Saturday, February 28, 2015
Missouri Spree Shooting - 9 Dead Including the Shooter
Joseph Jesse Aldridge
The Houston Herald
Eight people were killed, including the alleged gunman, in multiple shootings Thursday night near Tyrone in Texas County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the suspect, 36-year-old Joseph Jesse Aldridge, apparently killed seven individuals and injured another at multiple residences before fleeing to Shannon County and killing himself. Authorities believe a ninth person died of natural causes before the shooting spree and may have motivated the gunman.
ATF Proposes Banning 5.56mm/.223 Caliber Ammunition Used in Popular AR-15 Style Rifle
Fox
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives(ATF) seeks to ban certain types of 5.56mm/.223 caliber ammunition. The bullets are commonly used with the popular AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle for sporting purposes, such as target shooting.
In a 17 page document released earlier this month the ATF proposed the reclassification of “5.56mm constituent projectiles of SS109 and M855 cartridges” from the category of “primarily used for sporting purposes” to that of “armor piercing ammunition.” The agency fears that the ammunition used in AR based handguns can penetrate bullet proof vests worn by law enforcement officers.
Commonly available steel-core, “green tip” M855 and SS109 rifle ammunition that is primarily intended and regularly used for “sporting purposes,” like target shooting, has been exempt from federal law banning armor piercing ammunition for decades. A ban would have far reaching implications for target shooter, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.
To read the entire 17 page ATF document proposing the ban click here. The ATF is taking public comment on the proposed ban of commonly available steel-core ball ammunition until March 16.
'Gestapo' Tactics at US Police 'Black Site' Ring Alarm from Chicago to Washington
From George Jefferson: "This cannot be happening in the liberal (ie the people who think they
are the only ones who believe in civil rights) enclave of cook county
can it... surely not. It must be an infiltration by those diabolical
racist conservative law enforcement officers without the mayor or the
DA's knowledge (sarcasm)"
‘I hadn’t heard of the sort of CIA or Gestapo tactics that were mentioned in the Guardian article until it was brought to my attention,’ Cook County commissioner Richard Boykin said in an interview outside Homan Square. ‘We are calling for the Department of Justice to open an investigation into these allegations.’ Photograph: Chandler West for the Guardian
The Guardian
The US Department of Justice and embattled mayor Rahm Emanuel are under mounting pressure to investigate allegations of what one politician called “CIA or Gestapo tactics” at a secretive Chicago police facility exposed by the Guardian.
Politicians and civil-rights groups across the US expressed shock upon hearing descriptions of off-the-books interrogation at Homan Square, the Chicago warehouse that multiple lawyers and one shackled-up protester likened to a US counter-terrorist black site in a Guardian investigation published this week.
As three more people came forward detailing their stories of being “held hostage” and “strapped” inside Homan Square without access to an attorney or an official public record of their detention by Chicago police, officials and activists said the allegations merited further inquiry and risked aggravating wounds over community policing and race that have reached as high as the White House.
‘I hadn’t heard of the sort of CIA or Gestapo tactics that were mentioned in the Guardian article until it was brought to my attention,’ Cook County commissioner Richard Boykin said in an interview outside Homan Square. ‘We are calling for the Department of Justice to open an investigation into these allegations.’ Photograph: Chandler West for the Guardian
The Guardian
The US Department of Justice and embattled mayor Rahm Emanuel are under mounting pressure to investigate allegations of what one politician called “CIA or Gestapo tactics” at a secretive Chicago police facility exposed by the Guardian.
Politicians and civil-rights groups across the US expressed shock upon hearing descriptions of off-the-books interrogation at Homan Square, the Chicago warehouse that multiple lawyers and one shackled-up protester likened to a US counter-terrorist black site in a Guardian investigation published this week.
As three more people came forward detailing their stories of being “held hostage” and “strapped” inside Homan Square without access to an attorney or an official public record of their detention by Chicago police, officials and activists said the allegations merited further inquiry and risked aggravating wounds over community policing and race that have reached as high as the White House.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Questions the Defenders of the Grifter Richard Mack Should Answer
In the recent brilliant post about the Grifter Richard Mack, I brought you the oh-so sad story of yet another gunloon and rightwing whackjob fallen on hard times.
Of course, this brought out the usual cast of gunloons willing and eager to support anyone who is a gun fanatic and white supremacist. My morality and humanity was questioned. My patriotism impugned. So many false premises and arguments.
Defenders of the Grifter Richard Mack really have to ask the following questions:
1. We get the Grifter Richard Mack doesn't like a black President and is opposed to anything the President favors. OK. So, this prevented him from getting healthcare insurance how? He wants nothing to do with ACA--fine. But he's getting to that age where medical problems are more, rather than less, frequent.
2. His crowdfunding effort is very, very likely to leave him hundreds of thousands bucks short (Great News!). Given the unhappy thought the Grifter Richard Mack survives--there will surely be more medical problems and bills down the line. How often do you think the Grifter Richard Mack can go to the crowdfunding well?
3. Given the fact his crowdfunding effort will largely fail--and the fact he won't be denied medical care--how do you feel about having to pay more for medical care because the Grifter Richard Mack opted to make you a donor to his cause?
 |
| Hopefully Dead Soon |
Defenders of the Grifter Richard Mack really have to ask the following questions:
1. We get the Grifter Richard Mack doesn't like a black President and is opposed to anything the President favors. OK. So, this prevented him from getting healthcare insurance how? He wants nothing to do with ACA--fine. But he's getting to that age where medical problems are more, rather than less, frequent.
2. His crowdfunding effort is very, very likely to leave him hundreds of thousands bucks short (Great News!). Given the unhappy thought the Grifter Richard Mack survives--there will surely be more medical problems and bills down the line. How often do you think the Grifter Richard Mack can go to the crowdfunding well?
3. Given the fact his crowdfunding effort will largely fail--and the fact he won't be denied medical care--how do you feel about having to pay more for medical care because the Grifter Richard Mack opted to make you a donor to his cause?
