DA's office, Turner differ on gun buyback event: 'The no questions asked aspect of the program undermines the prosecution of crime'

City of Houston officials lauded a firearm buyback event that took place on Saturday, but Harris County District Attorney (DA) Kim Ogg has expressed skepticism about the program, according to a report from Houston CBS affiliate KHOU.

The station reported that Ogg, a Democrat, took issue with the city’s “no questions asked” policy and asserted it could jeopardize criminal investigations. Nearly 850 guns were collected in exchange for cash gift cards. 

“[The policy] gives anonymity and immunity for everyone who turns in a weapon,“ the DA said in a letter dated Thursday, July 28, per KHOU.

KHOU reported that the DA’s office fears the way the program is run could result in such unintended consequences as the destruction of chain of study evidence.

“This is extremely important on a number of different legal issues and also to be able to solve crime,” Harris County First Assistant District Attorney (ADA) David Mitcham told the station. "Someone is turning in a gun that is related to a crime and then there’s no way of being able to follow up an investigation because identification wasn’t pursued whenever they turned the gun in."

According to Houston ABC affiliate KTRK, Mitcham said the program’s intentions are good but is in need of some tweaks.

"The no questions asked aspect of the program undermines the prosecution of crime," Mitcham told the station.

KTRK reported that about 50 of the 845 total guns collected were ghost guns, or guns that can be made with a 3D printer.

According to KTRK, Mayor Sylvester Turner said that those types of weapons will be removed from future buyback events.

Turner said that the program is a way for the city to address violent crime, according to KHOU.

“Anything we could do to take these unwanted guns off the street and keep them from being in the hands of those who are with a criminal mindset, it’s a plus," the mayor told the station.