Big Island residents turn in nearly 150 firearms during community gun buyback event

Hawaiʻi Island residents turned in 149 firearms during a gun buyback event July 18 at Hilo Police Station.

The event was a partnership between Hawaiʻi Police Department, Hawaiʻi Department of Law Enforcement, Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General and Hawaiʻi County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

People were thanked with Foodland gift cards for either $200 or $100 by voluntarily turning in the following firearms:

• $200 Foodland gift card for automatic firearms of any type, semi-automatic rifles, ghost guns.
• $100 Foodland gift card for handguns, rifles, shotguns, bump stocks, Glock switches.

Firearms collected included eight assault-style rifles and nine privately manufactured firearms, commonly referred to as “ghost guns.”

“Every firearm voluntarily turned in today represents one less opportunity for a tragedy to occur,” said Hawaiʻi Island Police Chief Reed Mahuna in a state release. “Just yesterday, we remembered Officer Bronson Kaliloa, who made the ultimate sacrifice 8 years ago after being shot during a traffic stop. His loss remains a powerful reminder that firearms in the wrong hands can have devastating consequences.”

What happens to the firearms after being turned in:

• Serial numbers are checked; the last-known registered owner is notified via mail.
• Firearms are stored in a secure location until disposal.
• Firearms turned in are destroyed according to U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives specification.
• Firearms intake, storage and destruction are monitored by Hawaiʻi Department of Law Enforcement Internal Affairs Unit to safeguard against loss or theft.

The Big Island police department is grateful to everyone who participated in the buyback.

“Every unwanted firearm safely removed from our community helps reduce risk, prevent violence and makes Hawaiʻi Island a safer place for our residents and our officers,” Mahuna said.

The buyback event is a continuation of statewide efforts by Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green’s Administration to protect Hawai‘i residents from gun violence.

More than 2,100 guns have been taken off the streets and turned over to the state Department of Law Enforcement since buyback events began at the end of 2024.

Secure firearm storage and voluntary surrender of unwanted firearms are important components of preventing firearm-related injuries and deaths.

Unsecured firearms can be stolen and used in crimes, accessed by children or contribute to suicides.

Programs such as the buybacks provide community members with a safe, anonymous option for disposing of firearms they no longer want or need.

“These unwanted guns will never again be used. They will never again pose any type of threat to a loved one or have an opportunity to be used in a crime,” said Hawai‘i Department of Law Enforcement Director Jared Redulla in the state release. “Every weapon turned in counts.”

The gun buyback event is an amnesty program in which no questions were asked about the person dropping off any firearms. No identification was required.

Licensed gun dealers as well as active and retired law enforcement officers were not eligible to participate.

No firearms are sold or kept for personnel purposes.