Bridgeport police seized a slew of guns in the city's East End Wednesday afternoon, including AK-47 and AR-15 rifles, from a man accused of domestic violence.

They say they confiscated 16 guns and some high-capacity magazines from the house on Smith Street.

The gun owner, 31-year-old Edwin Heredia, had legally registered the weapons and had permits for them -- but when police responded to his home for reports of domestic violence, they arrested him on an assault charge and confiscated the guns, as required by law.

And Bridgeport Police Chief AJ Perez says Heredia had the guns improperly stored. "If somebody would have broken into that home, they would have had immediate access to weapons, and that's the scary part."

"These guns did not appear to be secure," he says. 

City Councilwoman Jeanette is herself a gun owner, and says she supports the right to bear arms. But she says too many guns end up on the street because a legal owner has stored them improperly.

"Lock your guns up," she says. "Keep your family safe. Keep us safe on the street. Keep the community safe."

A judge set bond for Heredia at $5,000.

Police say he could get all of his guns back once their investigation is complete.