Press Release from Republican Ward 6 Councilman Steve Kozachik, who organized this event:

Voluntary Firearm Buy-Back Event

On Tuesday, January 8th, beginning at 9am, Tucson Police will be accepting firearms, .22 caliber or larger where the weapon is designed to fire a projectile that is propelled using expanding gas, that are voluntarily turned in by members of the general public. In exchange, a $50 Safeway Food Store gift card will be provided. The event will take place at the Tucson Police Department Hardesty Sub-Station located on Alvernon Way, just north of 22nd. There is a limited number of Gift Cards, so the event will end when they’ve all been given out.

Tucson Police will ensure the disposal of all firearms that are voluntarily turned in during this event will be handled in compliance with all relevant Arizona Revised Statutes. Serial numbers will be tracked through appropriate databases to identify weapons reported as lost or stolen, or that may be implicated in any criminal activity.

This event is made possible by the generous donations from private individuals who join me in wanting to offer this opportunity to City residents to properly dispose of unwanted firearms. As has occurred in many other cities, we hope this will allow people who wish to participate, a greater sense of safety in their own homes for having taken part.

This event is coincidentally being held on the 2nd anniversary of the Tucson Tragedy shooting of January 8, 2011 when 19 people were shot at the NW Safeway at Ina/Oracle including then-CD 8 Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, three members of her staff (including now-CD 2 Congressman Ron Barber), Federal District Judge John Roll, and several others. Six people died that day and the shooter Jared Lee Loughner was thereafter sentenced to several life sentences (with no possibility of parole).

Further info about the buy-back event, contact the Council 6 Ward office at 520-791-4601 or email ward6@tucsonaz.gov.

And the AZ Daily Star reported on Saturday Jan. 5 that former LD 30 State Senator Frank Antenori has offered “cold cash” for guns starting at $100, for his own private collection at the same police station on 1/8/13. Click here for that article.

Reminder: Town Hall/Roast tonight with Ward 6 Councilman Steve Kozachik (“Steve K”) and host David Fitzsimmons (“Fitz”), cartoonist of the AZ Daily Star, at the Loft, 7 p.m. From Steve K’s newsletter:

There has been an excellent response to the January 7th event – please continue to rsvp us @ 791.4601 or 795.0844. Also, if there are particular areas of interest you’d like to hear addressed (Federal, State, County, or local) send us an email @ ward6@tucsonaz.gov / something such as “what will you do to address the following…?”

The event is scheduled for 7pm – 9pm / 3233 E. Speedway / Loft Cinema.

Lisa Horner from Access Tucson has offered to tape the event to be re-run after the fact in order for those who can’t make it to give it a look. It’ll air on Saturdays at 11am and Sundays at 7pm starting Jan. 13th. Cox Channel 20/Comcast 74. There are technical reasons why they can’t air it live, but let’s hope this is the start of some community conversations that, through cooperation between all of our media partners we can book follow up meetings and get these things out over the air in real time in the days ahead.

Here’s the unofficial list of politicians who will be attending or sending a representative (if they don’t dare show up to be “roasted”):

Congressman Raul Grijalva (CD 3)
Congressman Ron Barber (CD 2)
State Senator Olivia Cajero Bedford (LD 3)
State Senator David Bradley (LD 10)
State Senator Steve Farley (LD 9)
State Representative Sally Ann Gonzales (LD 3)
State Representative Macario Saldate (LD 3)
State Representative Stefanie Mach (LD 10)
State Representative Bruce Wheeler (LD 10)
State Representative Ethan Orr (LD 9)
State Representative Victoria Steele (LD 9)
County Supervisor Richard Elias (D 5)
County Supervisor Sharon Bronson (D 3)
City – Mayor Jonathan Rothschild

My previous blog post announcing this event, with updates (click here). The list of politicians was created as those who have an impact on the issues of Ward 6 in the City of Tucson.

Due to threats of disruption about this event the Az Daily Star has reported (click here) that there will be no live microphone, no guns allowed, and bags will be checked. Doors open at 6 p.m. Questions can be submitted in writing at the community town hall.

Our Tucson community is still healing after that horrendous mass shooting incident on January 8, 2011 outside of the Safeway supermarket at the SE corner of Ina/Oracle Rd. Please join in this community wide effort to remember the victims, the survivors, the first responders, the medical staff who helped the 19 victims of that day. Democrat Ron Barber is now the Congressman from District 2, and former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her retired astronaut husband Mark Kelly have moved back to Tucson. And best wishes to the other survivors of that Tucson Tragedy shooting, may they continue to heal and find peace in 2013.

The January 8th Memorial Foundation is trying to create an appropriate permanent memorial of that shooting. Contact the President of the Board of Directors if you have input, or

Remembering January 8 Foundation (http://www.tucsonj8.org/)
PO Box 40355
Tucson AZ 84717
contact@tucsonj8.org

Photos of the stone memorial outside of the Safeway (click here), where people have gone to drop off flowers on the anniversary of 1/8/11.

Today January 6: CD 2 Congressman Ron Barber (who was shot twice on 1/8/11) announced at yesterday’s Beyond Tucson event at Armory Park that there will be a multi-faith service today to commemorate the Tucson Tragedy. It will be held at St. Augustine’s Cathedral, 3 p.m., 192 S. Stone Ave. in downtown Tucson.