Nantucket County Sheriff Richard Bretschneider was ordered by Town Administrator Libby Gibson to remove a number of firearms his office was storing in an auxiliary building outside Nantucket Fire Department headquarters on Pleasant Street. Gibson, who said she only recently learned of the weapons, which she declined to identify, cited liability and other concerns as the reason for requesting their removal.


A week later, Bretschneider confirmed that the firearms were automatic assault rifles purchased by his department in 2004. He claimed the firearms were purchased for “homeland security and law enforcement purposes” and that he was the only person authorized to use them.

sneaky sneaky