Teens find guns while walking along riverbank

Two rusted-out guns were found Tuesday afternoon by a two teenagers walking along the banks of the Mississippi River near the Cape Rock.

The guns, both long-barreled, appeared to have deteriorated from being underwater for a long time. One gun was broken into three pieces and had black tape wrapped around the stock end.

Police will run the serial numbers of the guns to see they were reported stolen or missing, but for now their origin and why they ended up on a riverbank remains a mystery, said Cape Girardeau patrolman Chris Muench.

The teens who found the guns were at the river on an "Adventure Walk" with their chaperone, Matt Collier, a youth specialist with the Missouri Division of Youth Services. The teens are prior offenders who are now enrolled in a program teaching them about making good life decisions, he said.

Muench praised the fast thinking of the youths who decided to call the police right away.

"This just goes to show that teenagers can do the right thing," he said.

About 24 youths are enrolled in the program. They sometimes get together for outdoor hikes on a weekly basis, depending on the weather.

mwells@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160