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By Johannes P.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies have lost a beanbag shotgun that went missing from the trunk of a Sheriff’s Department vehicle after a 33-mile, hour-long drive from Agoura Hills to Hollywood on Saturday. “The shotgun is loaded with four bean bag shells but can operate as a regular gun if loaded with live shotgun shells,” according to the press release. After the experience in Portland, you’d think departments would avoid issuing officers shotguns that can fire both live and “less lethal” rounds. Anyway, the (unidentified) deputies were reportedly flagged down by a passerby near the Sunset Boulevard off-ramp who informed them that their trunk was open two or three inches . . .

The shotgun was described as having a chrome-colored barrel with a yellow stock, with the words “Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department” stamped on the stock.

The Department stated that they are “very concerned about finding this missing shotgun. … The cause of the loss is under investigation, including to determine if the trunk latch was somehow blocked, if the trunk was not fully closed, or if the trunk latch somehow disengaged in transit.”

It’s good that the Department is taking this seriously but I’m more than a little concerned that they made no mention of the most obvious suspect.

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46 COMMENTS

  3. I kinda want that yellow furniture. Side note how often do we hear antis bitch about guns colored to look like toys. Seems they might want to reconsider the yellow shotgun…

    • In this case, the idea is sound, although making 20ga or 16ga the beanbag shotgun would seem smarter

  5. I’m thinking “collector’s item”. Looks like fun.

    On a technical note, if you (TTAG) have the capability to re-size images, when you send out an e-mail notice, you probably want to use an image that doesn’t have to be re-sized by a mail reader or web browser on the fly. The shotgun image is 3001×1390, but it’s used at 558×259 in the e-mail — sizing the image to be used (and served) makes the e-mail/screen load a lot faster. FWIW. End of technical note.

    • This has been mentioned to the TTAG brass before, to no avail. Either they don’t get it, or they don’t care.

  8. So for the uneducated, are there special less than lethal only chambered or guage sizes? I assume so by your tone.

  9. Calm down everyone … there is nothing to worry about. The police simply lost a toy shotgun. And we know that it is a toy because it is bright yellow.
    /end_sarcasm

  11. Well I get why they gave it a yellow stock and all. But why did they spend the extra money on a stainless steel model?

      • Sounds plausible. But it still begs the question of why did they specifically buy it? Is less lethal ammo more likely to be corrosive?

        • No – it’s because they leave it in the trunk of their patrol cars and ignore cleaning it regularly.

  12. I’ve been saying for years that only the police are responsible enough to have guns….. hahahaha I crack me up… : )

  14. I guess I just don’t understand anymore!! Normally the Law Gravity would hold something of this size and weight down inside a trunk one would think. Sounds like a case of sticky fingers to me, unless these clown type colors and Bean Bags somehow add the Disney effect of flying Elephants?? Just ( asking ) sayin

  15. This is why the strictest gun laws don’t keep guns out of criminals hands. The police have guns and they don’t sound very hard to steal.

    • That actually can happen. This is why I disconnected the interior trunk release on my Taurus. Had a switch short out and it opened on the highway. Luckily only had a few things in there so nothing lost.

      Police squads should have he interior trunk release disabled. How many times have the police bolted from their car in a foot chase, leaving their doors open? Trunk release still works, even with the vehicles shut off.

      • Remember, the courts have OK’d having a high-end limit on the IQ of cops.
        But, did they have to make it 75?

  18. They lost a bean bag shotgun. It is also capable of firing live ammunition if loaded with it. They lost a shotgun.

  20. There aren’t any shotguns that can only fire beanbag rounds for the simple reason that shotgun beanbag rounds were designed to be the same size as regular shotgun shells.

    The regular practice for law enforcement, in order to help avoid deadly errors, is to have shotguns which are ONLY supposed to be loaded with less lethal munitions. The furniture on these guns is usually yellow, orange, red, or blue instead of black.

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