Louisville faith, community groups host gun surrender event

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A coalition of Louisville faith and community groups concerned about gun violence hosted an event Sunday that allowed people to safely dispose of unwanted firearms.

The gun surrender event took place in the parking lot of Grace Hope Presbyterian Church in the Smoketown neighborhood.

The event is part of the nationwide Guns to Gardens movement, which works to reduce gun violence by collecting unwanted guns and transforming them into garden tools, art, jewelry and home decor. This work is done by local blacksmith Craig Kaviar and local woodworker Matthew Karr.

Trained volunteers inspected the guns before cutting and dismantling them. The pieces will then be sent to Karr and Kaviar.

“People come for several reasons. You may have inherited one or whatever, but this is a way to dispose of it and watch it be destroyed, so the possibility of taking a life is gone,” the Rev. Angela Johnson, a volunteer, said.

At least 16 guns were collected Sunday. Each participant received a $50 Kroger gift card.