According to a July 12 press release, the Gun Buyback program is aimed at reducing the number of unwanted guns on Houston’s streets and will be a no-questions-asked event that is open to all members of the public.
Those participating should unload the firearm before arriving at the collection site and place the firearm at the edge of their trunk. Once at the site, Houston Police Department personnel will remove the firearm and ensure it is unloaded and rendered safe, the release said.
Once the firearm is collected, the person donating will be given a receipt that can be exchanged for a gift card, the release said. According to the program’s flyer, a $50 gift card will be given for a nonfunctioning firearm; $100 for rifles or shotguns; $150 for handguns; and $200 for an automatic rifle. The gift cards are subject to availability, the flyer said.
The Gun Buyback program is part of Turner’s $53 million One Safe Houston initiative that began in early February to combat the rise in crime the city saw over the past two years. According to the release, more information on the program will be announced July 18.
