New Orleans swaps guns for music

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- New Orleans is offering residents musical instruments, cameras and classes in exchange for guns.

The Horns for Guns project is a variation on gun buy-back programs used in other cities to reduce the number of weapons on the street, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported Sunday.

Cameras, trumpets, clarinets, saxophones and $30,000 in cash have been raised for the program by the musicians' advocacy group Sweet Home.

The program's first day Saturday brought in a dozen guns and attracted 50 people, including 20 children, who were told to "blow a horn till your jaw hurts" rather than resort to violence to blow off steam, said Diana Meyers, program coordinator.

Percy Nocentelli swapped a nearly forgotten heirloom gun from his home for a horn for his grandson, saying he hoped he was trading a small part of his family's past for his grandson's future.

"Be better to go to music classes after school rather than standing in the streets," Nocentelli said.