Even though the gun buyback in St. Joseph's County didn't open until 10 a.m. today, people were lining up to receive gift cards in exchange for their guns as early as 8:30.

The Rev. Keith Witherspoon, co-chairman of Community Religious Effort (CURE), said the group raised more than $8,000 for gift certificates, and all gift certificates were swept up at all three buyback sites by about 10:30 a.m.

CURE, with the help of St. Joseph County police, organized today's gun buyback to encourage people to exchange their guns for gift certificates.

Witherspoon said the sites stayed opened until 3 p.m. even though the gift certificates ran out, in the hopes that people would still turn in guns without anything in exchange.

As of 1 p.m., the South Bend site had taken in about 64 guns, 59 of which were functioning.

Sgt. Bill Redman, county police spokesman, said the Penn Township Fire Department site in Mishawaka received 61 guns. All but eight were functioning.

He said 25 of the 61 guns were turned in after the gift certificates ran out.

Police could not provide information today about how many guns were turned in at a third site, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Mishawaka.

Redman said he saw many illegal guns — sawed-off shotguns and handguns with the serial numbers scratched off — turned in today.

“It's important for people to understand that if we don't get them of the streets, they can end up in the hands of the wrong person,” Redman said.

The people turn in their guns anonymously, no questions asked, but Redman said the police department will later run the serial numbers and do ballistic tests to see if the guns have been used in a crime.

Later, the guns will be melted down.

Redman said he saw a good mixture of people come through, citing different reasons for turning in their guns, such as worry over grandchildren stumbling upon a gun.

But the South Bend site saw several protesters who criticized the gun buyback process.

Mark Vanderberg of South Bend organized a small group of protesters to hold signs at the buyback because he believes the buybacks are useless and just a measure to make the public “feel good.”

“It's just honest gun owners getting rid of junk,” he said. “It is our belief that the government should be working harder to remove the guns from the hands of the criminals directly.”