Man Charged with Firing AK-47 in Washington Grove Lane Backyard, Other Weapons Found

Montgomery County police seized four weapons from a Gaithersburg home Sunday morning after officers responded to a complaint of the sound of shots on Washington Grove Lane.

Upon arrival, officers encountered a 38-year-old Washington Grove resident whom police said admitted to discharging his AK-47 in his backyard.

The man, identified as Kenneth Wayne Barney, Jr., was taken into custody and charged with both discharging a firearm in an urban area and reckless endangerment.  

Detectives from the Firearms Investigations Unit responded to the scene and recovered the AK-47, a .12 gauge shot gun and two handguns within the house, police said.

Montgomery County police spokesperson Capt. Paul Starks told The Gazette an investigation is ongoing and "there is no information at this time to indicate that he has possession of [the firearms] illegally."

Barney was being held on $20,000 bond, police said.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the home was in Washington Grove.