MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. — Jason Vanderwal has spent half a decade throwing a nearly 10-pound magnet into Metro Detroit waterways. He says he never knows what he'll find — but his latest discovery may be his most surprising yet.
Vanderwal, known online as Motor City Magnet Fishers, pulled a World War II-era Browning machine gun from the Clinton River in Mount Clemens a few days ago — his 116th firearm recovered from local waters.
7 Action News reporter Jeffrey Lindblom has the story in the video below:
"I like to describe it as cleaning trash and debris from the waterways," Vanderwal said.
For five years, he has been casting a magnet capable of nearly two-and-a-half tons of magnetic pull into Metro Detroit rivers and lakes. Most of the time, he expects to pull up railroad spikes or rebar. But over the years, his finds have included antique signs, 116 guns, mortar rounds, landmines, and hand grenades.
"In places like Detroit, we have 100s of years of history," Vanderwal said.
This latest find, though, stopped him in his tracks.
"And all I see is just a long tube with a square on the end," Vanderwal said.
He says he has no idea how the machine gun ended up in the river.
"I have no idea how it could have possibly got there," Vanderwal said.
After pulling the weapon from the water, Vanderwal called local law enforcement. The Mount Clemens Sheriff's Office now has the weapon under its supervision.
Since the discovery, theories have been swirling about how a World War II-era machine gun ended up at the bottom of the Clinton River.
"The mafia threw it in… or it was stolen from an armory," Vanderwal said.
Nolan Sanders, who was fascinated by the discovery, had his own ideas.
"Maybe it was in a war, or a famous person owned it," Sanders said. "You wonder… why was it thrown there?"
Vanderwal says the mystery is part of what draws people to the hobby — but it isn't what keeps him coming back.
"Sometimes we find something interesting. Sometimes we find something historical. But the purpose is to do good by our environment," Vanderwal said.
He says he hopes the machine gun will eventually be returned to his possession.
Vanderwal says he plans to release the full experience with the firearm on his YouTube channel on Thursday.
