Cincy buys back guns in honor of MLK Day

CINCINNATI (AP) — A Cincinnati community initiative has bought back guns in tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.’s anti-violence message.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports the King day effort was the first of its kind on the holiday in the city. A coalition of ministries and neighborhood groups traded $100 gift cards from Kroger, Target, Meijer and Walmart for guns on Monday. The buyback was done in cooperation with Cincinnati police.

Organizers collected 50 guns of all types, including handguns, rifles and sawed-off shotguns. They say even one gun is a success, although some national experts have said such buybacks are feel-good efforts that do little to get guns from criminals.