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Police explain the missile launcher turned in during Seattle's gun buyback

January 27, 2013 @ 5:35 am (Updated: 9:16 am - 1/27/13 )

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Detectives from the Arson/Bomb Squad will notify the Army Criminal Investigation Division on Monday and see if they can determine through the serial number the status of this launch tube. (Photo courtesy Seattle PD)
Somebody turned in a missile launcher?

The Seattle Police Department has gotten a lot of questions about one of the more unusual items collected during Saturday's gun buyback event.

Seattle PD spokesman Mark Jamieson explains:

A man standing outside the gun buyback event was showing his recently purchased launch tube assembly for a Stinger portable surface-to-air missile.

Naturally, this created a bit of excitement, and several people at the event informed officers there was a man walking around with a missile launcher.

Officers spoke to the man, who was very cooperative, and told officers that he had just purchased it for $100 from another person at today's event. Officers then asked the man if they could take a closer look at the launcher.

The launch tube assembly for the Stinger is what holds the actual missile and is designed to be disposable after it is fired, as this one clearly was. Officers checked the tube and confirmed that there was no missile inside. However, even an expended launch tube is still a controlled military item. This item is not available to civilians through any surplus or disposal program offered by the government. Items such as this are required to be accounted for until they are ultimately destroyed.

Detectives from the Arson/Bomb Squad will notify the Army Criminal Investigation Division on Monday and see if they can determine through the serial number the status of this particular launch tube.

The man was provided with a case number and a short report was written regarding the circumstances surrounding this item. Officers took possession of the launch tube. The man did indicate he would like to keep the launch tube if he is legally able to do so. The man agreed to accept a gift card as compensation if the launch tube is not returned to him.

It is most likely, however, that the launch tube was previously obtained unlawfully from the military in which case, SPD will likely return the item to Joint Base Lewis McChord—as we do with other recovered military explosives and ordinance—where it will be properly accounted for and destroyed.

At first check, Seattle police say they collected 160 weapons, including three 12-gauge repeater shotguns. They handed out $80,000 worth of gift cards.

The Mayor's Office will announce final results of the gun buyback Monday morning.

By LINDA THOMAS

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Comments (15)


  • Add A Comment

  • O-town listener wrote...
    $500 per gun?
    January 27, 2013 8:22 am
    Did I miss something? $80,000 / 160 weapons = an average of $500 per gun. I thought this was supposed to be $100 per gun or $200 for an assault rifle? What changed?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TheNewsChick wrote...
    O-town
    January 27, 2013 2:54 pm
    They were still adding up the totals, so that was their early estimate. There were more weapons than that turned in, according to the city, and they'll have the grand totals of money spent and weapons turned in Monday morning.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CldWtrSrf wrote...
    Most
    January 28, 2013 9:56 am
    Likely a bunch of those gift cards "got lost" in peoples pockets and sold of for pennies on the dollar. Pure profit. What do you think happens when government bureaucracy gets control of something? Hasn't it been proven thousands of times to people that the criminals in government are only there to enrich themselves at the expense of the tax payer and public? Guess not, all the sheep still think that their government loves them and is going to take care of them. Dummies.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • R L M 456 wrote...
    O-town -- Rule #1
    January 27, 2013 7:23 pm
    Any speak that comes out of the Mouth of a cop is modified to meet the DESIRED INTENT of the almighty Lawgiver speaking

    Rule #2

    The media belives it as Gospel truth, and will print ANYTHING for a great headline

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mavila wrote...
    I guess...
    January 27, 2013 8:44 am
    there were some questions after all.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    $500 per gun? What changed?
    January 27, 2013 9:37 am
    Progressives handling money...haven't you noticed what they're doing to our economy? Not to mentioned you have union employees involved.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mike in Pioneer Square wrote...
    What a load
    January 27, 2013 4:32 pm
    of "carp".
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • deltta wrote...
    Did Chief Kerlikowske's glock show up?
    January 27, 2013 9:39 am
    Or any of the dozens of service weapons SPD has lost over the last few years?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • John wrote...
    I'll bet an SPD officer takes it home
    January 27, 2013 9:41 am
    As a souvenir, and he yucks it up with his fellow union members. Probably being going to be put on the wall in the "club" house.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Citizen of Krazy Town wrote...
    150-500% over-spending?
    January 27, 2013 12:34 pm
    If we can't trust the police to properly manage the gift cards, how the heck can we trust them to properly handle the recovered guns?

    If I were one of the sponsors of this program I would be seriously ticked off.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RonJ wrote...
    WoW! A repeater shotgun!
    January 27, 2013 2:08 pm
    I wondered what that thingamajig was hiding in my closet.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • twistedsteel wrote...
    Do facts matter anymore?
    January 27, 2013 6:43 pm
    After whole 3 minutes on Google I discovered this is not a Stinger missile and it is legal to own. Completely harmless. Military auctions them off. But I guess it is way to juicey of a photo op for the gun phobics in this area to ignore...and lazy media to report.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DesertRez wrote...
    That cop
    January 28, 2013 5:57 am
    Has a sweet mustashe.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • deltta wrote...
    At least it looks like he's gonna put it in the trunk
    January 28, 2013 8:00 am
    Anyone remember when SPD left the ar15 on the trunk of the cruiser unattended?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }