BALTIMORE — With over 600 guns removed from the streets in two years, the Archdiocese of Baltimore and Baltimore Police are continuing their efforts with a third gun buyback event this weekend in Southwest Baltimore.
The event will take place at the Westside Shopping Center on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where anyone can drop off weapons to be safely discarded. Organizers will also be distributing Naloxone kits.
"It's great. I'm happy somebody's bringing something positive to the community," said Derwin Hannah, a Southwest Baltimore resident who has been actively involved in rehabilitating the nearby Catherine Street Park.
This marks the third year the Archdiocese will host the buyback event, but the first time at this location. On Friday afternoon, volunteers were preparing care packages containing essentials like toothpaste and cleaning supplies to be distributed during the event.
WATCH: Buyback to safely remove guns in Southwest Baltimore
"This is really a public statement about safety, and about the dignity of the person. That violence has no place in a civilized society, that we need to be loving and caring of people," said Fr. Mike Murphy, a Southwest Baltimore priest.
Over the past few years, churchgoers have raised more than $150,000 for the buybacks, according to the Archdiocese. Excess funds will directly support families of murder victims.
"We really have a nice group of donors each year who support us with a substantial amount of donations from the small to the large. Because they care in this ministry and they care for people," Murphy said.
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Hannah, who will be grilling hot dogs at the event, believes this initiative will amplify community improvement efforts.
"We have a lot of drug addiction here, a lot of broken families. Anything we can do to bring some positivity, that's what we're trying to do," Hannah said.
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