Minneapolis Foundation's Project Cease Fire Gets 223 Guns Off The Streets Shane Price (center) of the African American Men Project organized Project Cease Fire, leading a collaboration of 30 community organizations and the Minneapolis Police Department. Lieutenant Lee Edwards (left) and Lieutenant Greg Reinhardt (right) reported that the 223 guns collected by Project Cease Fire in two days equaled a quarter of what the police department typically collects in a year. The Minneapolis Foundation photo Project Cease Fire, a "gun buyback" effort funded by The Minneapolis Foundation, resulted in 223 fewer guns in Minneapolis homes, streets and neighborhoods. Organized by the African American Men Project, Project Cease Fire involved participation by 30 community organizations and the Minneapolis Police Department. Individuals who turned in weapons received $50 for each revolver and $75 for every semi-automatic pistol or handgun, with a limit of two guns per person. Collections took place Feb. 4-5 in Minneapolis. The dropoff process was anonymous. One participant told organizers, "For a variety of personal mental health reasons, I'm glad to get rid of my gun." Another one noted that "I recently had a child, so I wanted to get rid of my gun for child safety." In 2002, firearm homicide was the number one cause of death for African Americans between 15 and 34 years old. Trying to stop these killings motivated the Urban Youth Conservation (UYC), a gang diversion program, to participate in Project Cease Fire. UYC co-founder Ferome Brown, spent hours passing out Project Cease Fire flyers to young men at clubs, parties, and just standing on street corners in Minneapolis. While preventing street violence was the impetus for the gun collection effort, the results may also prevent deaths from accidents, domestic violence, suicide, and other situations in which access to a firearm can turn a tense situation lethal. The Children's Defense Fund reports that a child is killed by gunfire in Minnesota almost every week. Minneapolis Assistant Police Chief Tim Dolan reported that "223 guns might not seem like a lot, but it represents 25 percent of what we would take off the street in a year. That's very notable." Project Cease Fire was intended to coincide with the recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy, as well as Black History month. The event's subtitle, "Walking the Earth Like Brothers," was excerpted from the following quote by Dr. King: "We have flown the air like birds and swum the seas like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers." > More headlines

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