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Bump stock buybacks set as possession becomes a felony

Sarah Mueller

State officials say residents have just a couple of days to turn in firearm-modifying devices that are becoming illegal to possess.

Possession of bump stocks and trigger cranks become a felony this month in the First State.

The state will pay residents $100 to turn in bump stocks and $15 for trigger cranks. Lawmakers have established a $15,000 fund for buybacks.

The first buyback is this Saturday Nov. 3rd between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at select State Police barracks in all three counties. The other is Nov. 7th from 4-to-8 p.m.

Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coupe said the program recognizes the devices were legal when they purchased.

“However, this law improves the safety of our state by removing these dangerous weapon add-on devices from our communities and we are grateful to the citizens of Delaware that are taking the opportunity to turn in their trigger cranks and bump stocks,” he said.

Gov. John Carney said he’s pleased with the gun control measures he signed into law this year. But he still wants lawmakers to pass an assault weapons ban, especially in the wake of last weekend’s mass shooting at a Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh.

“Those kinds of weapons can just do an incredible amount of damage quickly," he said."We out-gun law enforcement folk in those instances, and in particular we had law enforcement officers injured in the Tree of Life shooting.”

The controversial legislation banning assault weapons failed to make it out of a state Senate committee last session. But the sponsor said he’s still committed to promoting a ban.

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