Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Teenager sentenced to jail for freeway incidents ... Updated: Mayor Wheeler says he'll veto Patridge selection ... Medford teen drowns in Applegate Lake ... Teenager sentenced to jail for freeway incidents ... Updated: Mayor Wheeler says he'll veto Patridge selection ... Medford teen drowns in Applegate Lake ... RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIF. Los Angeles County destroys thousands of seized guns They'll be used for new construction projects Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jul. 22, 2016 at 2:00 AM By The Associated Press Posted Jul. 22, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Social News RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — More than 7,000 weapons seized or collected by Los Angeles County law enforcement were destroyed Thursday in the agency's annual gun melt in the furnace of a steel mill. The handguns, rifles and semi-automatic weapons were trucked to the Gerdau Steel Mill in Rancho Cucamonga, 40 miles east of Los Angeles, where bulldozers scooped up loads from a huge pile and dumped them into the furnace. The 7,044 weapons were gathered in criminal investigations, probation seizures and from citizens at gun collection events, according to the Sheriff's Department. "These weapons which were used to harm, take away life, and effectively destroy happiness, families and communities, will be converted into something positive and beneficial," Sheriff Jim McDonnell said in a statement. The guns were mixed with about 150 tons of scrap metal and then heated by electrodes to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit to form a pool of liquid metal to be formed into steel bars for use in constructing roads and buildings. The Sheriff's Department said more than 160,000 firearms have been destroyed over 23 years. Gerdau, with operations in 13 countries, has a large recycling program at its Rancho Cucamonga mill and has long been involved in helping law enforcement agencies destroy guns. The company said Thursday's melt was a record for the number of guns and came less than a month after it recycled 2,100 pounds of guns from the Hemet Police Department in Riverside County. About 30,000 tons of weapons were destroyed last year in 40 gun melts involving various Southern California police agencies, Gerdau said. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Jul. 22, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501