8-year old finds guns in the road, dropped by careless owner, and takes it to school

A careless Provo, Utah gun owner went target shooting, left his two guns on the top of his car, then drove off. The guns fell off the car and into the road, where one of them was found and picked up by an 8-year old boy.

From the article:

Police Sgt. Mathew Siufanua said the owner had been targeting shooting the day before with both guns. When he returned, he was cleaning out his car, placed the firearms on the roof of the vehicle and forgot about them. As he drove down the street, they fell into the roadway near Sunset View Elementary School.

Siufanua said one of the guns — a 9mm handgun — was discovered lying in the middle of the road at 1100 West and 600 South by three children walking to the elementary school on Wednesday morning.

He said an 8-year-old boy picked up the weapon and placed it in his backpack to take to school. When the boy encountered a nearby crossing guard, the boy showed the guard the gun. Siufanua said that, luckily, the gun wasn’t loaded when the child picked it up.

The second gun — a .25-caliber automatic handgun — was discovered a short time later lying in a crosswalk at 1600 West and 600 South by a woman driving by, Siufanua said. The woman didn’t touch the gun, but called police. That gun was also unloaded, Siufanua said.

Siufanua said police swept the elementary school — which was locked down briefly — and the path the students took, but didn’t find any other guns.

Unaware that his lost guns had caused concern, the man called police to see if anyone had reported finding them, Siufanua said.

Siufanua said the firearms would be returned to the owner, who wasn’t expected to face any charges.

Do you feel the owner should get off without charges?

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.