A reader-sent photo posted on The Stranger‘s blog has become the talk of the town — and the nation.

The photo shows a police-issued AR-15 semiautomatic rifle left unsecured on a cop car as it patrolled the city’s downtown area.

Sergeant Sean Whitcomb of the Seattle Police Department had this to say:

“The department is very embarrassed that this happened. We’re incredibly grateful to the person that flagged down the bike officers and to the woman who followed the patrol car driver around to let them know there was a rifle on the back of the car…It most certainly shouldn’t happen at a police department level. People should expect more.”

According to the paper, various news outlets have asked to republish the photo.