Bill would require Arizona police to destroy guns used in murders

MCAO supports exception to sell-all firearms law

The current law forces police to re-sell seized firearms, even those used in murders. Maricopa Co. Attorney Rachel Mitchell is backing the new bill, HB2455, which was introduced by Sen. John Kavanagh.

PHOENIX - Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell is throwing her support behind a new bill that would change what happens to guns used in murders.

What we know:

Many of those weapons are being sold back to the public once an investigation is complete. That’s because of an Arizona law that bans cities from destroying those weapons and requires police to resell seized firearms — even those used in murders.

But a new bill, HB2455, introduced by State Senator John Kavanagh would change that. If passed, it would require police to destroy weapons used in homicides once a case is closed.

This follows a lawsuit from Julie Erfle, the widow of fallen Phoenix officer Nick Erfle, who is fighting to prevent the gun that killed her husband from ever being sold again.

What they're saying:

Mitchell supports the change, calling the current law a total injustice.

"I just feel like that would be a travesty for this particular gun," Mitchell said. "This is not a policy statement, this is a human reaction to that particular case. So, hopefully, this accomplishes what we wanted it to."

Mitchell says this bill is specifically about preventing murder weapons from returning to circulation, rather than a broader statement on gun control.