned over to GunBusters to be destroyed in accordance with the ATF's acceptable destruction procedures that require the destruction of the frame or receiver so the firearm can no longer be used, according to MSP."
GunBusters gives MSP video proof of the destruction process.
MSP said they are among 950 agencies from across the country that utilize GunBusters' services. In 2023, MSP has turned over 11,582 firearms to GunBusters.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), the term “firearm” does not include all parts of a firearm, only the frame or receiver of the weapon.
"We understand that state and local governments, often operating in difficult budget environments, must make tough decisions on this and many public safety matters," ATF spokesperson Kristina Mastropasqua said in a statement. "When ATF destroys firearms, it includes all parts, not just the frame or receiver. ATF does not resell firearms or firearm parts. If the policy of a state or local law enforcement agency is to dispose of firearms through destruction, the recommended best practice is to destroy the entire firearm, including all unregulated parts. This is particularly true given the increasing criminal use of untraceable privately made firearms (“ghost guns”), which are often assembled with used firearm parts."
