CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A shocking discovery at a local Goodwill store is putting the spotlight back on an NBC Charlotte Defenders investigation.
Police say a gun was found in the donations at the store on Wilkinson Boulevard. It comes weeks after NBC Charlotte's Defenders team revealed several cases of guns being found in people's yards. In one case, ammunition was even found on a school bus.
A spokeswoman for Goodwill says one of their team members found the gun while she was sorting through items. It was reported to police on Thursday at around 1:30 p.m.
It’s the latest case of a gun unexpectedly popping up around the Queen City.
The NBC Charlotte Defenders team found about half a dozen reports of guns or ammunition being found in just a three week period between March and April.
RELATED: Defenders investigation reveals dangerous guns, ammo unexpectedly found in yards, store, school bus
“Somebody could have just used that gun or weapon in a crime,” Charlotte Mecklenburg Crime Prevention Officer Johnathan Frisk previously told NBC Charlotte.
In one 911 call, a man said he found a handgun in his backyard.
“Somebody must have come through and threw it in there or something,” he told dispatchers.
In another 911 call, a woman says she discovered a shotgun while checking her mail.
“It’s in my front yard naked, not in a case or anything like that,” she told dispatchers.
NBC Charlotte also reported on a man who found a loaded gun in a local gas station.
“I found a gun in the restroom and I want to hand it over to police officers,” he told dispatchers.
There was even a police report of a school bus driver who said he found live ammunition on the bus.
“I just dropped off my last group in the Pineville area and I find live ammunition on my bus,” the driver told dispatchers.
“To find that many in that short amount of time, it's scary,” Officer Frisk previously told NBC Charlotte.
Officer Frisk says anyone who finds a weapon or ammunition should call the police -- but he says do not touch the items.
“Having these talks with your children about if they do find some type of weapon or gun that they don't touch it,” Officer Frisk previously told NBC Charlotte.
However, NBC Charlotte even found some adults are not following that advice. The woman who found the shotgun told dispatchers she picked it up and brought it inside.
“I've got two kids here, so I just really don't want it here,” she told dispatchers.
“I think one thing we would definitely ask you is to try to put on some type of latex gloves,” Officer Frisk previously said.
In the latest case, Goodwill released a statement about their team member’s response saying in part, “She followed our established safety protocol and immediately notified her manager who promptly notified the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department”.
Goodwill says the gun was immediately turned over to CMPD. CMPD told NBC Charlotte all firearms recovered go through testing to determine what the next step will be.