Well then. Ken Berger of CBS Sportsline tweets this news.
#Wizards statement: Arenas stored unloaded firearms in locked box, w/o ammo, in his locker. He and team cooperating with authorities.
This of course begs several questions, including:
- Why is Arenas storing his gun in the Wizards locker room?
- Why does Arenas have a gun at all?
- Did the Wizards know about this? If so, why didn't they do anything? If not, why not?
- Firearms? This is more than just one gun??
- This one seems silly, but why store guns in your locker unloaded and without ammunition? This lends credence to the "it's no big deal, just a stupid minor mistake" side of the story.
- Why does Arenas have a gun, considering he dodged a previous weapons charge earlier in his career (as detailed by Michael Lee)?
- What's going on in Arenas' life right now? Is there someone threatening him? Is there something wrong with his state of mind, beyond a "let's pat him on the back and nod about his quirkiness" way? Does this have anything to do with the rumors about his fiancee (hopefully not, but you never know)? Does he just have a gun for no reason?
It's the last question that has me worried here. I don't believe Arenas is a bad guy, and I don't think this is going to result in any sort of serious fine or suspension (probably one game tops). But I am very concerned that Arenas feels the need to have a gun on Wizards property. Here's hoping everything in his life is really okay, because I'm really not sure of that based on this news.
Arenas is supposed to make a statement later tonight. Considering how he tends to be way more honest than any other athlete (or even human being, really), hopefully he clears some of these concerns up.
UPDATE: Mike Jones tweets that Arenas turned himself in to the Wizards and they are cooperating. Interesting. Very, very interesting.
UPDATE 2: Via Comcast Sports Net, here's the Wizards' statement on the matter.
The Washington Wizards have learned that Gilbert Arenas stored firearms in a locked container in his locker, unloaded and without ammunition. The Wizards organization and Arenas promptly notified the local authorities and the NBA and are cooperating fully with law enforcement during its review of this matter and will have no further comment at this time.
UPDATE 3: Mike Jones caught up with Gilbert Arenas. Arenas had this to say.
"It happened like December 10th. Right after my daughter was born. I decided I didn't want the guns in my house and around the kids anymore, so i took them to my lock box at Verizon Center. Then like a week later, I turned them over to team security and told them to hand them over to the police, because I don't want them anymore. I wouldn't have brought them to D.C. had I known the rules. After my daughter was born, I was just like, I don't need these anymore.”
Doesn't answer the operative question -- why do you have a gun in the first place? -- but it answers some questions.