Murder / Suicide in Virginia

In Prince George County, a man shot his wife then turned the gun on himself. He died right away, she died later in the hospital. The incident took place in a car on a cul-de-sac.

Police are not sure why the couple drove to the cul-de-sac and the shooting is still under investigation.

Police responded to a domestic related problem at the Bates home in June. At the time, Robert Bates was arrested for domestic assault and battery.

Both Bates were served with an emergency protective order barring contact between each other.

The EPO expired prior to Saturday's incident and no extension was filed.

How does it work in Virginia? When a guy has a domestic assault and battery charge, does he continue to keep his guns? In this case I guess he did.

How do these forfeitures of guns happen when someone becomes a disqualified person anyway? Is it on the honor system? Does the judge tell the wife-beater to go home and get rid of all his guns? Or are marshalls sent to the house and expected to uncover every hiding place?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Houston man Shoots His Three Kids

Yahoo News reports on the terrible murder / attempted-suicide.

Three children were found shot dead in their beds Sunday at a suburban Houston apartment building, and their father was charged with their murders after surviving an apparent suicide attempt, authorities said.

In Texas, just about any man who gets angry enough at his ex-wife and decides to do something this drastic, has the tools to do it. I know, I know, he could have done it with a knife.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

How Gun Flow Works

An enterprising young man from the North, where they have sensible gun laws, finds himself in the gun-friendly South. The rest just happens almost of itself.

The Chicago Tribune describes a case in point.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Helmke: Talk is Cheap

The Huffington Post published the latest article by Paul Helmke about the Mexican violence.

But what Secretary Clinton and President Obama have neglected to say is more noteworthy. Neither the president nor the secretary has mentioned the importance of the U.S. restricting assault weapons or requiring Brady criminal background checks for all gun purchases at gun shows.

Violence in Mexico has increased since Congress allowed the federal assault weapons ban to expire in 2004. And a study just released by the Woodrow Wilson Center and the University of San Diego matches Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence reports, which confirm that a significant number of the guns used in Mexican drug crimes come from America.

What do you think? Is "a significant number" a better way to describe the guns which come from The States? Do you think increased scrutiny of the gun shops "along the border" is appropriate at this time?

Please leave a comment.

It Should Be Banned (joke)

About Mayor Daley

A letter to The Dome reads as follows:

Mayor Richard Daley’s retirement is not coming soon enough.

How many Chicagoans have been killed because of this gun-hating hypocrite, who has kept guns out of law-abiding Chicagoans’ hands? At the same time, he has 24-hour, around-the-clock armed guards keeping him safe.

Two questions arise.

1. When the author says "Chicagoans have been killed because" of gun laws, it seems he's referring to the poor defenseless folks who, disarmed against their wills, have fallen victim to criminal violence. Doesn't that overlook the deaths that would have happened had those folks been armed? Doesn't this go back to the old question of whether guns do more good than harm? Do legitimate DGUs outnumber incidents of gun violence?

2. When a political figure or celebrity uses armed security, does that constitute hypocrisy if that political figure or celebrity favors gun control?

What's your opinion? Is the author of the letter just another Daley hater or does he raise legitimate points?

Please leave a comment.

The NRA Fighting the Good Fight in Canada

Bloomberg Businessweek published an interesting article about the NRA's involvement in Canadian politics.

The part I liked best is this, although I realize the results of polls like this are only appreciated by the side they support.

A Harris-Decima poll of 1,000 voters conducted Aug. 26 to Aug. 29 found 48 percent think it’s a bad idea to scrap the registry, compared with 38 percent who say they want it eliminated, the Canadian Press reported Sept. 7.

What's your prediction? Are they going to do away with the registry?

Please leave a comment.