Weapons were broken down over the weekend in Charlotte to be later turned into gardening tools as part of an initiative to promote safety in the community and repurpose guns.
In a parking lot at Myers Park Presbyterian Church, a volunteer used an angle grinder to cut through a handgun. Over 20 volunteers participated in Guns to Gardens, an initiative focused on dismantling guns turned in anonymously by community members and repurposing them into gardening tools like shovels.
“It doesn’t always have to be about shootings in our community, and the different narrative can be about hope, and turning objects that can create harm into something beautiful,” said John Magnuson, a pastor at Myers Park Presbyterian Church and one of the organizers of the event.
Saturday marked the first Guns to Gardens event hosted by Myers Park Presbyterian Church.
According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department data, in 2024 there were more than 4,400 assaults involving a firearm.
Tucker, who WFAE is only identifying by her last name for safety reasons, says she turned in her husband’s shotgun to ensure it did not end up in the wrong hands.
“It’s for us, just knowing there's one less firearm out there that can be used to do harm," Tucker said. "And also [it] being repurposed in a manner that can bring local communities together.”
Eight firearms were turned in as part of Saturday's event.
