Neighbors Fear Toxic Dangers From South Sacramento Gun Range

SOUTH SACRAMENTO - The doors of the Mangan Rifle and Pistol Range have long closed. Toxic levels of lead shut it down in December of 2014. But what was found inside, neighbors fear could be outside.

"It's is concerning. I don't know how severe it is because we swim here all summer," said Melanie Maes who has lived in the same home up the street for 56 years. "We do our birthday parties here in the summer. Now I'm not sure we are going to."

RELATED: Why Did A Gun Range Owned By The City Of Sacramento Close? (August 2015)

Tests inside the Mangan Range in 2014 were up to 400 times above what the state health department considers a lead hazard. Even though it has been closed, people still use the park and Maes wants to know if they're being poisoned.

Councilman Jay Schenirer's Chief of Staff said the councilman asked the city manager to order more soil tests to see if there's lead contamination in and around those areas closest to the park.

Joe Devlin said it would cost $2 million to repair the facility, but said right now that's not their main concern.

"You really can't put a price on public safety, so we just need to make it safe. That's the bottom line. That's what the public expects and that's what neighbors want," Devlin said.

The range has been around since the 1960s. For those who have lived here their whole life wonder what the long term effect of lead poisoning could be for their families, especially if it is in the soil.

"We had a lot of functions at that park. We live right here. We are outside up and down the street," said Omega Sanchez who raised his children and grandchildren in their home across from the range.

The city expects to have the initial results of the soil testing Tuesday morning. But Devlin said there will be more testing to further protect the citizens who use this park and live around the Mangan Range.