Karma Bites NRA Hero Richard Mack in the Ass
 |
| Hopefully Dead Soon |
Naturally, he doesn't care mu
ch for a President who is black and has provided healthcare insurance for millions.
Well, it seems Richard Mack has come nose to nose with a problem.
Former Arizona county sheriff Richard Mack, a fierce opponent of Obamacare and a leader in the "constitutional sheriff" movement, is struggling to pay his medical bills after he and his wife each faced serious illnesses. The former sheriff and his wife do not have health insurance and started a GoFundMe campaign to solicit donations from family and friends to cover the costs of their medical care.
"Because they are self-employed, they have no medical insurance and are in desperate need of our assistance," reads a note on Mack's personal website.
Like all grifters, Mack seems intent on living off fellow gun nut rubes.
New NRA Talking Point: Opponents Of Guns On Campus Are "OK With Some Sexual Assaults Occurring"
Media Matters
During the February 24 edition of the NRA News radio program Cam & Company, Edwards asserted that opponents of guns on campus believe that in "almost every sexual assault, there is alcohol involved," so a "gun wouldn't help." Because of this, Edwards said, opponents of guns on campus are "OK with some sexual assaults occurring when they could be prevented."
Edwards went on to describe the position of those who say that guns on campus are not a solution to sexual assault: "So what they're saying is, they are OK with real sexual assaults happening -- whether they acknowledge that they are saying this or not, ultimately their position is that they are OK with real sexual assaults happening because they are afraid of accidents that might take place if campus carry were allowed."
In fact, Edwards is mischaracterizing recent arguments against guns as a solution to campus sexual assault, which have pointed out that guns will not actually make women on campus safer.
As Amanda Marcotte wrote at Slate, "[W]ould it actually improve campus safety? No. Most rapes, especially among college students, are acquaintance rapes and defy the burglar-coming-in-the-window fantasy of self defense that gun advocates like to invoke."
Similarly, Jia Tolentino wrote at Jezebel: "[G]uns make domestic violence more deadly for women. Rape on college campuses (as well as in general) happens in situations that mirror very closely the dynamic of domestic violence -- the introduction of coercion and sexual assault under the cover of relationships and interactions that seem outwardly acceptable."
According to academic research, students who carried guns while at college were more likely to report "being victims and perpetrators of physical and sexual violence at college" compared to students who did not.
A 2002 study in the Journal of American College Health by researchers affiliated with the Harvard School of Public Health found that students who keep guns at college are more likely to engage in risky or illegal behavior. Specifically, they wrote, "Compared with students who did not have a firearm at college, those who had a firearm were more likely to be male (85% vs 43%); to be White (91% vs 72%); to live off campus (86% vs 57%); to live with a significant other (16% vs 8%); to drive a motor vehicle after binge drinking (27% vs 9%); to have unprotected sex when under the influence of alcohol (17% vs 10%); to vandalize property (21% vs 10%); and to get into trouble with the police (10% vs 6%)." The authors also addressed the interplay between binge drinking and violent behavior, concluding, "Given that alcohol is widely thought to contribute to violent behavior generally and to a majority of college student suicides, rapes, and other violent crimes, we find it quite troubling that almost two thirds of students with guns at college report binge drinking."
During the February 24 edition of the NRA News radio program Cam & Company, Edwards asserted that opponents of guns on campus believe that in "almost every sexual assault, there is alcohol involved," so a "gun wouldn't help." Because of this, Edwards said, opponents of guns on campus are "OK with some sexual assaults occurring when they could be prevented."
Edwards went on to describe the position of those who say that guns on campus are not a solution to sexual assault: "So what they're saying is, they are OK with real sexual assaults happening -- whether they acknowledge that they are saying this or not, ultimately their position is that they are OK with real sexual assaults happening because they are afraid of accidents that might take place if campus carry were allowed."
In fact, Edwards is mischaracterizing recent arguments against guns as a solution to campus sexual assault, which have pointed out that guns will not actually make women on campus safer.
As Amanda Marcotte wrote at Slate, "[W]ould it actually improve campus safety? No. Most rapes, especially among college students, are acquaintance rapes and defy the burglar-coming-in-the-window fantasy of self defense that gun advocates like to invoke."
Similarly, Jia Tolentino wrote at Jezebel: "[G]uns make domestic violence more deadly for women. Rape on college campuses (as well as in general) happens in situations that mirror very closely the dynamic of domestic violence -- the introduction of coercion and sexual assault under the cover of relationships and interactions that seem outwardly acceptable."
According to academic research, students who carried guns while at college were more likely to report "being victims and perpetrators of physical and sexual violence at college" compared to students who did not.
A 2002 study in the Journal of American College Health by researchers affiliated with the Harvard School of Public Health found that students who keep guns at college are more likely to engage in risky or illegal behavior. Specifically, they wrote, "Compared with students who did not have a firearm at college, those who had a firearm were more likely to be male (85% vs 43%); to be White (91% vs 72%); to live off campus (86% vs 57%); to live with a significant other (16% vs 8%); to drive a motor vehicle after binge drinking (27% vs 9%); to have unprotected sex when under the influence of alcohol (17% vs 10%); to vandalize property (21% vs 10%); and to get into trouble with the police (10% vs 6%)." The authors also addressed the interplay between binge drinking and violent behavior, concluding, "Given that alcohol is widely thought to contribute to violent behavior generally and to a majority of college student suicides, rapes, and other violent crimes, we find it quite troubling that almost two thirds of students with guns at college report binge drinking."
New Jersey Flintlock Owner Exonerated
The gun was part of the man’s collection of 18th-century antiques.
Guns dot com
A retired teacher in Cumberland County, New Jersey, who was facing a minimum of 10 years in prison for a felony gun charge over a 300-year-old flintlock pistol has had the charges against him dropped, the county prosecutor announced Wednesday.
