GUNS IN THE NEWS--January 2, 2004

[MrBenchley]

As CO Liberal sez:
Please try to adhere to the following voluntary guidelines, in order that we can have an orderly discussion of gun-related news topics:
1 - Feel free to add any CURRENT stories to this thread by replying to this message. In order to be considered current, stories should have been originally posted on the Internet within the previous 24 hours, or provide follow-up to a story that was previously posted on the J/PS board. On Mondays (since many people do not log in to DU over the weekend), stories can be posted from Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.
2 - Both pro-gun and anti-gun stories, editorials, and press releases are welcome in this thread, as long as they're current. Please do not post links to items from a few years back that support your position.
3 - Bear in mind that any links to extremely right-wing sites (such as Newsmax, CNS, or the Washington Times) or intentionally pro-gun or pro-control sites (such as the NRA or the Brady Campaign) are not considered reliable sources by many DU-ers. If at all possible, try to find a link for your story from a more mainstream source, such as a general-circulation newspaper or magazine site. If you choose to use a slanted site, be prepared for any negative feedback you may receive.
4 - Do not change story titles. In other words, if the Oskosh Gazette's web site runs a story titled "Two Killed in Holdup", the title of your message should read "Two Killed in Holdup". Don't change it to "Gun Owner Kills Two People", or anything else that changes the meaning of the story.
5 - If it's not clear from the title where the story occurred, add the city, state, or country in parentheses after the title.
6 - Comment on a story by replying to that story.
7 - Please direct your comments to the story, rather than attacking the person posting the story or any person responding to the story. In accordance with DU rules, any messages that appear to be personal attacks against another DU-er or violations of any other DU rule will be reported to the moderators.
8 - If you object to these guidelines, do everyone else a favor and go to another thread.

[MrBenchley]

1. Man Accused Of Shooting Into Vehicles (FL)

"Kenneth Benn was charged with aggravated assault and is being held on $500,000 bond.
Police surrounded the house where they believe Benn was located, but he was apparently gone by the time they got to the house. He surrendered shortly after that.
According to the police report, Benn was being sought for shooting into two cars and a truck with an assault rifle on Wednesday. Shell casings from an assault weapon were recovered from the vehicles. "

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20040101/lo_wjxt/1940351

[demsrule4life]

2. Store shooting ruled self-defense

A store clerk will not be charged with killing a customer because he was acting in self-defense, said 5th Circuit Deputy Solicitor John Meadors.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/7611095.htm

[MrBenchley]

3. Indiana County Woman Shot Just Before New Year (PA)

"State police and the Indiana County Coroner's Office are investigating a shooting on Manor Road in Clymer on New Year's Eve.
According to police, Dennis Michael Keith, 47, was loading a hunting rifle in his kitchen shortly before midnight when the gun discharged. The bullet went through the kitchen ceiling and into a bedroom above, striking his girlfriend. Diana Gay Smith, 44, was transported to Indiana Regional Medical Center, where she died a short time later. "

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20040101/lo_wtae/1940392

[demsrule4life]

4. Wilmette Homeowner Won't Be charged For Violating Gun Ban

Update from a post on guns in the news on 31 Dec

WILMETTE, Ill. -- Wilmette police say a homeowner who shot an intruder during a break-in will not be charged with violating the affluent Chicago suburb's handgun ban.
http://www.nbc5.com/news/2736699/detail.html?z=dp&dpswid=2265994&dppid=65172

[MrSandman]

16. Minding his business at home,

Victim of a home invasion, and worried whether he will be prosecuted for owning the means of resisting. Very sad.

[MrBenchley]

5. Teen Injured In Hill District Shooting (PA)

"Detectives are searching for the person who ambushed and shot a teenager in the Hill District Thursday night.
According to police, the 15-year-old was shot in the back as he walked along a dirt trail behind Chauncey Drive in Bedford Dwellings around 8:30 p.m. "

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20040102/lo_wtae/1940608

[MrBenchley]

6. Man kills wife, another man, self (TX)

"FORT WORTH - A man fatally shot his estranged wife and another man, and seriously injured his wife's daughter, Wednesday evening before turning the gun on himself inside a northwest Fort Worth duplex, police said.
The daughter ran bleeding from the residence in the 4500 block of Ebbtide Court right after the shots rang out, neighbors said. She had two young children with her.
"Everyone was yelling: 'Get your kids inside! Get your kids inside!'" neighbor Sharon Short said, crying in her driveway. "Nobody knew what was happening."
Investigators think the gunman arrived at the home and started shooting just after 6 p.m., said Lt. Jesse Hernandez, a police spokesman.
The slain woman and man were found inside, he said. The gunman apparently chased the wounded woman and the children down the street before going back into the duplex and killing himself."

