Kicks 4 Guns in Apopka today

Kicks for Guns is happening today at the John Bridges Center (445 W 13th Street) from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The Orange County Sheriff's Office is in charge of the gun exchange.

The event allows residents to anonymously turn in unwanted weapons -- no questions asked -- in return for shoes or gift cards. No ID is required. At the Apopka event, a $50 gift card is the only option.

Kicks for Guns has removed nearly 10,000 unwanted guns from the streets of Central Florida in the last 17 years. Last year almost 800 weapons were collected.

Any and all guns are welcome. People walking or driving to the event are encouraged to place their UNLOADED guns in a sealed bag or box clearly marked Kicks for Guns.

No one may enter the event carrying a gun. Guns will be handed over to the police at the gate where they are checked, tagged and stacked. Only people turning in guns and those accompanying them may enter the event. All others are required to remain outside the gates and view the event from there.

An unwanted gun can easily become a stolen gun, and stolen guns are often involved in violent crimes according to two government studies.

A U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics report found that 1.4 million firearms were stolen across the United States from 2005 through 2010 (there is no more current study). It also found that the vast majority — at least 80 percent — was never recovered, and that almost 1 in 5 (18%) of the mass shootings in the United States took place with stolen weapons.

Now in its 18th year, Kicks 4 Guns has grown to 15 locations around Central Florida, and involves law enforcement agencies in eight counties. Its goal is to get unwanted guns off the streets.