Police discovered 72-year-old Gordon Van Gilder had an antique gun wrapped in a cloth and tucked away in the glove box of his car when he was stopped for a minor traffic violation in November. The officer sent Van Gilder on his way, but the following day authorities showed up at his home with a warrant for his arrest because he did not have the proper paperwork for the antique gun.
Van Gilder was at risk of losing his retirement plan, which he had spent more than 30 years earning, if convicted.
But Van Gilder’s attorney, Evan Nappen, who specializes in gun cases and successfully represented Shaneen Allen, a single mother of two with a concealed carry permit who was facing similar charges after being pulled over in New Jersey last year, argued that the mid-1700s flintlock didn’t even fall under the legal definition of a firearm. But Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McCrae said in a statement, “The public should be forewarned about the prescriptions against possessing a firearm (even an antique) in a vehicle.
Nonetheless, after reviewing Van Gilder’s case, Webb-McCrae used her power of prosecutorial discretion to drop the charges against Van Gilder “in the interest of justice.”
Now, don't all the crybaby gun-rights fanatics feel silly? They should after all the alarmist nonsense they were spewing, even from the more fanatical among them the invented fact that he didn't get the gun back and that it probably became part of one of the policemen's collection.
And Guns dot com is not beyond throwing in some made-up shit from time to time, as we've seen before. What kind of pension stops coming if an elderly person is convicted of a felony?
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Czech Republic: 8 Killed Plus Shooter in Restaurant Shooting
CNN
A "crazy murderer" walked into a restaurant Tuesday in the eastern Czech Republic, killing eight people before he took his own life, authorities said.
A "crazy murderer" walked into a restaurant Tuesday in the eastern Czech Republic, killing eight people before he took his own life, authorities said.
Diners were settling down
for lunch at a restaurant in the center of Uhersky Brod, a town near
Ziln of about 17,000 people not far from the Slovak border, when the
gunman entered.
The result was one of the Czech Republic's deadliest mass murders in about 40 years.
Authorities
haven't named the shooter, nor have they given any indication of his
motivation. Interior Minister Milan Chovanec described him as a local
man in his 60s who had a permit to own guns.
Reports
suggest the gunman was mentally unstable and may have called a Czech TV
station's crime line immediately before carrying out the attack.
"We
have never seen anything like this before," said Tomas Tuhy, the head
of the Czech Republic's national police. "This is a tragedy."
Lunchtime attack
The
gunman rushed into the then-packed Druzba restaurant and fired multiple
times, Czech TV reporter Vaclav Cernohorsky told CNN, citing the town's
mayor. The shooter then killed himself, the mayor reportedly said.
Virginia Man - Dangerous Lawful Gun Owner - Not Guilty in Child Shooting
Jeffery Carl Ireson
Local news reports
Wirtz resident Jeffery Carl Ireson was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of a 7-year-old boy by his 12-year-old half brother. A jury found Ireson not guilty of two counts of child neglect and two counts of child endangerment.
The tragic shooting occurred on April 21, 2014. The two boys were in the care of Ireson when the 12-year-old found Ireson’s .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol and shot his younger half brother. Ireson was a neighbor of the two boys’ mother and would watch them on occasion.
According to court documents, all safety features of the gun were working properly and those features had to be disengaged to allow the gun to fire. A laboratory in Roanoke was unable to get the gun to fire accidentally even after hitting it with a rubber mallet.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
DOJ Not Filing Charges Against George Zimmerman For 2012 Killing Of Trayvon Martin
SANFORD, FL - JANUARY 10: In this handout photo provided by Seminole County Sheriff`s Office, George Zimmerman poses for a mug shot photo after being arrested and booked into jail at the John Polk Correctional Facility January 9, 2015 in Sanford, Florida. Florida officials report that Zimmerman has been charged with aggravated assault and domestic violence with a weapon. (Photo by Seminole County Sheriff`s Office via Getty Images) | Handout via Getty Images
Huffington Post
The Department of Justice will not file charges against George Zimmerman for the 2012 killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, ABC News and CBS News reported Tuesday.
ABC reports:
ABC News has learned Martin’s family will soon be notified that the Justice Department will not be filing charges against George Zimmerman, who shot the 17-year-old after a confrontation in 2012. Thursday marks three years to the day since Martin was killed.In October 2014, the Washington Post reported DOJ investigators had determined there was insufficient evidence to charge Zimmerman, but still wanted to “dot their i’s and cross their t’s."
Federal prosecutors concluded there is not sufficient evidence to prove Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman in Sanford, Fla., intentionally violated Martin’s civil rights, sources told ABC News.
The Justice Department first announced in July 2013 it would look into the killing of the 17-year-old, who was shot by Zimmerman -- a neighborhood watchman in Sanford, Florida -- while walking home carrying a bag of Skittles and an iced tea.
After four weeks of testimony, a jury found Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder in July 2013.
Ohio Man on Trial for Shooting at Wife
Blake and Misty Seylhouwer
Local news reports
The trial of a Madeira man accused of shooting a gun in the direction of his wife, sending chunks of concrete her way, injuring her, is underway.
Blake Seylhouwer is accused of firing a shot at his wife outside their Madeira home back in August.
The shot hit the pavement about 10 feet from her. She was struck by chunks of concrete and the bullet, sending her to the hospital.
Opening statements were heard Tuesday morning, and both sides agree that Blake Seylhouwer’s marriage to his wife Misty was falling apart in August of 2014.
During opening statements, Seylhouwer's attorney said it was an accidental shooting and said everything else in the case is irrelevant.
But prosecutor Jeff Heile called Seylhouwer a manipulative man who was threatening suicide as a means of controlling his wife after cheating on her.
Officials said Seylhouwer was ordered to not have any contact with his estranged wife, but investigators said he violated that protection order when he sent her text messages and canceled her credit cards.
She had thrown him out of the house. He came back and picked up his hunting rifle, and that's when she wound up hurt.
