Returned guns turned into garden tools after Oakland gun buyback event

OAKLAND -- Forty-two guns are becoming or already are garden tools following a gun buyback in Oakland earlier this month, according to police.

Police collected the weapons in exchange for Oakland A's tickets, gift cards and garden tools forged from last years' buyback. The guns collected on June 10 will be forged into garden tools by blacksmith John Rogers.

A total of $4,350 in gift cards were exchanged for the weapons.

Participating in the second annual "Gun to Gardens" event shows the police department's "support in removing guns from circulation to reduce the likelihood of homicides, suicides and accidental gun deaths," police said in a news release.

Most of the guns collected this year were rifles, said Cara Meredith, spokesperson for Guns to Gardens Oakland.

Unfortunately, this year's event was less successful than last year when 131 guns were collected. But the collaborative buyback put on by Oakland police and community groups may occur again in November, Meredith said.

"We want to curb violence in the city of Oakland," she said, adding that, "The bottom line is it was a phenomenal event" this year.

The guns-to-gardens effort is open to partnering with others to promote the next event, Meredith said. People can reach out to the group on Instagram @gunstogardenOAK.