St. Joseph gun show organizers emphasize safety precautions

By Jazmine Knight

After an accidental discharge of a firearm at a Wichita gun and knife show, event organizers in St. Joseph are ensuring that safety is a top priority. 

The St. Joseph Gun and Knife Show is returning from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25, at Civic Arena.

Event organizer and CEO of RJ Promotions Kevin Hummer said safety is their main consideration. They work closely with the St. Joseph Police Department to check all the guns that enter the facility. 

“They check the guns, make sure they’re unloaded,” Hummer said.

“And then what we do is we zip tie them, which is putting a plastic thing in the chamber of the guns,” he continued.

While Hummer doesn’t know all the safety guidelines for Kansas gun shows, he emphasized that Missouri takes things seriously. 

“I don’t know that gun show and their protocols in Kansas, but in Missouri, we’re very strict,” he said.

In case something does go wrong, Hummer says they have a great relationship with emergency personnel. 

“I would just tell the police officers to take over. And what they do is they clamp down on the show and they have a whole protocol,” he said.

Hummer ensured that guests have nothing to worry about.

“We’ve been doing this for many years and we’ve had wonderful success,” Hummer said.

“Thousands of people come in here to look for ammunition, handguns, rifles. Spring turkey season is coming up, too.” 

While many are looking forward to the upcoming event, Hummer said his favorite part is being able to prepare for white-tailed deer hunting. 

“You have everything from hunting to blinds to scopes to ammunition. Some people like to target practice. Some people like to find archery items,” he said.