Heile said Misty Seylhouwer heard her husband cock the rifle right before it went off. That could be the key bit of information in this case.
Seylhouwer is charged with two counts of felonious assault and a charge of domestic violence.
No Serious Violations at Gun Range in the Killing of Charles Joseph Vacca by 9-Year-old Girl
Local news reports
Arizona's workplace safety agency has issued several recommendations that it says could help prevent accidental shootings like the one last year involving a 9-year-old girl with a mini Uzi.
Charles Joseph Vacca died in August after he stepped back to let the New Jersey girl hold the Uzi by herself. The gun's recoil wrenched it upward, killing him.
An investigation by the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health found no serious violations. But the agency recommended having a range safety officer on site, limiting weapons selections for certain shooters and ensuring shooters are comfortable with weapons before they are placed on automatic.
The agency says a safety officer isn't required, but that person could have pointed out that Vacca was out of position when instructing the girl.
Arizona's workplace safety agency has issued several recommendations that it says could help prevent accidental shootings like the one last year involving a 9-year-old girl with a mini Uzi.
Charles Joseph Vacca died in August after he stepped back to let the New Jersey girl hold the Uzi by herself. The gun's recoil wrenched it upward, killing him.
An investigation by the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health found no serious violations. But the agency recommended having a range safety officer on site, limiting weapons selections for certain shooters and ensuring shooters are comfortable with weapons before they are placed on automatic.
The agency says a safety officer isn't required, but that person could have pointed out that Vacca was out of position when instructing the girl.
Kentucky Man Accidentally Shoots Himself at a Stop Light - Not Even a Citation
Local news reports
A man accidentally shot himself in the neck Monday while at the stoplight at Lovers Lane and Fruit of the Loom Drive.
Bowling Green Police Department officers were called to TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital’s emergency room Monday on a report of an accidental shooting, Officer David Grimsley said.
A man accidentally shot himself in the neck Monday while at the stoplight at Lovers Lane and Fruit of the Loom Drive.
Bowling Green Police Department officers were called to TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital’s emergency room Monday on a report of an accidental shooting, Officer David Grimsley said.
Police concluded the man
accidentally discharged his gun inside his car when the gun shifted
between the driver’s seat and the console. The man reached for the gun
and unintentionally fired it while reaching, Grimsley said.
The man was not cited. He was was treated at Greenview and released.
Blind Ohio Gun Owner Charged in His Daughter's Accidental Shooting
Local news reports
Bond was set at $100,000 yesterday for a legally blind Toledo man charged with accidentally shooting his toddler.
Michael C. Reyes, 27, was arraigned in Toledo Municipal Court on charges of possessing weapons while under disability and negligent assault in the weekend shooting of Kaylee Reyes.
The shooting occurred about 1:45 p.m. Saturday in the family’s residence, according to police. The toddler was admitted to the pediatric intensive-care unit of Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center.
Reyes told police he was holding the handgun when it went off and a bullet struck his 3-year-old daughter, according to court documents.
Bond was set at $100,000 yesterday for a legally blind Toledo man charged with accidentally shooting his toddler.
Michael C. Reyes, 27, was arraigned in Toledo Municipal Court on charges of possessing weapons while under disability and negligent assault in the weekend shooting of Kaylee Reyes.
The shooting occurred about 1:45 p.m. Saturday in the family’s residence, according to police. The toddler was admitted to the pediatric intensive-care unit of Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center.
Reyes told police he was holding the handgun when it went off and a bullet struck his 3-year-old daughter, according to court documents.
Killing Our Way Out Of War - Arresting Our Way Out Of Crime
D.C. Clothesline
“We can not win this war by killing them,” Marie Harf said on MSNBC.
Reversing thousands of years of battlefield experience in which wars were won by “killing them”, the State Department spokeswoman argued that you can’t defeat ISIS by killing its fighters.
“We can not kill our way out of this war,” she said. “We need in the medium and longer term to go after the root causes that lead people to join these groups, whether it is lack of opportunity for jobs.”
War is one of the few things in life we can reliably kill our way out of. The United States has had a great track record of killing our way out of wars. We killed our way out of WW1. We killed our way out of WW2. The problem began when we stopped trying to kill our way out of wars and started trying to hug our way out of wars instead. Progressive academics added war to economics, terrorism and the climate in the list of subjects they did not understand and wanted to make certain that no one else was allowed to understand. Because the solution to war is so obvious that no progressive could possibly think of it.
Harf’s argument is a familiar one. There was a time when progressive reformers had convinced politicians that we couldn’t arrest, shoot, imprison or execute our way out of crime.
We couldn’t stop crime by fighting crime. Instead the root causes of crime had to be addressed. The police became social workers and criminals overran entire cities. The public demanded action and a new wave of mayors got tough on crime. While the sociologists, social workers, activists and bleeding hearts wailed that it wouldn’t work, surprisingly locking up criminals did stop them from committing crimes.
“We can not win this war by killing them,” Marie Harf said on MSNBC.
Reversing thousands of years of battlefield experience in which wars were won by “killing them”, the State Department spokeswoman argued that you can’t defeat ISIS by killing its fighters.
“We can not kill our way out of this war,” she said. “We need in the medium and longer term to go after the root causes that lead people to join these groups, whether it is lack of opportunity for jobs.”
War is one of the few things in life we can reliably kill our way out of. The United States has had a great track record of killing our way out of wars. We killed our way out of WW1. We killed our way out of WW2. The problem began when we stopped trying to kill our way out of wars and started trying to hug our way out of wars instead. Progressive academics added war to economics, terrorism and the climate in the list of subjects they did not understand and wanted to make certain that no one else was allowed to understand. Because the solution to war is so obvious that no progressive could possibly think of it.
Harf’s argument is a familiar one. There was a time when progressive reformers had convinced politicians that we couldn’t arrest, shoot, imprison or execute our way out of crime.
