2-year-old boy finds loaded handgun in New Jersey playground

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

2-year-old boy finds loaded gun at playground

Toni Yates has more on the shocking discovery at a New Jersey playground.

PHILLIPSBURG, New Jersey (WABC) -- A 2-year-old boy found a loaded gun on a playground in New Jersey, and now, police are asking for the public's help in figuring out how it got there.

Authorities say the toddler picked up the weapon in the park, located at the corner of Bates and Marshall streets in Phillipsburg, Sunday afternoon.

"I'm extremely upset," Mayor Todd Tersigni said. "I take it personally because I went from second through fifth grade here."

Tersigni has lived in the neighborhood for more than 50 years, and he says finding a loaded gun in a community park is alarming in the quiet town.

ALSO READ | Cuomo's plan to help the city recover from the coronavirus pandemic

"I just thank God the gentleman recovered the weapon," he said. "No one was hurt, and people are safe."

According to reports, the father of the toddler who found the gun was able to get it away from his child safely.

It's shaken the family, who asked for privacy.

Police are in investigating and are looking into the history of the gun to determine from where it may have come.

They are asking for any surveillance video from around the neighborhood that might help them piece together the series of events, and anyone with information is asked to call Phillipsburg police.

ALSO READ | 5-year-old girl saved from Manhattan fire by heroic rope rescue