San Antonio District 9 Councilman John Courage is asking for public help to fund the city’s first large-scale gun buyback program.
Under the buyback, individuals will be able to exchange up to 20 unloaded weapons for H-E-B gift cards at the Alamodome on Nov. 19, Courage said at a Wednesday press event. It’s a project the councilman has been working on for years to lower instances of gun violence in the city.
Courage hopes to raise $250,000 to fund the event, with $100,000 already donated from his district’s discretionary funding, according to a KSAT news report. Mayor Ron Nirenberg has also pledged $25,000, and Councilwoman Marina Alderete-Gavito has committed $1,000.
Courage is hoping public donations fill out the rest of the amount.
Those turning in a nonfunctioning or homemade firearm will get a $50 H-E-B gift card, while the program will pay out gift cards worth $150 for a rifle or shotgun, $200 for a handgun and $300 for a semi-automatic rifle, according to Courage’s office.
Individuals who wish to exchange a firearm will be required to put it in their trunk or the back of their vehicle, according to the Express-News. Authorities will ask participants two simple questions: How many weapons do you have? Are they unloaded and secure?
Weapons exchanged at the event will be destroyed. Those determined to be stolen will be returned to their owner.
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This article appears in Oct 4-17, 2023.