Home Man arrested with machine gun as basketball game played in a Charlottesville park
News

Man arrested with machine gun as basketball game played in a Charlottesville park

Crystal Graham
richard sanders and weapons seized
Submitted photos

Charlottesville Police officers have arrested a second individual as part of an ongoing operation into recent gun violence within the city.

Richard Sanders was taken into custody on Thursday in Tonsler Park on Cherry Avenue in Charlottesville.

Sanders had two concealed firearms including a handgun that had been altered to fully automatic and contained an extended magazine. The other firearm was an AK-style firearm with a 30-round magazine.

Sanders was transported to the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.

He has been charged with felonies including possession of a concealed weapon, possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm in a city park.

“Tonsler Park was filled with children and spectators attempting to enjoy a basketball game,” said Michael Kochis, Charlottesville Police chief. “They have a right to expect to be safe in that park.”

The investigation is ongoing and further charges are pending.

If you have any information related to recent gun violence in the city, call (434) 977-4000.

Related story

Charlottesville Police make arrest linked to recent gun violence in city




Multimedia

 

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, Crystal Graham has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of "Virginia Tonight," a nightly TV news show, both broadcast on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television. You can reach her at [email protected]

Latest News

soccer
Go 'Hoos

Soccer: #11 Virginia falls to #16 High Point, 3-2, drops to 0-2 on the season

police court law
Football, Go 'Hoos

UVA Football: List of high-profile arrests of players dating back to the ’80s

The news of the arrest of a UVA Football player, Solomon Beebe, last week, got me to undertake an exercise that turned out to be more work than I would have imagined: chronicling the high-profile arrests of guys from our football program over the years.

dairy farms
State Politics

Spanberger goes where Ben Cline won’t, shaming Trump on efforts to kill beef industry

Donald Trump plans to import 300,000 metric tons of cheap ground beef, we can’t get our congressman, Ben Cline, to comment on how this will kill the local beef industry, but the governor, Abigail Spanberger, is going to bat for people who wouldn’t vote for a Democrat in a million years. “This policy will directly...

police arrest night crime accident
Region/State

Two women found dead at Bristol hotel; police arrest suspect after shootout

concert music
Arts & Culture

Waynesboro: A Band Called Honalee coming to the Wayne Theatre

canada
State Politics

New Trump tariffs on Canada will hit Virginia business, industry pretty hard

uva football
Football, Go 'Hoos

UVA Football: Free tickets for Charlottesville City Schools families, staff