We couldn’t stop crime by fighting crime. Instead the root causes of crime had to be addressed. The police became social workers and criminals overran entire cities. The public demanded action and a new wave of mayors got tough on crime. While the sociologists, social workers, activists and bleeding hearts wailed that it wouldn’t work, surprisingly locking up criminals did stop them from committing crimes.
What's Behind LA's Dramatic Decline In Gang Violence
Huffington Post
From 1988 to 1998 -- known to some as the “decade of death” -- close to a thousand people per year were killed in Los Angeles. Gangs didn’t run all the neighborhoods, but the ones they did, they terrorized. Drugs moved openly on street corners, drive-by shootings occurred with dispiriting frequency, and wearing the wrong color T-shirt on the wrong street could be interpreted as a death wish.
It all seems improbable now. There are still terrible parts of the city, where brutality and blight reign, but to say that LA is a city unchanged is to ignore the statistics. From 2008 to 2012, violent crime across the nation went down about 16 percent, according to a recent cover story on the subject for Pacific Standard magazine. But in Los Angeles that drop was notably more precipitous in gang areas, the magazine notes: 30 percent in Compton, 50 percent in Bell Gardens and 50 percent in El Monte. Gang-related homicides in Los Angeles have gone down 66.7 percent over the past eight years, and gang-related crimes have seen a 55.3 percent dip since 2005.
So, what accounts for this drastic decline? The only thing that everyone -- from police representatives to community organizers to Sam Quinones, the author of the Pacific Standard piece -- can agree on is that there’s no single answer. But if you consider the six theories below, and how they interact and build on each other, you can begin to see why city officials say Los Angeles hasn’t been this safe since the Eisenhower administration.
1. More police, smarter policing.
When
William J. Bratton led the Los Angeles Police Department, he encouraged
cops to get involved as community problem-solvers. (AP Photo/U.S.
Department of Justice)
When New York City’s current police chief, William J. Bratton, took over the Los Angeles Police Department in 2002, he quickly added 1,000 new cops. But they weren’t brought on merely to bust heads. As Pacific Standard noted, the department's new mantra became: "We can't arrest our way out of the problem."
Bratton strongly encouraged cops to get involved in the lives of the people they were policing, even tying officers' career advancement to their success in community outreach. The result was that division commanders became community problem-solvers, lobbying on behalf of residents for city services such as pothole repair and tree trimming.
The other thing Bratton brought in besides a change of attitude and more boots on the ground was CompStat -- a program that offers real-time statistical monitoring of criminal activity. CompStat has helped shift commanders figure out where to deploy resources. It has also allowed higher-ups to monitor the effectiveness of individual division captains in reducing criminal activity.
From 1988 to 1998 -- known to some as the “decade of death” -- close to a thousand people per year were killed in Los Angeles. Gangs didn’t run all the neighborhoods, but the ones they did, they terrorized. Drugs moved openly on street corners, drive-by shootings occurred with dispiriting frequency, and wearing the wrong color T-shirt on the wrong street could be interpreted as a death wish.
It all seems improbable now. There are still terrible parts of the city, where brutality and blight reign, but to say that LA is a city unchanged is to ignore the statistics. From 2008 to 2012, violent crime across the nation went down about 16 percent, according to a recent cover story on the subject for Pacific Standard magazine. But in Los Angeles that drop was notably more precipitous in gang areas, the magazine notes: 30 percent in Compton, 50 percent in Bell Gardens and 50 percent in El Monte. Gang-related homicides in Los Angeles have gone down 66.7 percent over the past eight years, and gang-related crimes have seen a 55.3 percent dip since 2005.
So, what accounts for this drastic decline? The only thing that everyone -- from police representatives to community organizers to Sam Quinones, the author of the Pacific Standard piece -- can agree on is that there’s no single answer. But if you consider the six theories below, and how they interact and build on each other, you can begin to see why city officials say Los Angeles hasn’t been this safe since the Eisenhower administration.
1. More police, smarter policing.
When New York City’s current police chief, William J. Bratton, took over the Los Angeles Police Department in 2002, he quickly added 1,000 new cops. But they weren’t brought on merely to bust heads. As Pacific Standard noted, the department's new mantra became: "We can't arrest our way out of the problem."
Bratton strongly encouraged cops to get involved in the lives of the people they were policing, even tying officers' career advancement to their success in community outreach. The result was that division commanders became community problem-solvers, lobbying on behalf of residents for city services such as pothole repair and tree trimming.
The other thing Bratton brought in besides a change of attitude and more boots on the ground was CompStat -- a program that offers real-time statistical monitoring of criminal activity. CompStat has helped shift commanders figure out where to deploy resources. It has also allowed higher-ups to monitor the effectiveness of individual division captains in reducing criminal activity.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Kentucky 16-Year-old Kills Three Family Members - Police Kill Him
Jason C. Hendrix, 16, was killed in a shootout with police in Maryland. © FACEBOOK
Local news
Jason C. Hendrix, 16, is believed to have shot and killed his mother, father and sister after a dispute with his parents over computer use before driving from Corbin to the East Coast, where he was killed in a shootout with police in Maryland, Corbin police Chief David Campbell said Sunday.
Baltimore County Police in Maryland confirmed Sunday that it was Hendrix who was shot and killed Saturday.
Hendrix had a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, two .38-caliber pistols, a double-barreled shotgun and backpack "completely full of ammo," Campbell said in an interview.
Hendrix, a high school Junior ROTC student and active church member, apparently went to a church youth meeting Wednesday night after his family had been slain, Campbell said.
"At a church youth meeting he had told them he had found his dad's guns," Campbell said. "He didn't say if he had them in the vehicle or not."
Kevin and Sarah Hendrix and daughter Grace were found dead at their Forest Circle Drive home in Corbin on Saturday afternoon.
A police officer went to the house after police in Baltimore County called to ask them to do a welfare check.
"All three were shot in the head at least twice," Campbell said. "A pillow was used to try to muffle the gunshot used on all three individuals. The pillows were still on their faces."
