The event is happening on Nov. 24, from noon to 5 p.m., at the Alamodome. The event last year was so successful that they ran out of HEB gift cards!
SAN ANTONIO — In just a few weeks, people can trade their guns for an HEB gift card at the second annual weapons exchange.
The event is happening on Nov. 24, from noon to 5pm, at the Alamodome. The event last year collected 900 guns and was so successful, that they ran out of HEB gift cards.
Councilman John Courage of District 9, who is also running for mayor, has headed the event.
“That gun that is turned into us will never hurt a human being, will never commit a crime, will never be used to threaten anybody because it’ll be destroyed,” Courage said. “This is not intended to lower crime. What it is intended to do is make people feel safer in their home. The end result of that, [is] you end up making a home safer, a streets safer, a neighborhood safer, the whole community safer.”
This year the goal is to collect one thousand guns, though the event this year is limiting how many guns can be turned in to ten.
“I would rather help the individual who has one weapon they want to get out of their home than necessarily the person who has fifteen weapons,” Courage explained. “They want to get out of their home, so we set the limit at ten. We think that’s reasonable.”
People will get one gift card per gun that is turned in. An old shotgun or hunting rifle, people will get a one hundred dollar gift card. For a pistol, or handgun, a $150 HEB gift card.
“More people can, you know, commit violent actions against a family member or themselves with a handgun,” Courage added. “So that’s a priority. On the other hand, I think all of us are aware of things like assault weapons or, you know, AR-15 style automatic rifles. We give $200 HEB cards.”
The San Antonio Police Department has a program that allows people to safely turn in their guns, though there is no incentive attached.
“Normally people probably are hesitant about saying, well, I’m going to take my weapons somewhere even if I don’t want them,” Courage said. “But we made it very clear this was going to be safe. It was going to have a way of ridding yourself of unwanted weapons, but in a safe manner that they wouldn’t get back out into the community and that you would get something in return.”
Gun-safe locks will also be available at the event.
Metro Health and SAPD will be in attendance.