NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Hoping to put a dent in the city’s rampant gun violence, New Orleans city councilman Freddie King III and others hosted a citywide firearm buy-back event Saturday (Aug. 13) at St. Stephen’s Baptist Church in Algiers.
Residents lined up to exchange dozens of handguns and rifles in an effort to get weapons off the street and reduce crime. Those who surrendered a weapon were given pre-loaded cash gift cards that can be used anywhere credit and debit cards are accepted.
King said the goal is to help reduce violent crime by buying guns back from residents with no judgment and no questions asked. King said he knows New Orleans residents are fed up with the violence, and that the problem stretches far beyond his district spanning Algiers to the French Quarter and Marigny.
“It’s not just Algiers. It’s not just District C. It’s not just the West Bank,” King said. “It’s the entire city. And we’re just trying to do our small part of getting guns off the street.”
Like so many others, King said he too has been directly affected by the city’s violent crime.
“Unfortunately, just this past week, I was at this same church for a funeral service for a man who was like a brother to me, who was killed due to gun violence,” King said.
Event partners for the buy-back included Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Congressman Troy Carter, the New Orleans Police Department, the Metropolitan Crime Commission, the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, InspireNOLA Charter Schools, and Algiers Charter. King said he plans to host more gun buy-back events in the future.
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