Are they accused of committing any crime? If not, it’s not evidence and should be returned immediately. (Did they take the shooter into custody, or seize the house? Because they, too, are evidence. Or is it something special about police taking guns, by any chance?)
Well said coloradan.
It does have a bit of a smell of a fishing move. But who told the police to do that, might be a local law. The curse has to be addressed where it came from.
It is evidence just like the clothing the stabbing victim wore.
Just like anything else it is about money.
Confiscated guns are used in trade when the police department buys replacement firearms for the department.
It is a common practice for police departments to trade in their old side arms and their inventory of “Unclaimed, Confiscated or Forfeited firearms” in inventory as part of payment for the new firearms.