Police Say Gun in Killing Donated Unintentionally

Police have determined that the gun used in the accidental shooting death of a Salvation Army employee belonged to an El Cajon couple who inadvertently included the weapon in a box of clothes they donated to the organization.

Lt. Bob Lein of the El Cajon police said the owner of the gun was found by checking receipt records that were kept where the goods were dropped off.

Lein, who did not disclose the name of the gun’s owners, said the couple never knew the gun had gone with the rest of the items that were donated, and that they had not intended to give the gun away.

He also said the couple did not notice that the gun was missing until they were contacted by police. No charges against them are expected, he said.

The shooting took place at the collection trailer in the parking lot of Kaelin’s Market on Main Street in El Cajon.

Police said that Connie (C.W.) Wayne Overby, 51, shot James Irwin Brower, 61, of Alpine after receiving a batch of donated items. Overby was going to show Brower the .22-caliber Derringer when he tripped on a piece of furniture, causing him to fall and inadvertently pull the trigger, police said.

Victor Pinzon, community relations spokesman for the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center, said Brower is survived by his wife Janet, and two sons; James Lee Brower, 33, and John Robert Brower, 31. He also had two grandchildren, Colette Tannouri, 9, and Christine Brower, 2.

Brower was originally from Brooklyn, and was a civil servant repairing roads on Long Island. After retiring, he moved to California and began working as a supervisor with the Salvation Army, Pinzon said.

Pinzon said Brower had planned to retire from the Salvation Army next year.

“Jimmy had come on (the job) a little less than a year, but he was quick to make friends,” Pinzon said. “He had a great sense of humor and always had a smile on his face. . . . He was an outstanding gentleman.”

Pinzon said his organization appreciates the people who make contributions, but said he hopes people will use caution when making donations.