Police probing death in LA find 1,200 guns, 2 tons ammo
Jul 20, 2015, 8:06 PM
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police investigating the death of a Los Angeles man uncovered an arsenal inside his home and garage — more than 1,200 guns and about two tons of ammunition, authorities said Monday.
Los Angeles Police Department Cmdr. Andrew Smith called the number of rifles, pistols and shotguns staggering. Many had never been fired and some were still wrapped in boxes, with price tags still attached.
“Our truck couldn’t carry it all,” Smith told the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/1HFAKVn). “We had to go back and make another trip.”
There were no signs of foul play. Police have found no evidence the man, who has not been identified, was involved in criminal activity.
Police made the discovery after the man’s decomposing body was found in a car down the street from his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
Detectives want to find out why he had so many guns and are examining the weapons to determine if they have been linked to any crime.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Smith said. “Running the background, history and legality of these weapons is going to require a tremendous amount of time.”
“It’s not a crime to have a large number of weapons so long as they were legal to own and legally obtained,” Smith added. “We want to make sure that’s the case.”
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
