Shaquille O'Neal sponsors gun buyback event in Dallas
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Rebeccca Zisser/Axios
A gun buyback event in Dallas on Saturday has an unexpected sponsor: local entrepreneur Shaquille O'Neal.
Why it matters: Gun buybacks try to trim the stock of weapons in communities — but it's difficult to measure their effectiveness because "only a tiny fraction of guns" is turned in, according to a RAND report.
- RAND researchers say gun buyback events are still worth continuing because they educate residents about gun violence and remind them about firearm safety.
Context: Shaq has said that he doesn't support bans on guns because "there's a lot of those weapons already on the streets," but he does support more funding for officers in schools and gun buyback programs to curb violence.
State of play: With the basketball legend's name on Saturday's buyback event, the Dallas County sheriff's office could experience a larger-than-usual turnout.
Details: County residents can stop by the Dallas County sheriff's training academy 9am to noon to trade in up to three firearms for gift cards — $100 for handguns and $125 for long guns.
- "I support Sheriff [Marian] Brown's initiatives; Sheriff is doing the right thing and keeping our communities safe," O'Neal said in a statement, per FOX4.
Between the lines: Shaq is in the process of expanding his fast-casual restaurant franchise, Big Chicken, in Texas and owns a home in Carrollton.
- He produced a music festival in Fort Worth last year featuring bass and dubstep acts that he "hand picked."