Chicago woman shot with a gun from police buyback program — the same firearm that previously went missing from police custody and was later found in the hands of a 16-year-old. The Glock, once turned in as part of the city’s effort to “get guns off the streets,” instead found its way back into circulation, raising serious questions about the program’s credibility and safety.
From Buyback to Back on the Streets
Months earlier, the firearm had been voluntarily surrendered at a Chicago gun buyback event. Rather than being destroyed or secured in evidence, the Glock somehow vanished from the police station where it was stored. A year later, it surfaced in the possession of a teenager.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the lawsuit filed by the shooting victim claims CPD officers working the buyback “remarked on how good the Glock 21 pistol looked,” and that other officers not assigned to the event visited the tactical team office just to view the gun. The revelations have fueled criticism that the buyback program — promoted as a public safety measure — instead facilitated the weapon’s return to criminal use.
A Program That Backfired
Gun buybacks are often presented to the public as “common-sense” solutions for reducing gun violence. Yet in this case, critics argue the program directly contributed to the very harm it was meant to prevent. If the firearm had remained with its original, likely law-abiding owner, it may never have been used in the shooting.
Opponents of the policy point out that criminals rarely participate in buyback programs. Instead, firearms are often turned in by citizens who follow the law, making the program’s mismanagement even more alarming. The missing Glock not only undermines public trust but also highlights how such initiatives can unintentionally arm criminals.
Broader Implications for Gun Control Policies
For many gun rights advocates, the incident reinforces a long-standing argument: gun control measures like buybacks do not disarm criminals — they disarm the law-abiding. And in rare but significant cases like this, they may even put weapons directly into the hands of those willing to use them unlawfully.
The Chicago case is now at the center of a lawsuit, with the victim seeking justice for what she alleges was gross negligence. Meanwhile, critics are calling for greater transparency and accountability in the city’s firearm handling procedures.
What was meant to be a public safety measure has instead become a cautionary tale — one that raises the question of whether gun buyback programs are truly a solution, or a dangerous liability.
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