"Happy Days" No More; Homeless Richie Cunningham Arrested With Machine Guns

A homeless felon in Harbor City (a neighborhood in Los Angeles) was arrested in possession of five firearms, including two crude machine guns:

A homeless man who was in possession of five firearms, including two operable World War II-era machine guns, was arrested at a homeless encampment in an unincorporated area near Harbor City, authorities said on Tuesday.

The suspect, identified as 57-year-old Richard Cunningham, was arrested on Saturday evening, according to Detective Dennis Elmore of the sheriff’s Carson Station.

Deputies from the station were conducting a foot patrol of a homeless encampment when they came into contact with Cunningham, who was also in possession of three pistols, as well as high-capacity magazines and ammunition for the machine guns, which are also known as “grease guns,” Elmore said.

Cunningham was arrested on suspicion of various weapons charges and, on Tuesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged him with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a large-capacity magazine and possession of a machine gun, Elmore said.

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One of the submachine guns is very recognizably a Sten-clone, which is incredibly easy to manufacture and which might have been home-built.

Richard Cunningham (left) and Arthur Fonzarelli in happier days.
Richard Cunningham (left) and Arthur Fonzarelli in happier days.

It isn’t known what felony Richard Cunningham committed previously, nor why he may have had it in for Fonzie.

This post has officially jumped the shark.

I’m out.

Update: A reader on Twitter suggests that the second SMG may be a Czech Sa 25, and I think he’s nailed it. There is also the possibility that it’s a SA 25 copy, such as the Rhodesian LDP or semi-auto Sanna 77. Oh, if these guns could talk…

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