Two boys who found loaded guns at a park in Coral Gables were rewarded for taking responsible action.
7News cameras captured Mateo Ferro and Alexander Di Denaro as they held up their framed certificates given to them by Coral Gables Police, Friday.
Coral Gables Police Chief Edward Hudak Jr. praised the elementary school-aged boys for their efforts in helping to fight crime.
“Two young men, who probably don’t even realize they could have very well saved someone’s life,” he said.
Ferro and Di Denaro said they spotted the firearms hidden in the leaves under a tree while out playing at Salvadore Park back in February.
“I felt something hard, like metal, and like a black hard thing, like a rock,” said Ferro. “I dug underneath the leaves, and then I found two guns.”
“For a second, we thought it was a toy or some metal,” said Di Denaro.
“But then we found out they were real,” said Ferro.
The boys said they went straight to their parents.
“Mateo found our moms first, and then we told them. They didn’t fully believe us, ” said Di Denaro.
“So we showed them the proof, and then they believed us,” said Ferro. “They called the police, and then they came to investigate.”
Police said both weapons were reported stolen from a home back in August, and both were loaded when Ferro and Di Denaro found them under the tree.
“When I realized that they were real guns, it was just very scary,” said Ferro’s mother, Eleana Ferro. “You hear in the news all the time about kids playing with guns and them going off accidentally.”
Di Denaro’s father said he is proud of his son and glad the police department took notice.
“This is such an awesome experience, and hopefully, it gives the kids a sense of worthiness,” he said.
Cameras showed the moment Hudak asked the boys to raise their right hands.
“Repeat after me: I promise to continue to do good,” said Hudak.
Hudak said the boys’ actions helped get the weapons off the streets before they could hurt someone.
“You know what we say: see something, say something,” he said.
Salvadore Park is located just feet away from two schools.
The City of Miami Police Department now has the weapons and is investigating the burglary during which they were taken.
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