Joint Base Lewis-McChord Obtains, Reportedly Destroys Missile Launch Tube Collected At Buy Back

A launch tube for a missile launcher that was turned into authorities during a Seattle gun buy-back program last weekend has been turned into Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The City of Seattle posted the following on its webpage:

A man standing outside the gun buyback event this afternoon was showing his recently purchased launch tube assembly for a Stinger portable surface-to-air missile.  Naturally, this created a bit of excitement, and several people at the event informed officers there was a man walking around with a missile launcher.  Officers spoke to the man, who was very cooperative, and told officers that he had just purchased it for $100 from another person at today’s event.  Officers then asked the man if they could take a closer look at the launcher.

The launch tube assembly for the Stinger is what holds the actual missile and is designed to be disposable after it is fired, as this one clearly was.  Officers checked the tube and confirmed that there was no missile inside.

Here's the problem: missile launcers aren't for public consumption. More than likely, it was taken illegally off a military installation. Officers gave the man who purchased the launch tube at the buy-back a gift card.

It has since been taken to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where it was reportedly destroyed. The Army is investigating.

According to Adam Ashton of The News Tribune:

Lt. Col. Gary Dangerfield, a spokesman for the Army’s I Corps at Lewis-McChord, characterized the tube as a Vietnam-era weapon that could not be connected to the units currently serving at the base south of Tacoma.