Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s South L.A. Station announced that an assault rifle, along with 150 rounds of .223 caliber ammunition that went missing from the trunk a patrol vehicle has been recovered.
The July 12 incident occurred as deputies were responding to a call for service between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. along a four-mile route.
“The [Colt M4] rifle had been stored in the trunk of their patrol vehicle and is believed to have fallen out during transit,” officials said, adding that rifle and ammunition were stored in a black hard-shell case.
Upon learning the firearm was missing, sheriff’s personnel launched a search in the station’s parking lot and retraced the deputies’ movements from Normandie Avenue, west on Imperial Highway, north on Hawthorne Boulevard, and west on 104th Street to Inglewood Avenue.
Officials also said that they were reviewing surveillance footage of the area traveled and requested the public volunteer any footage from along the same route the area during that time.
In an update put out just after 5 p.m. Monday, the department said the assault rifle, ammunition and the hard case were returned to the station just after 2:30 p.m. today by a Lennox resident.
“On July 12, 2025, at approximately 11:30 p.m., the resident found the black, hard-shelled storage case at 104th Street and Condon Avenue and believed there was an instrument inside,” the department said in the updated news release. “He later opened the case and discovered it contained a rifle and ammunition, prompting him to turn it into South Los Angeles Station.”
LASD Cpt. Nicole Palomino expressed her deep appreciation for the “honesty and integrity” shown by the community member.
“Their actions are a powerful reminder of the vital role our residents play in helping keep our neighborhoods safe,” Palomino added. “We’re truly grateful for their quick thinking and commitment to doing what’s right which makes a difference.”
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