Crime & Safety
Worcester Gun Buyback Event This Weekend
The annual 'Guns 2 Gardens' event is scheduled for Saturday and allows people to trade in guns for gift cards anonymously.
WORCESTER, MA — Worcester's annual "Guns 2 Garden" event is Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The gun buyback event offers gift cards worth $50 for a rifle, $100 for a pistol, and $150 for an automatic or semi-automatic gun.
Gun locks will also be given away for free even for those not returning firearms.
Anonymity is ensured, and no names will be asked. Gun registration is not required.
Worcester Department of Public Health Medical Director Michael Hirsh said in a statement: "An unsecured weapon in the home is a public health danger that leads to more frequent homicides, burglaries, lethal domestic violence, accident shootings and suicide in the home. Please honor the memories of all our citizens, young and old, harmed by gun violence by bringing in your unwanted weapon(s) (unloaded please) in a plan plastic of paper bag."
All collected firearms will be destroyed at the conclusion of the event.
More information is available at the police department's Facebook page.
Guns to Gardens is a nationwide organization. According to its website, "Guns to Gardens National Buyback cooperative engages gun violence prevention by adapting the buyback model to use disabled gun parts for community healing and further engagement through the making of garden tools, art, jewelry, and other items that help us imagine and act into life giving neighborhoods."
