LAFAYETTE, La. (KATC) — Activists from local anti-gun organization Hand-to-Hand Combat are hosting their second annual gun buy back event and they are still looking for sponsors.
The event is set to take place Saturday, July 25, at noon at Al Moore's Restaurant on South Hopkins Street. Handguns will be bought back for anywhere between $50-$100, while assault rifles and larger guns range from $300-$500. All guns must be operating.
"As long as we can get people to turn in their guns, primarily we want illegal and ghost guns," said Evangelist Donovan Davis, one of the event's organizers. "We wanna get guns out of the wrong hands of kids who have mental issues or who are unskilled and untrained in how to handle weapons and adults who are irresponsible."
Another key part of the event involves presentations from keynote speakers, specifically those who are victims to gun violence and have lost loved ones to the issue. Activists and organizers told KATC the gun buy back is "no name, no blame," meaning anyone who participates will not get into trouble for doing so.
"Whenever you give us a gun we don't wanna just take your gun and do nothing with it, we want to take it and get it destroyed, get it out of the wrong hands," said Apostle Felton Hogan, who also helps organize the event. "And most definitely saving lives, this is all about saving lives, because on the streets we live at, this happens almost every day and it's a monster right now, all over the whole nation, gun violence is very, very high right now."
Food will be provided for free to those who attend. For more information, you can contact Donovan Davis at 337-987-5030, Apostle Felton at 337-541-3422, Pastor Zack Mitchell at 337-256-3672, or Pastor Patrick Hogan at 337-492-4973.