Boston plans gun buybacks after shooting death of 9-year-old

BOSTON Sun Feb 9, 2014 1:03pm EST

(Reuters) - Boston plans to launch a gun buyback program in a bid to reduce shootings following the death last week of a 9-year-old boy who was shot by his 14-year-old brother in an apparent accident, Mayor Marty Walsh said.

Walsh, who took office last month, said he was still developing a specific plan, including how much would be paid and how collection would work, with the city's newly appointed police commissioner, William Evans.

"It's a short-term solution," Walsh told reporters on Saturday. "We need help from the community, we need help from these people to let us know where these guns are, who has these guns, so we can get them off the street."

Boston has seen a spike in fatal shootings this year, with eight firearms homicides reported as of February 2, up from two for the same period last year, according to Boston Police Department data. The figure does not include Friday's shooting of the 9-year-old boy, whom authorities have not identified.

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