Investigation underway after shotgun discovered in garbage can outside Erehwon at Bayshore

GLENDALE -- An investigation is underway after a shotgun was discovered in a garbage can outside Erehwon Mountain Outfitter at Bayshore Town Center.

Police were notified around 2 p.m. on Feb. 7.

An employee at the store said while taking out the garbage, he located the black shotgun in the garbage can outside the east doors. He said he removed it and brought it into the back storage room -- where he advised it appeared to be loaded.

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A police report says the shotgun's stock had been removed and the barrel had been cut down. An unspent 12 gauge slug was located in the magazine, and there appeared to be a spent shell casing that was jammed inside the barrel of the firearm. Because of rust, an officer had to manually remove the barrel to retrieve the casing, and based on rust on the bottom of the casing, it appeared it had been left inside the weapon for a period of time.

It was determined the shotgun was a "Savage Stevens Model 320 12 gauge shotgun." When police ran the serial number, it came back with no record. A "gun trace" was conducted to attempt to locate a possible owner with negative results.

The Erehwon employee said the shotgun could've been in the garbage can anywhere from one to two weeks prior -- since the cans are not emptied on a daily basis. He noted that the area where the garbage cans are located is "readily available" to the public, and it's shared by an enclosed parking garage accessed by all customers at Bayshore.

An investigation is ongoing.