State Patrol investigates missing rifle from Grant County Sheriff's Office

Update: The missing gun is actually a M-16, .223-caliber, fully automatic rifle. It does not have a collapsible stock. It is used as a rifle issued to patrol deputies.

EPHRATA — The Grant County Sheriff's Office is missing a rifle and Sheriff Tom Jones has asked the state patrol to investigate.

According to Jones, an M-16 rifle, used in the military and issued to patrol deputies, was unaccounted for during a recent sheriff's office internal routine audit and equipment inventory. The rifle was last logged into a secured firearms room at the Grant County Courthouse in Ephrata but the sheriff's office has not been able to find it.

When the rifle was not found, Jones asked the state patrol to investigate, adding a set of eyes from outside investigators.

For more on the missing rifle, pick up Friday's Herald.

— Staff report