ROANOKE, Va. – The fourth annual Groceries Not Guns buyback event is taking place this Saturday at the Melrose Community Center.
It’s an effort that the Roanoke City Police Department, Roanoke Branch NAACP and the Roanoke City Gun Violence Commission are hosting to reduce gun violence and suicides in Roanoke.
The organizations hosting this event said they’re hosting it in June because the summer months are when they see an increase in gun violence. They have also seen an increase in homicides after 2020.
“We saw a real spike in homicides after COVID-19. We saw a real spike in suicides after COVID-19, and so we’re just trying to get ourselves back to a place of fewer gun deaths,” said event organizer Catherine Koebel with Groceries Not Guns.
You can get a $250 gift card for turning in a semi-automatic handgun and a $150 gift card for turning in a revolver, shotgun, or any kind of long gun.
“It’s an intervention into the community to prevent premature deaths,” said Roanoke Branch NAACP President Brenda Hale.
Hale also said this is a way to teach people there is another way to handle conflict. You can also get gun locks at the event starting at 10 a.m. at the Melrose Community Center.
All Virginia residents can participate. They expect about 200 people to show up.