“I think they thought I was going crazy,” Pring told the Republic.

But Pring was able to convince the officers that his intentions were good.

“They said, ‘We appreciate you phoning us and dealing with this as you have and we think you're the sort of person who should have guns instead of these other maniacs,’” Pring told the Republic. “I said, ‘I respect that and I appreciate that, but you got to start somewhere and I'm starting today, right here.’”

Phoenix police Sgt. Jonathan Howard said his department would accept any weapons.

“Phoenix police will accept guns that people no longer want,'' Howard said. “The guns will be tested and entered into NIBIN (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network), which will allow us to compare them with known crime guns. In accordance with state law, the guns are then sold.”