There were no arrests reported after police recovered, what they said to be, more than a dozen weapons in an apartment of a building in Newark.
According to a statement released by Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, his officers recovered nine loaded weapons, five assault weapons, an AK47, and a 50 capacity drum, on Saturday.
Director Ambrose said during an investigation, police responded to an apartment in the 100-block of 1st Street and recovered a Ruger .223 ranch rifle, a Windham .223 or .556 model wm16, a CAI Romanian AK47 7.62, an Issc modern sporting 22 .22 caliber, a Ruger mini 14 .223 caliber, a Sears and Roebuck model 200 .20 gauge shotgun and a .22 caliber revolver.
It is not immediately clear if several 911 reports of shots fired that rang out in the vicinity or 195 1st Street -Garden Spires-, at approximately 2 p.m., brought police to the area where officers found the weapons.
Director Ambrose said two additional handguns were recovered from a vehicle during their search of the area.
"I commend the officers involved in the investigation for taking these guns off the street and saving lives by doing so. It is utterly pathetic how these guns make it to our inner cities,” he said. “Newark Police seized 60 more guns so far this year than last year, with over 200 guns confiscated to date. And we have 35 fewer shooting victims this year versus the same period last year” Director Ambrose said in his statement.
Police officials did not release in the statement who rented the apartment or if they are close to making an arrest.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.