Police think the victims were gunned down late Wednesday afternoon, Campbell said. The father still had on his sport coat and tie from work. The mother was ambushed as she stepped into the kitchen from the garage after arriving home from work.
Jason Hendrix took his mother's SUV, Campbell said. Police were uncertain why he chose to drive to Maryland.
The teen "was mad at his parents over the usage of his computer. They had taken his computer rights away," Campbell told the Herald-Leader.
Texas Police Chiefs Oppose Open Carry
Local news reports
Among the more interesting data points – and there were a slew of them – to come out of Thursday’s Senate committee hearing on two high-profile gun bills was a recent survey conducted by the Texas Police Chiefs Association.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, in his testimony, pointed to data that the vast majority Texas police chiefs surveyed opposed open carry of a handgun. He added that if open carry were to pass, a greater majority supported licensed open carry over unlicensed.
That information, at least the first part, didn’t apparently move the Senate committee. The panel voted 7-2 – with only Democrats voting against – to send to the full Senate the bills on so-called campus carry and licensed open carry of handguns.
But given that law enforcement continues to be central to the debate, we wanted to learn more about the survey. And James McLaughlin, executive director of the police chiefs association, on Friday passed along more detail on the six-question survey.
The group recently sent the survey to 800-plus police chiefs – covering municipalities, college campuses, independent school districts and others. Though Acevedo said around 285 responded, a hard copy of the survey results shows a response from 192 chiefs.
Here are the major data points from the survey, which can be seen after the jump:
– Nearly 75 percent opposed open carry in Texas.
– 90 percent said that if open carry passes, a license should be required.
– 94 percent said an openly carried handgun should have to be holstered.
– 71 percent said that holsters should have retention ratings, which help secure the gun.
Report Reveals Extraordinary Risks to Children of Access to Guns in the Home
Brady
Unsafe access to guns in the home is a leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens, according to The Truth About Kids & Guns: 2015, a new report from the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
For example, suicide by firearm increased among American adolescents for the third consecutive year, according to the Brady Center’s analysis of the latest fatal injury data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2013, suicide by firearm claimed 876 lives among adolescents ages 10 to 19, the highest level since 2001.
Research shows that most of these youth suicides (82%) occur with a gun belonging to a family member, usually a parent. The same trend holds true with unintentional shootings and even school shootings. Most involve a gun taken from a parent or family member.
Dan Gross, President of the Brady Center, stated:
“Millions of Americans have a gun in their homes thinking that it makes their family safer, but every day in our nation, dozens of these families learn just how dangerous and tragic that miscalculation can be. The bottom line is, having a gun in the home dramatically increases the danger that a child will be shot and killed.
“This is the third year in a row we’ve seen a rise in the rate of adolescent suicide by gun, and it’s usually a parent’s gun. The same holds true for preventable accidents and school shootings, including the tragedy at Sandy Hook. It’s usually a gun that belonged to a parent or a relative.
“Every day, 48 children are wounded or killed by gunfire. One of the most significant ways we can address this serious public health and safety issue is to educate parents about the risks of unsafe access to guns in the home. Parents are the first line of defense against gun violence, so we all need to realize the risks and take the appropriate steps to make sure our kids do not have unsafe access to guns.”
Unsafe access to guns in the home is a leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens, according to The Truth About Kids & Guns: 2015, a new report from the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
For example, suicide by firearm increased among American adolescents for the third consecutive year, according to the Brady Center’s analysis of the latest fatal injury data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2013, suicide by firearm claimed 876 lives among adolescents ages 10 to 19, the highest level since 2001.
Research shows that most of these youth suicides (82%) occur with a gun belonging to a family member, usually a parent. The same trend holds true with unintentional shootings and even school shootings. Most involve a gun taken from a parent or family member.
Dan Gross, President of the Brady Center, stated:
“Millions of Americans have a gun in their homes thinking that it makes their family safer, but every day in our nation, dozens of these families learn just how dangerous and tragic that miscalculation can be. The bottom line is, having a gun in the home dramatically increases the danger that a child will be shot and killed.
“This is the third year in a row we’ve seen a rise in the rate of adolescent suicide by gun, and it’s usually a parent’s gun. The same holds true for preventable accidents and school shootings, including the tragedy at Sandy Hook. It’s usually a gun that belonged to a parent or a relative.
“Every day, 48 children are wounded or killed by gunfire. One of the most significant ways we can address this serious public health and safety issue is to educate parents about the risks of unsafe access to guns in the home. Parents are the first line of defense against gun violence, so we all need to realize the risks and take the appropriate steps to make sure our kids do not have unsafe access to guns.”
New Jersey Workplace Shooting - 1 Dead, 1 Critical
Local news reports
Authorities have identified the man who shot a co-worker at a Moorestown security firm before fatally shooting himself Monday morning.
Edgar Figueroa, 42, of Philadelphia opened fire on Melvin Nieves, 31, also of Philadelphia.
Figueroa is dead, and Nieves, was shot four times but was conscious when he was airlifted to a hospital, said Moorestown Police Lt. Lee Lieber.
Nieves is in critical condition at Cooper University Hospital, Camden.
The incident unfolded around 7 a.m. between Figueroa and Nieves at Shields Business Solutions.
Police are stlll trying to determine a motive.
Authorities have identified the man who shot a co-worker at a Moorestown security firm before fatally shooting himself Monday morning.
Edgar Figueroa, 42, of Philadelphia opened fire on Melvin Nieves, 31, also of Philadelphia.
Figueroa is dead, and Nieves, was shot four times but was conscious when he was airlifted to a hospital, said Moorestown Police Lt. Lee Lieber.
Nieves is in critical condition at Cooper University Hospital, Camden.
The incident unfolded around 7 a.m. between Figueroa and Nieves at Shields Business Solutions.
Police are stlll trying to determine a motive.
