Watch CBS News

500 Firearms Seized From Fresno County Man Barred From Owning Weapons

CLOVIS, Fresno County (AP) — State law enforcement officials seized more than 500 firearms Wednesday from a man barred from owning weapons for mental health reasons.

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced that agents seized 209 handguns, 88 shotguns, 234 rifles, 181 standard capacity magazines, 10 high capacity magazines, 100,521 rounds of various ammunition, and 10 assault weapons including a .50 caliber bolt action rifle from Albert Sheakalee, 59, of Clovis.

Sheakalee didn't return a call Wednesday.

Albert Sheakalee
Albert Sheakalee (California Dept. of Justice)

"Removing firearms from dangerous and violent individuals who pose a threat to themselves and the public is a top priority for the California Department of Justice," said Harris in a statement.  "I thank our Bureau of Firearms Special Agents for their bravery in carrying out these dangerous investigations and their commitment to keeping our communities safe."

The attorney general's office maintains a database of Californians barred from owning firearms for various reasons, including mental illness. Sheakalee was arrested last week for illegal gun possession and is in the database for mental health reasons, the attorney general said.

The attorney general's office declined to release any further details.

Over the last two years, the California Department of Justice has doubled the average number of guns seized annually and increased the number of investigations per month by nearly 300 percent, allowing special agents to conduct 17,465 investigations as of Oct. 30.

 

TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.