“The mission is to take these firearms out of the hands of criminals, and illegal weapons out of reach of children,” Mathews said. “This is not about taking weapons from responsible gun owners.”
The Street Rescue event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday is in partnership with former state lawmaker Dale Mallory’s “Put down the Guns, Pick up the Gloves” program, as well as Hamilton Young People Empowered (HYPE) and The Action Committee in Hamilton. The buyback is at St. Paul Miracle Center, 630 S. Front St.
Street Rescue is a 501(C)3 non-profit based in Cincinnati and has hosted numerous community gun turn-in events over the past several years. More than 80 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition hidden in neighborhoods have been taken off the streets, according to the organization.
Mathews, who’s heavily involved in the city she grew up in, said they’ve collected more than a dozen weapons since 2018, though the event was skipped in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The gun violence, the shootings, they’re not always known, but they’re happening in our communities,” said Mathews, pastor of the Truth & Life Church in Hamilton and CEO of Hamilton Young People Empowered, or HYPE. “It is something for me that’s affected my family, the gun violence.”
Mathews’ brother, Calvin Simmons Jr., was shot to death in September 2016. The homicide is still unsolved.
“For me, this initiative is personal,” said the Hamilton School Board member. “I love my community and I want to see our neighborhoods safe, I want to be able to seek kids play in the summertime, or anytime, and be in a safe neighborhood and not have to worry about bullets flying.”
Street Rescue will assess and process the weapons, and any unusable firearms will be destroyed. Firearms in working order will be sold to lawful firearms dealers and proceeds will support the organization’s continued mission.
Charles Tassell, founder of Street Rescue, said they’ll accept all weapons and ammunition with “no questions asked.”
“A gift card will be given as a form of appreciation for helping to clean up and make our community safer,” he said. “Additionally, we will provide discounted gun safety training and gun locks ― because safety with firearms is critical.”
While the Hamilton Police Department is not affiliated with this buyback program, the goal is supported, said police spokesman Sgt. Rich Burkhardt.
“It’s always beneficial to get an unwanted gun out of circulation,” he said. “If you turn in an unwanted gun you potentially keep it away from a criminal. Also, an unwanted gun that is turned in possibly keeps it out of a child’s hands and could prevent a tragedy.”
Mathews said even with just one less weapon off the street, “it’s definitely a gain for the city.”
FIREARMS BUYBACK
Street Rescue, in partnership with HYPE & The Community Action Committee, will host a gun buyback from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26 at the St. Paul Miracle Center, 630 S. Front St., Hamilton.
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