The investigation into the recovery of a handgun Friday afternoon continues, Rochester police said today.
The incident began about 5 p.m., when an officer on patrol at Bear Creek Park spotted three men near the pavilion. A fourth man was near a trash can; the officer watched as he tipped the can onto its edge and reached under it.
He then rejoined the other three, and the officer approached the group. He chatted a while, said Lt. Mike Sadauskis, then asked the 27-year-old what he'd been doing at the trash can. The man claimed he was just throwing something away, the report says.
The officer walked to the garbage can, tipped it over and found a 9 mm handgun, Sadauskis said. He detained the men at gunpoint; the suspect was arrested, but the other three were released at the scene.
The 27-year-old was released over the weekend, pending further investigation. The firearm was reported stolen out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
