Every now and then you will hear someone ask the question, where do all these firearms come from? Finding guns on the district is like going Easter egg hunting. They can turn up anywhere – on a pile of rock, in a snow bank, in a garage, in a back yard, in a car and sometimes on a perpetrator. Since Jan. 1, 2009, 24 guns have been seized on the district.

January 15, 1:08 a.m.

Officers received a call regarding three suspicious looking males in a gray vehicle circling the area of Messinger Street as if they were looking for someone. From the description of the suspects’ clothing, officers located two males, checked them for warrants and released them.

Further investigation recovered a silver, wood handle, Smith & Wesson, with a round in the chamber and a clip containing seven rounds, along with a crowbar in the snow. The two suspects, age 15 and 16, were later apprehended on Orlando Street and charged with possession of burglarious tools, possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition and trespassing.

January 16, 3:25 p.m.

An officer was performing a paid detail at the Dorchester Education Complex on Peacevale Road. A 15-year-old male attempted to pass through the metal detector while wearing his backpack, causing the metal detector to go off. The officer asked the suspect to remove his backpack and go back through the metal detector again. The officer then opened the backpack and observed a silver .357 Ruger Magnum inside. When the officer asked the youth if he had a F.I.D. card, he replied “No, I am holding the gun for a friend.” The youth was arrested for delinquent to wit: possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.

January 16, 8:48 p.m.

Officers observed a youth with an 8 p.m. curfew walking at the intersection of Ripley Road and Vassar Street with a friend past his bedtime. The officers exited their cruiser to conduct a threshold inquiry. Both youth begin to perspire, looking from left to right for a means of escape. While conducting a pat frisk, the officer felt an outline of a firearm in the youth’s waistline, which was later revealed to be a Colt .45 model ACP with the hammer in the cocked ready position. Also found on the suspect were two individually wrapped plastic bags of marijuana and $330, which was not his allowance money.

February 4, 6:57 p.m.

While on routine patrol, officers observed two young men walking in the area of Blue Hill Avenue and Talbot Avenue. When these individuals observed the officers, they immediately separated and begin running at a full sprint on Talbot. In the presence of the officers, one of the individuals reached into his jacket and pulled out a Glock 26 firearm; he later threw the gun in a snow bank on Nightingale Street and continued running.

Officers apprehended the suspect then retrieved the firearm which had 18 rounds of 9mm ammunition in an extended magazine. After further investigation, it was revealed that the firearm was reported stolen out of Las Vegas on 07/15/08. The 18 year-old suspect was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, assault by means of a dangerous weapon, and buying, receiving or concealing stolen goods, and resisting arrest.

March 31, 5:19 a.m.

The Boston Police SWAT Team made a forced entry into a house on Mattapan Street and discovered three guns. A Kel-Tec P-11 9mm Luger semi-automatic handgun, loaded with 10 rounds, a beretta model 92 D, with obliterated serial number, loaded with 15 rounds wrapped in a blue cloth in a storage cabinet and a black hi-point model 995 9mm x19 rifle, loaded with 10 rounds with an extra ammunition magazine affixed to the side of the rifle.

April 8, 8:32 a.m.

Officers responded to West Selden Street for a radio call of a found firearm. Upon arrival, the victim informed the officer that while putting out the trash, he observed a black shotgun with electrical tape on the butt inside of his shed. One spent round was jammed in the shotgun and two live rounds in the chamber. At 4:57 p.m., officers received another call from the same location for a found weapon. Victim stated that she found a Wasar rifle and 130 rounds of ammunition in her attic. She has no idea where the weapon came from.

April 16, 5:13 p.m.

Officers conducted a motor vehicle stop at the intersection of Erie Street/Ellington Street of a vehicle believed to be involved in a shooting on District C-11. As the driver and the front seat passenger exited the vehicle they were handcuffed due to the nature of the 911 call. While removing the back seat passengers, officers observed what appeared to be a handle of a firearm under the rear of the passenger’s side seat. Further investigation revealed that the firearm was a 9mm super .38 caliber automatic handgun with obliterated serial numbers. Three suspects were arrested. They were between the ages 17 - 23 years.

April 17, 10:55 p.m.

Officers responded to a radio call for shots fired on York Street. Upon arrival, officers observed three vehicles with damage sustained from gunfire. As the officers canvassed the area, they discovered two firearms, a Hi Point .40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, with one bullet in the chamber and a Bersa, .380 Caliber under a rock next to a garage in a yard on Roxton Street.