Los Angeles held an annual gun exchange program earlier than planned on Wednesday after moving it up in reaction to the Newtown massacre. The program is generally held in May, but Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said he decided to hold it in December in part due to a lack of federal oversight of weapons nationwide.

Antonio Villaraigosa: “For eight years, the Senate has stopped the confirmation of the head of the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Fire Arms), the organization that is duty bound to enforce these laws. The NRA said last week that we should have more enforcement of our gun laws, and yet they made every effort to block enforcement, every effort to have these gaping loopholes in the laws that make it almost impossible to do that.”

Gun owners were offered gift cards worth up to $200 at a local grocery chain in exchange for their weapons. Long lines of people and cars were seen in what local officials called a massive turnout. Two gun owners taking advantage of the exchange said they were moved to act by the tragedy in Connecticut.

Unidentified gun owner 1: “Part of it, but not really. You know, I always thought they should have something like this anyway, regardless of what happens. It’s too bad we wait ’til something like that happens, you know, to decide to get rid of the the pistols and the guns and the rifles.”

Unidentified gun owner 2: “It’s important because too many people get killed with guns — small guns, rifles, handguns, any kind of gun. So, I’m here to help, to get rid of the guns I have.”