A sanitation worker made a startling discovery on October 25 while cleaning the platform at the Cortlandt Street subway station in Manhattan—a loaded AR-15 semi-automatic rifle tucked inside a trash can. Despite the weapon being unloaded and resulting in no injuries, the incident has raised significant concerns among city officials and the public.

According to police reports, the sanitation worker noticed the rifle around 3:15 PM in a trash bin on the R line platform, which is located just two stops away from the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The AR-15, manufactured by Anderson Manufacturing, is notorious for its involvement in mass shooting incidents. Fortunately, the magazine found with the rifle was empty.

This alarming discovery comes shortly after Mayor Eric Adams announced updates on the city’s pilot program for gun detection scanners. On October 23, Adams and city officials revealed that since the scanners, sourced from Massachusetts-based Evolv Technology, were introduced in late August, they had detected 12 knives but not a single gun. However, the reliability of these results is questionable. The scanning process is voluntary, allowing passengers to opt-out or enter through different entrances, meaning individuals could still evade detection. Furthermore, the scanners have recorded 118 false alarms, indicating weapons where none existed, with an average false alarm rate of 4.29% per day.

Despite claiming that the program has been “impressive” and could aid the NYPD in identifying firearms and other dangerous weapons in the subway system, Adams and his administration have faced criticism for their vague assurances. New Yorkers have expressed skepticism about the program’s effectiveness, particularly given the lack of detailed explanations regarding specific issues of concern, intended outcomes, and how success would be measured.