Woodland Hills, church teaming up for gun buyback program

RANKIN, Pa. — The Woodland Hills School District and the Emmanuel Baptist Church will host a gun buyback program from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at the church’s address at 245 3rd Avenue in Rankin.

The event is part of the previously announced partnership between the Woodland Hills School District, Rev. Christopher T. Conti, M.D. and the Emmanuel Baptist Church, Mayor Joelisa McDonald and Chief of Police Ryan Wooten of the City of Rankin, Chief of Police Ophelia Coleman and the Wilkinsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania State Senator Jay Costa (D-Forest Hills) and the financial support of an anonymous corporate donor.

Rev. Conti and Woodland Hills School District superintendent James Harris will be in attendance as part of the event, while the Wilkinsburg Police Department will be on hand to receive the guns from community members. All weapons bought back as part of the program will become property of the Wilkinsburg Police Department.

Handguns will be purchased for $50 and rifles will be purchased for $25. There is no limit on the number of firearms an individual can bring to have purchased at the buyback event.

“We wanted to provide a safe, secure way with no questions asked for our community members to dispose of these firearms,” Woodland Hills School District superintendent James Harris said. “This is an opportunity for us to respond to gun violence in our communities and try to take steps to reduce the trauma our students, staff and community members face in their daily lives.”

Local organizations interested in being part of the program should reach out to the Woodland Hills superintendent office at 412.731.1300 ext. 0198 or harrja@whsd.net.

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