24-foot sculpture made from confiscated guns stands in downtown Phoenix

A 24-foot-tall sculpture made from roughly 8,000 pounds of metal from confiscated weapons stands at Roosevelt and Central avenues in downtown Phoenix, according to a descriptive presentation of the work. The piece, titled Release the Fear, was erected in February 2005 and is intended to promote the power of education and art to combat violence.

Release the Fear was created by local artist Robert John Miley, who spent more than a decade assembling funding and material for the project. The metal used in the sculpture was reported to come from weapons confiscated across Arizona and described as having been used in violent acts. The city of Phoenix donated the site where the sculpture stands.

Miley's community awareness program, Melt the Guns, has used the sculpture as its logo, tying the public artwork to an ongoing advocacy effort aimed at reducing gun violence through art and education. The presentation did not specify additional funding sources, ownership details beyond the donated site, or any upkeep arrangements.

No votes or formal government actions were discussed in the presentation. The descriptive remarks focused on the sculpture's materials, size, location and symbolic purpose rather than on policy steps or new city commitments.