Littleton church to host event for collecting

A Littleton church aims to help fight the problem against gun violence. (Photo by Jochen Anschütz from Pexels)

A church in Littleton will host an event to collect abandoned firearms and repurpose them into tools that can be used to "cultivate life."

It was in response to the gun violence that continues to be a significant issue in the Denver metropolitan region.

Guns to Gardens

According to CBS Colorado, Columbine United Church in Littleton will collaborate with Mike Martin, founder of non-profit organization RAWtools, to host his recent drive-thru gun buyback event on Saturday, Feb. 25. Those who hand in their firearms will be given gift cards to local food stores as a thank-you.

It will occur from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Gardens to Guns buyback event will take place in the Columbine United Church parking lot, 6375 South Platte, Canyon Rd., Littleton, CO.

According to Martin, sellers can expect to receive "$50 for a single shot long gun, including double barrel shotguns, $100 for handguns or semi-automatic rifles, and $200 for assault-style rifles."

Rev. Steve Poos-Benson, also a gun owner, said he seized the opportunity with both feet and expressed his desire for more churches to do the same.

Poos-Benson believes it would be the best approach to answer the problem of gun violence in the neighborhood and the country.

Martin anticipates collecting at least 50 firearms on the weekend, which volunteers will disassemble into their parts and put to new use. Depending on the length of the cannon barrel, they often can fashion anywhere from three to six garden shovels or multi-purpose tools.

As mentioned, Mike Martin has been aiming to create gardening tools out of firearms for over a decade. Following the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, he began this initiative.

Currently, his non-profit organization RAWtools, situated in Colorado Springs, serves as a labor of love and an expression of his Mennonite religion. He has also served as a preacher in the past.

Martin said the goal is to remove firearms from the hands of individuals who no longer want them. Widowers and other folks who have lost loved ones to suicide or gun violence are frequently included in this category.

He stated that this was available to every one of us.

People can take things, objects, and tools that have caused harm to the communities in the past and continue to cause damage to the communities today and transform them into something that will foster the growth of life.

Eventually, RAWtools will donate the new tools to Denver Urban Gardens, a non-profit organization.

Recent Shooting Accident in Denver

FOX31 recently reported that a 16-year-old student from East High School is in critical condition following a shooting near his school.

The victim was identified as Luis Garcia. His family and friends stated that he would be leaving school on Monday to put up decorations for the birthday party of a loved one.

They said he was shot in his car, very close to East High School.

After the incident near East 17th Avenue and City Park Esplanade, the Denver Police Department reportedly detained two juveniles.

According to the police, A 17-year-old kid was detained for illegally possessing a pistol. At the same time, a 16-year-old boy was arrested for auto theft and felony evading, according to police. Following the gunshot and a brief police pursuit, both suspects were taken to jail.

The identity of the two students, who are both believed to be students at Denver Public Schools but not at East High School, are not being made public by the police due to the students' ages.