ATF seizes guns in raid of East Mesa home

by Nathan Gonzalez - Jul. 12, 2010 12:40 PM
The Arizona Republic

Authorities from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms raided a home in unincorporated East Mesa early Monday and pulled 1,000 guns from the residence.

ATF officials would not comment on the nature of the investigation.

The owner of the property near 84th Street and McDowell Road is listed in Maricopa County property records as Robert Bruce Daly and Lois Daly.

The property is also listed as the business address of several entities, including Buffalo Brothers Cowboy Store, which advertises a variety of Wild West memorabilia, including "a large assortment of handguns, rifles, shotguns, and knives for sale."

Authorities did not say whether anyone had been taken into custody.

Neighbor Robert Chaney, who has lived across the street from the Dalys for 15 years, said he awoke about 6 a.m. to find roughly two dozen ATF and Marciopa County Sheriff's vehicles surrounding his neighbors' home.

He saw agents on the roof with automatic weapons, apparently searching the attic and ductwork.

Chaney described the neighborhood as the kind of place where "people move out of the city to to escape from civilization."

Chaney's sister, Cynthia Standish, said she would be surprised to learn the Dalys had been involved in anything illegal because they were the family that always sang Christmas Carols on the street and brought gifts for everyone.