Investigation Into Assault At Park In Manchester Leads To Discovery Of Guns, Drugs: Police

MANCHESTER, CT — Police discovered a stash of guns and drugs at a 16-year-old's house while investigating an assault case at a local park, authorities announced Friday.

The juvenile is now in custody, police said.

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The case dates back to May 21, when the Manchester Police Department received a report from a 15-year-old
Manchester resident who stated he had been assaulted while at Charter Oak Park the previous evening, according to an incident report.

The victim reported he was struck with a firearm in pistol-whip style by a 16-year-old Manchester resident who was known to him, according to an incident report.

Following an investigation, officers located and arrested the 16-year-old, who was transported to the care of the state Juvenile Detention department, according to an incident report. Police said the juvenile was charged with second-degree assault with a firearm, first-degree threatening, criminal possession of a firearm, second-degree reckless endangerment, risk of injury to a minor and second-degree breach of peace.

As part of the ongoing investigation, officers applied for and were granted a search warrant for the juvenile's residence in Manchester and, during the execution of the search warrant, investigators seized multiple firearms and firearm accessories, including the firearm suspected to have been used in the assault, according top an incident report.

Officers also recovered ammunition and 3D printing equipment after determining that several firearm accessories had been manufactured using 3D printing technology,
including a 3D-printed "switch" capable of converting
a firearm into a fully automatic weapon, according to an incident report.

In addition, investigators seized a large quantity of marijuana, vape cartridges, and cash from the residence, according to an incident report.

As a result of the search warrant investigation, the juvenile was additionally charged with two counts of manufacture of a firearm without a serial number (a "ghost gun") and possessing a machine gun conversion device.

The investigation into the seized items remains ongoing, and additional charges are pending, police said.

Due to the arrestee's age, no further identifying information will be released, police said.