Scott Anderson placed a firearm under a table saw, positioning the barrel near the blade.
Tiny pieces of metal — sparks — flew several feet in the air as Anderson sliced the handgun into two pieces in less than one minute. He protected his eyes with safety glasses.
Anderson, wearing an Uggla’s Night Forge black owl T-shirt, blue jeans and a green skull cap, repeated this process several times on the evening of July 18, destroying dozens of guns that were turned in by residents and found or confiscated for various reasons, including crimes, by Akron police.
In total, 66 guns were decommissioned.
The event was organized by The Together Family, a coalition of organizations across Akron, Canton and Cleveland, to celebrate nonviolence and peace through music and festivities. During three days in July, organizations hosted peacemaking training, as well as relationship building, from elected officials to formerly incarcerated persons, to discuss solutions to end senseless violence.
As for the decommissioned guns: In the coming weeks, blacksmiths and artists will transform these scraps of metal into gardening tools, wooden signs and jewelry.
Anderson, a native of the Goodyear Heights area and graduate of East High School, appreciated the opportunity to not only transform someone’s pain into pleasure but set an example for others. As of this date, Akron had experienced 13 shooting deaths in 2024, including a June 2 mass shooting that led to the death of one person and brought national attention to the city.
In 2017, Anderson’s wife, Adrienne, encouraged him to enroll in a blacksmith class. Since then, he’s crafted his wife’s wedding ring. Most of his revenue as a blacksmith derives from selling nails. Ironically, he makes no weaponry at all, which surprises a lot of people.
Anderson’s personal history with guns in America has been positive. His father taught him about gun safety at a young age. Respect weapons.
It’s the reason he has never had an accident with a gun.
Others aren’t so lucky.
The jewel of Akron is its people. They’re vibrant and resilient. Flawed, yet thoughtful and nurturing. And all of them come with compelling stories. That’s why we launched “Akron in 330.” This series offers a glimpse into everyday folks’ journeys across our many neighborhoods — 330 words at a time. Know someone we should consider? Tell us here.