Alaska Mom Drops Gun, It Discharges Hitting 4-Year-old Son - No Charges
Local news reports
A 4-year-old Alaska boy was shot in the leg Saturday when his mother's handgun fell out of its holster and fired.
Alaska State Troopers say they took a call on the incident near WaNN wsilla just before 11:30 a.m.
Medics were treating the boy when they arrived.
Troopers say the family was leaving a pickup when the woman's .357-caliber handgun fell out of its holster, struck the pavement on its hammer and fired.
The shot hit the 4-year-old just above the knee.
The bullet went through the boy's leg and lodged in a building.
The boy was transported by helicopter to Anchorage for treatment.
No one has been charged.
A 4-year-old Alaska boy was shot in the leg Saturday when his mother's handgun fell out of its holster and fired.
Alaska State Troopers say they took a call on the incident near WaNN wsilla just before 11:30 a.m.
Medics were treating the boy when they arrived.
Troopers say the family was leaving a pickup when the woman's .357-caliber handgun fell out of its holster, struck the pavement on its hammer and fired.
The shot hit the 4-year-old just above the knee.
The bullet went through the boy's leg and lodged in a building.
The boy was transported by helicopter to Anchorage for treatment.
No one has been charged.
New York Man Arrested Immediately for Accidently Shooting his 9-Month-old Daughter - Wife Arrested Too
Local news reports
The parents of a 9-month-old baby in East New York were arrested when the infant was accidentally shot, according to police.
Police charged 47-year-old Pedro Rosales with shooting his daughter in their Sutter Avenue apartment about 4 p.m. Saturday when a silver Colt .45 gun in his possession accidentally discharged while cleaning. The baby was struck in the lower abdomen, according to police.
The mother, 24-year-old Jessica Aguilar, was home during the shooting and was arrested as well. Police determined the shooting was an accidental discharge after interviewing Rosales.
He was charged with assault, acting in a manner injurious to a child, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon.
The parents of a 9-month-old baby in East New York were arrested when the infant was accidentally shot, according to police.
Police charged 47-year-old Pedro Rosales with shooting his daughter in their Sutter Avenue apartment about 4 p.m. Saturday when a silver Colt .45 gun in his possession accidentally discharged while cleaning. The baby was struck in the lower abdomen, according to police.
The mother, 24-year-old Jessica Aguilar, was home during the shooting and was arrested as well. Police determined the shooting was an accidental discharge after interviewing Rosales.
He was charged with assault, acting in a manner injurious to a child, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon.
Monday, February 23, 2015
What Led Up to a Deadly Shooting in Arizona (Where Everyone Carries)
Ammoland
The Rite-Aid shooting saga has just resulted in another mistrial for Bernell Benn. In the video (below), Benn is the large black man on the cell phone. Colorado is the white man in white shorts and dark short sleeved shirt.
From the recent article at wavy.com:
Benn has claimed he acted in self-defense during the altercation with Ramon Colorado in which investigators say both men had guns and began shooting at each other.Watching the video, I cannot help but believe that there were many opportunities for both men to break off the encounter and avoid the gunfight that finally ensued. It appears that after the pepper spraying, both men actively sought each other through the aisles of the store.
During a jailhouse interview with WAVY.com after his August 16 arrest, Benn said Colorado jumped ahead of him in line that afternoon.
“I said ‘Excuse me, sir. I’m in line to get my blood pressure medicine.’” said Benn, explaining what he said to Colorado. “[Colorado] said, ‘I’m in line too, bro.’”
Benn said at that point, Colorado pepper-sprayed him. Both of the men reportedly had guns on them and investigators say they shot at each other. They were both injured; Colorado died and Benn was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Louisiana Man Arrested Immediately for Accidentally Killing 13-Year-old
Adonis Forbes of Baton Rouge was booked Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, on a
charge of negligent homicide after police say that while "working on his
handgun," Forbes shot 13-year-old Murrain Hawkins to death in an
incident the Baton Rouge Police Department described as accidental.
(Baton Rouge Parish Prison)
Local news reports
A 13-year-old boy is dead and a 25-year-old father is in custody after what Baton Rouge Police described as an accidental shooting Saturday (Feb. 21).
Adonis Forbes had come to check on the teenager, Murain Hawkins, who was babysitting Forbes' children in the 2000 block of Tennessee Street. Police said Forbes was "working on his handgun" when the firearm discharged, striking Hawkins.
BRPD spokesman Cpl. L'Jean McKneely said Forbes was attempting to render aid to Hawkins when EMS crews arrived. Officers found Hawkins around 9 p.m. with a gunshot to his abdomen.
Paramedics transported the teenager to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Forbes was booked Saturday on a charge of negligent homicide, police said Sunday.
Guns Won’t Stop Rape on Campus and Will Cause Other Problems
The Cavalier Daily
In the latest push for legalizing firearms on campus — something we have previously argued against — lawmakers in at least 10 states are arguing allowing students to carry firearms will protect them against the dangers of sexual assault. This is a veiled attempt at pushing a pro-gun agenda, and demonstrates a complete misunderstanding about sexual assault at colleges on the part of these representatives.
Perhaps the most obvious flaw in the gun lobby’s argument is that allowing campus carry would not exclusively put guns in the hands of potential victims — it would also allow assaulters to legally carry guns on campus. Potential rapists would now have a new tool in their arsenal with which to attack.
But aside from this obvious lapse in logic, the idea that guns would affect rates of sexual assault demonstrates how little legislators understand the fundamentals of sexual assault on campus. College women, according to The New York Times, are typically assaulted by someone they know, making them likely reluctant to use a gun against their attackers. There is also the question of whether individuals will even have access to guns in an instance of assault — would a typical student realistically carry his or her gun to a party?
Even if the answer to that question is yes, this presents its own set of problems. With binge drinking at parties, the chance of gun accidents would be high. John Thrasher, president of Florida State University, is a vocal gun rights supporter who opposes guns on campuses. This is due to the death of a student in 2011 who was shot and killed when another student, showing his friends his rifle, shot the student when he didn’t realize his weapon was loaded. Add alcohol and the general recklessness of a college environment, and the potential for more stories in a similar vein is high.
