May 21, 2004 – If you have a gun and you would like to get rid of it safely, with no questions asked, you can. Just bring the firearm to the Coast Guard dock on the St. Thomas Waterfront Sunday and turn it in to the police officer who will be there to accept it.
May 23 has been declared Mothers Against Gun Day in the Virgin Islands and Jason Carroll Memorial Day, after the 19-year-old son of U.S. Attorney James Carroll III and Celia Carroll. Jason was shot and killed May 23, 2000 on Main Street over an altercation that had happened a year earlier.
A two-mile run has been planned as part of the day's activities. (See "Jason Carroll Day to Raise Funds, Awareness".)
The amnesty idea was born when Celia Carroll was being interviewed on WSTA radio by Alex Randall, known to most as "the good news guy." Randall suggested a gun amnesty to go along with the other activities.
The Carrolls liked the idea, so they presented it to Elton Lewis, Police commissioner.
On Friday morning they got the go-ahead on the amnesty, according to James Carroll.
Sgt. Athenia Brown, head of the Police Department's firearms bureau, agreed to station herself on the Waterfront from 2 to 5:30 p.m. to accept any guns that might be turned in.
Neither the police nor the Carrolls expect there will be a big response, but "We are hoping," James Carroll said Friday night.
He also wrote an op-ed piece pointing out the staggering statistics about gun violence in the United States. (See "Runners Make Statement Against Violence".)
Runners can pre-register for the race at Silk Greenery in Fort Mylner and the Caribbean Surf Shop in Havensight Mall; the entry fees are $8 for adults and $3 for young people.
On the day of the run, registration will start at 3:30 p.m. at the Coast Guard dock, and will cost $5 and $10, respectively. The race starts at 4:30 p.m. The first 300 finishers will receive t-shirts and trophies will be given to the top finishers, male and female, in four age categories (12 and under, 13 to 15, 16 to 19 and 20 and over), to the oldest and youngest participants and to the school with the most participants. The funds raised through sponsorships will go toward a scholarship to the University of the Virgin Islands, where Jason had been a student.
In his op-ed piece James Carroll wrote, "Together, we can acknowledge that violence is a problem that can be solved, and together we can find a solution."
