Dad wanted to show son Harbor Island oysters. He didn’t know they were armed

A Columbia man who stopped his car on Harbor Island to show his young son what oysters looked like Sunday afternoon found a handgun in the water instead, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office report.

The family was in town to visit Hunting Island State Park over Memorial Day weekend, but their plans changed when the park remained closed in the wake of last week’s flooding, according to the report.

Around 12:15 p.m., the father pulled off on Sea Island Parkway to show his son what an oyster looks like, he told deputies. When he pulled out what he thought was a sea creature, he was surprised to find he was holding a rusty revolver. He put it right back and called the Sheriff’s Office.

The make and model of the gun were worn away and while the weapon appeared to be loaded, the cylinder wouldn’t open, according to the report. The deputy took the gun to be cleared by an armorer and the submitted into evidence.

This story was originally published May 30, 2017 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Dad wanted to show son Harbor Island oysters. He didn’t know they were armed."