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GSU Took 82 Year Old Farmer’s Shotgun Cause He Lives In a Dangerous ‘Hood
posted (August 7, 2015)
An 82 year old farmer says the GSU stole his gun, and his money and he wants both of them back. We met Henry Cunningham at his city home in Conch Shell Bay today. He told Monica Bodden that police broke into his home and took his old shotgun that he uses to go to his farm in the Sandhill area. Here's her report:..

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"Before I reached home my neighbor told me that the GSU was in my yard, went into my house and they took out a bag out there but they don't know what they took out."

Monica Bodden reporting
Inside the bag was Cunningham's licensed 16 gauge shotgun - it was wrapped inside a crocus bag.

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"When I came home I went straight where the gun was and when I got there I didn't meet the gun. I went and I searched for the cartridge and I didn't meet the cartridge. I searched for my money and I didn't meet my money. Well I left from here and I went to the police station by where "Boots" has his house got the house there, that's where the police is. There I went and when I got there the police was right there. When they came but they didn't see me. They said, we got the gun. So I moved up to they and I said but how could you take my gun out of my house while I have my license. They said it's because I don't have any protection for the house. I said so how can I not have protection to house while I live in there. They said I should have built something to put it in. I said the same way you could build something to put it in is the way how you broke door and took it out. They said to go to Queen St. police station. We went there and as I went inside I said, see my bag there the gun was in. so, they took out the gun, took out the cartridge and everything and set it down and when they were done they told me I need to sit down. They took pictures of the gun and myself. They also recorded my height and they were done they told me I could go. I said, but how will I go without my gun, I need to take my gun. They said no, we know where you live and up to now they didn't bring my gun yet."

It's been almost 8 months since Cunningham's licensed firearm was allegedly stolen from inside his house by the GSU.

So far he has not gotten any word as to when it will be returned into his custody.

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"Well, I would want back my gun. If they can't give me back my gun, then they need to pay me for my gun and my $200."

Monica Bodden
"The incident happened when?"

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"It was the first week in January."

Monica Bodden
"I understand you went to the ombudsman as well."

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"Yes, I went to the ombudsman. I went to the legal aid. I went to the Raccoon St. Police Station. I already went to all of them."

Cunningham is a famer by profession - He has been in possession of his licensed firearm for more than two decades.

In fact he pulled out his very first gun license to show us - it dated all the way back to 1992.

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"it's what I go to my farm with and if anything happens while I work like seeing a snake and I can't kill it with my machete or with a stick I could shoot it or if I meet a "game" I would shoot it to eat and things like that."

Monica Bodden
"You also mentioned earlier that you had some money in a bag."

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"Yes I had $200 in the bag. It was 8-$20 and 4-$10."

Monica Bodden
"And that was gone?"

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"Yes all of the money was gone and when they were done they said that it wasn't them who took the money. I said, but if you wouldn't have broken into my house all my things would have been there. So I know that you all took it."

Jules Vasquez
"Sir, explain to me what would you want out of this."

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"Well, I want my gun back and if they don't give my gun I want my money. I want them to pay for my gun and the money they took."

This is home for the elderly man - who has been residing in this neighborhood for some 40 years.

And while Conch Shell Bay is considered a hotspot, according to Cunningham, it is the first time his home has been broken into - allegedly by police officers.

Jules Vasquez
"Now sir, you've been living here for 40 years, you Conch Shell Bay is always a hot spot. Have you ever experience anything like this where officers of the law break into your house and allegedly steal your firearm?"

Henry Cunningham Flowers - Dispossessed Gun Owner
"First time this has happened and if they didn't do it, plenty people around here don't even know that I have gun in my house, because when I go with my gun I put it in my bag and they don't even know that I have a gun. I come back and they don't even know I have a gun. I told them if they didn't break into my house no one around here would have known but since you did it everyone around here knows that I had a gun in my house. I had it a long time in my house."

The Commander of GSU Inspector Mark Flowers confirmed that they indeed have the gun. He says they wrote to the DPP's office asking if the license could be revoked due to Cunningham's age and the lack of physical security for the weapon in his Conch Shell Bay home. But The DPP's office has advised that the weapon should be returned. Flowers says he has no problem giving it back - but Cunningham has to first demonstrate that he can keep the weapon safely and securely. He said the octogenarian's home has a makeshift lock which is in itself a threat to public safety were he to store a weapon inside. Cunningham has said he'll accept money for the shotgun if the police want to compensate him for it.

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