Gun Violence Prevention

Turn in a gun, get $100 at Eagles’ gun buyback

The Eagles are teaming up with Philadelphia police for a no-questions-asked gun buyback in an effort to reduce gun violence.

June 4, 2022

File photo: Cars are parked outside Lincoln Financial Field. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Philadelphians will get the chance to trade in their guns for money on Monday. It’s the latest event meant to reduce gun violence.

The gun buyback will be held at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philly Monday, from 2 p.m to 6 p.m.

“Our hearts break for those who suffer through the trauma of losing a loved one to gun violence,” said Jeffrey Lurie, Philadelphia Eagles chairman & CEO, in a statement. “These unspeakable tragedies wreak havoc in our communities and continue to occur with alarming frequency.”

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Participants turn in a gun to a Philadelphia police officer on site, and get a $100 giftcard funded by the Eagles and CHOP’s Center for Violence Prevention. The guns must be unloaded and stored safely in the trunk of a vehicle. Participants should enter through Lot K off Pattison Avenue.

No questions will be asked and no appointment is needed. The event will also be closed to the press, to preserve participants’ anonymity.

The buyback is part of the Eagles’ anti-gun violence campaign, which has included hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to local nonprofits. It’s just one of many ways Philly communities are working to solve the gun violence crisis — from calls for extended hours at libraries and rec centers, to teens gathering their own data, to conflict resolution training. Research has shown the effectiveness of gun buybacks to be limited.

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So far this year, there have been more than nine hundred victims of gun violence in Philly. More than two hundred people have died.

In a statement, Lurie, the Eagles’ CEO, also called for elected officials to pass gun control legislation, including a federal assault weapons ban and a mandatory universal background check.

“These senseless acts of violence will not cease to occur without a concerted effort from those who govern our nation and make public policy,” he said. “Enough is enough!”

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If you or someone you know has been affected by gun violence in Philadelphia, you can find grief support and resources here.

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