In the latest push for legalizing firearms on campus — something we have previously argued against — lawmakers in at least 10 states are arguing allowing students to carry firearms will protect them against the dangers of sexual assault. This is a veiled attempt at pushing a pro-gun agenda, and demonstrates a complete misunderstanding about sexual assault at colleges on the part of these representatives.
Perhaps the most obvious flaw in the gun lobby’s argument is that allowing campus carry would not exclusively put guns in the hands of potential victims — it would also allow assaulters to legally carry guns on campus. Potential rapists would now have a new tool in their arsenal with which to attack.
But aside from this obvious lapse in logic, the idea that guns would affect rates of sexual assault demonstrates how little legislators understand the fundamentals of sexual assault on campus. College women, according to The New York Times, are typically assaulted by someone they know, making them likely reluctant to use a gun against their attackers. There is also the question of whether individuals will even have access to guns in an instance of assault — would a typical student realistically carry his or her gun to a party?
Even if the answer to that question is yes, this presents its own set of problems. With binge drinking at parties, the chance of gun accidents would be high. John Thrasher, president of Florida State University, is a vocal gun rights supporter who opposes guns on campuses. This is due to the death of a student in 2011 who was shot and killed when another student, showing his friends his rifle, shot the student when he didn’t realize his weapon was loaded. Add alcohol and the general recklessness of a college environment, and the potential for more stories in a similar vein is high.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
William Dong - Persecuted Good Guy or Dangerous Gun Owner?
William Dong
Ammoland
Just days after the horror at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a 23-year old college student in Connecticut was a victim of another gun-related tragedy.
No guns were fired, no one was physically injured, but even so, a life was ruined. William Dong was licensed in Connecticut to carry a concealed handgun. He worked for an armored car company and, along with being a good student, and hard worker, he was a budding firearm enthusiast.
Like all of us, Dong was deeply disturbed by the atrocity in Newtown and the subsequent media hype surrounding that tragic event. And like many people, especially those near the event, he developed a fear of something like that happening again and being helpless to do anything about it. He was reassured by his own ability to carry and effectively use a handgun, but also wanted to have a good personal-defense carbine. That’s where William Dong made his first mistake; on a trip to Pennsylvania he purchased an AR-style rifle from a private seller.
It’s not illegal to purchase a long gun in another state in a face-to-face transaction, but out-of-state purchases should be made through a licensed dealer.Since the rifle he purchased had a collapsible stock and other “military” features, it was subsequently banned in Connecticut, compounding Dong’s mistake.
Out of concern that a Virginia Tech-style attack could occur at his school, Dong discreetly carried his licensed handgun while attending classes. This was his second mistake. Though Connecticut law does not ban firearms on college campuses, the owner or manager of any property can forbid guns and, unlike most states, where violation of such a prohibition is misdemeanor trespassing, in Connecticut it’s a serious felony punishable by up to 3 years in prison. UNH includes a firearm prohibition in their student code of conduct.
Dong’s third mistake was deciding he was going to take a trip to the range after class one day and putting his rifle and extra ammo in his car in preparation for that range session. He parked the car off campus, and made a point of placing the rifle out of view behind the driver’s seat before walking to class.
A homeless woman saw Dong transferring the rifle to the back seat, and with visions of Sandy Hook dancing in her head, she called the police to report a man with a gun headed toward the campus of UNH. Police and SWAT teams mobilized as Dong hurried to biology class. He was in the middle of a test when the school went into lockdown, and he was peacefully taken into custody a few minutes later.
Dong eventually pled guilty to one count of illegal sale and transfer of an “assault weapon” and two counts of illegal possession of a pistol. He was sentenced to eight years, with supervised release after two if he behaves in prison. Now a felon, he loses his right to firearms for life. He still faces prosecution on federal charges for the way he acquired the rifle.
More Flintlock Persecution in New Jersey
from ssgmarkcr
This has finally surfaced in the big media outlets. I have this vision of Christie doing a face-palm as he reads the morning paper and sees his state making a bigger reputation for itself.
This has finally surfaced in the big media outlets. I have this vision of Christie doing a face-palm as he reads the morning paper and sees his state making a bigger reputation for itself.
"A
retired teacher is facing 10 years in prison and the loss of his state
pension for possessing a flintlock pistol that may not have been fired
since George Washington was alive, his attorney told FoxNews.com on
Wednesday."
“This
is a Queen Anne flintlock, which is a very pretty gun," Nappen said.
"The barrel looks like a cannon and it has a single shot – you have to
actually untwist the barrel to load it – it’s pretty involved to even
attempt to load it. But the craftsmanship is from the 1760s, and it’s
just magnificent to think that every piece of it was handmade.”
But
New Jersey law does not exempt antique firearms, said Nappen, who
recently defended a Pennsylvania single mother who was pulled over just
across the New Jersey border with a registered gun she carried for
protection. In that case,
Nappen helped his client avoid a 3-year mandatory minimum sentence only
after widespread publicity including extensive coverage by Fox News led
the state Attorney General's Office to drop the case."
“One
of the undersheriffs said, ‘Well, let him go, it’s 250 years old,’" Van
Gilder said. "But his boss, who is the sheriff, said, ‘No, we have to
arrest him.’ Next morning, I am sleeping and hear pounding on the door,
and four of them came and took me away with three or four sheriff’s cars
-- I guess they didn’t have anything better to do with taxpayer money.”
“I
was fingerprinted and I was chained by my legs to an ice cold bench.
Apparently there must be a lot of drive-by flintlock shootings in North
Jersey,” he quipped bitterly."
So apparently, the officer on the scene applied some common sense and
said take it home, and then they came for him the next day. Looks like
the Nappen law firm doesn't have to worry about having any lack of
clients in the near future.
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