Pokemon Go Search Turns Up Loaded Firearm in Field

A surprise "find" for two Pokemon game players.

This loaded Smith and Wesson Model 16-4 .32 was stumbled upon by Pokemon game players.

(CLARK COUNTY, Wash.) - Two young adult brothers hot on the trail of a "Pokémon character" instead came across a loaded handgun lying in a field off Hwy 99 in Hazel Dell.

Without touching the gun, the brothers suspended their GPS search for virtual creatures, called 911 and awaited the arrival of Deputy Brian Wade.

Pokémon Go is a location-based augmented reality game for smart phones released earlier this month, and is the most downloaded app ever.

Players of all ages are agog over the game. It allows players to capture, battle, and train virtual Pokémon... and they find them in the stranges of "real" places.

The field where this gun was lying is one such place.

Deputy Wade recovered the weapon, a loaded Smith and Wesson Model 16-4 .32 Magnum which had likely been discarded in the field some time ago, had visible weathering and some rust, but looked as though the gun was still capable of firing rounds.

The gun serial number doesn't show up in any law enforcement lost/stolen data base.

Deputy Wade thanked the brothers and noted that it's very fortunate the weapon was found by responsible adults rather than children.

"It might've led to a tragic incident, if it weren't for the Pokémon searchers," he said.

And the game plays on.

Source: Clark Co. Sheriff's Office

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