AUGUSTA (AP) — Police are trying to determine how a rusty bolt-action rifle ended up in the Kennebec River in Maine’s capital city.

The rifle was given to Augusta police by a father and his son who reeled up the Remington Model 700 rifle while they were fishing Sunday. Lt. Chris Read tells the Kennebec Journal he’s not sure why it would be there, as it is illegal to duck hunt on the river in with that type of rifle.

Police have not determined the age of the rifle yet. Officials have verified it wasn’t stolen and entered it into a national database of recovered firearms.

Augusta city councilors have debated in recent years whether to sell or destroy firearms recovered by police.

Remington Model 700 rifle

Comments are not available on this story.

filed under: