RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The city of Richmond is holding its first gun buyback.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that more than a dozen cars arrived early Saturday for the event.

The city offered gift cards ranging from $25 to $250 depending on the class of firearms, which they could spend on goods such as clothing, groceries and other items.

Participants were asked to arrive in their vehicles with their unloaded firearms stored in the trunks of their cars. From there, Richmond police weapon masters would retrieve and inspect the weapon.

Residents were also asked to fill out a form and declare in writing why they wanted to turn over their firearm, which is standard procedure under Virginia law.

Police worked in tandem with the nonprofit Robby Poblete Foundation to host this event. The California-based organization has hosted several gun violence intervention campaigns across the country.

Copyright 2022 by the Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.

Tune in live for more on the stories that matter to you: WMAL.com | WMAL app | “Alexa, play W-M-A-L”

Follow WMAL on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Rumble, Gettr and Parler