Guns Traded For Tickets

A guns-for-tickets exchange resulted in 111 unwanted handguns, rifles and shotguns being turned in for tickets to sporting events, shows and concerts.

Saturday’s event at the Seattle Center was sponsored by Ticketmaster Northwest, Seattle Police, the YWCA and the center. Those who turned in weapons had a choice of tickets to various events, including Sonics and Seahawks games, concerts by The Who, and Hootie and the Blowfish, performances by Pacific Northwest Ballet and plays at the Paramount and 5th Avenue theaters.

The unwanted firearms will be melted down.

More than 1,000 firearms were turned in at similar exchanges in Seattle, Tacoma and Everett in 1994 and 1995.