Sheriff’s office waiting for Black Panthers members to pick up guns

The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office says it expects members of the Revolutionary Black Panther Party to pick up the guns deputies seized during a news conference yesterday without issue.

A sheriff’s spokesman says the weapons were held overnight for safe-keeping.

Lt. Jerry Brewer says investigators did run the serial numbers of the guns, but that there will be no arrests.

Brewer said 26 deputies worked overtime this weekend because of the Black Panther events. He could not say how much that cost taxpayers.

A WPD spokeswoman has not responded to a request about staffing and costs.