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/7612858.htm

[MrBenchley]

7. Gary poised to lead homicide rate

"GARY, Ind. -- Gary apparently finished 2003 with the nation's highest per capita homicide rate for the ninth straight year, according to police statistics.
Police in the northwestern Indiana city of 103,000 investigated 69 suspicious deaths, 68 of which have been classified as homicides. That total was about 10 percent higher than the 62 in 2002, but down substantially from the 132 people killed in 1995, the Post-Tribune of Merrillville reported today.
Based on information from police in major U.S. cities, Gary was poised again to post the highest per capita homicide rate for cities with population of more than 100,000, the newspaper reported.
"As sad as it is to see this many homicides, the number could be much worse, especially when you look at the number of shootings we've had," said detective Sgt. Thomas Branson, who heads Gary's homicide squad. At least 400 people were shot during the year, he said."

http://www.indystar.com/articles/3/107832-3883-093.html

You might recall, Gary is also suing the corrupt gun industry...which is desperately trying to engineer immunity frrom liability for itself in Congress.

[demsrule4life]

8. Like always a killer is not responsible

but the "corrupt gun industry".

[MrBenchley]

9. Who are you trying to kid, dems?

Are you pretending that the criminals are not being prosecuted too?

Or are you just trying to argue that the scumbags who armed them in the first place should go scot-free?

[demsrule4life]

10. Yep I remeber the days

when I worked in Gary, used to jog home everyday from work and observed all the gun companys selling guns on the street corners.

[the_acid_one]

15. LOL dems!

[MrSandman]

18. Hey, I hadn't heard this before...

"Are you pretending that the criminals are not being prosecuted too?"

I didn't know firearms manufacturers were being prosecuted...persecuted, yes...


"Or are you just trying to argue that the scumbags who armed them in the first place should go scot-free?"

Not if they broke any laws...

[MrBenchley]

11. 2 men fatally shot on west side, becoming city's first homicides of year

"Baltimore rapidly recorded two homicides early yesterday, soon after the city's deadliest year since 1999 came to a close.
Sylvester McLaughlin, 30, of the 3600 bock of Campfield Road in the city became the first homicide victim of the year when he was pronounced dead at 1:18 a.m. at Maryland Shock Trauma Center. He had been shot at a convenience store at 3204 Hollins Ferry Road in West Baltimore several hours earlier.
In the second killing, a police officer on patrol in West Baltimore heard gunshots at 1:58 a.m. and soon came upon a 2004 Ford Excursion in the 4100 block of Woodhaven Ave. that had hit several parked vehicles.
The driver was slumped over the steering wheel and had been shot several times. The rear wheels of the sport utility vehicle were spinning.
Baltimore had 271 killings last year, the first time since Mayor Martin O'Malley took office that the number of homicides increased. It was the highest total since 1999, when 305 homicides were recorded."

http://www.sunspot.net/news/yahoo/bal-md.slay02jan02,0,5748718.story?coll=bal-newsaol-headlines

[MrBenchley]

12. Murders up 20% in Phila. in 2003

"And the new year was barely an hour old yesterday when Michael English, 28, of West Philadelphia, who was attending the annual neighborhood New Year's Eve party at a Parkside bar, became the city's first homicide victim of 2004.
He was joined a few hours later by 20-year-old Juan Reyes, shot to death in his North Philadelphia living room.
Three nights ago, on a quiet street once known for its neighborhood block parties, 18-year-old Raymond McNatt became the last homicide victim of 2003, at the hand of his cousin, 20-year-old Tiyone McNatt, who then turned the gun on himself in what police called a murder-suicide.
Across the Schuylkill yesterday, at the edge of the city's Parkside Historic District, Jerry Fokas, a restaurant and bar owner, said the shooting death of English early yesterday was the first killing in the bar since Fokas' father opened it in 1968."

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/7615468.htm

[MrBenchley]

13. Woman slain in Allentown tavern

"A dedicated barmaid was shot and killed inside an Allentown bar by a Pen Argyl patron who fired wildly into the crowd and was then chased and tackled by other patrons, witnesses and police said Thursday.
The shooting at the L.A. Bar — minutes into the new year — devastated Veronica Gyles' friends and co-workers, who put up a makeshift shrine in her memory and delayed the opening of one of the restaurants where she worked.
Samuel McNeil, 33, of 119 W. Main St., Pen Argyl, is charged with homicide and a dozen counts of reckless endangerment for firing several shots from a semiautomatic pistol inside the bar as he was being escorted outside to Seventh and Allen streets shortly before 12:20 a.m. Thursday, Allentown police said."

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a1_5homicidejan02,0,213951.story?coll=all-aol-yahoo-nws-hed

[MrBenchley]

14. Man Arrested in New Year's Murder (TX)

"Austin police arrested and charged a 71 year old man for shooting his neighbor to death just minutes into the new year. Detectives say Pete Terrazas used a shotgun to kill the 62 year old victim in the 900 block of Fiesta Street in East Austin. The shooting happened in the victim's yard at about 12:15 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene at short time later."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=382&ncid=382&e=3&u=/keye/20040101/lo_keye/manarrestedinnewyearsmurder

[RoeBear]

17. I propose changing the name of "Guns in the News"...

...to: "Oh My God! Something bad happened today in a country of 290 Million people"

[RoeBear]

19. As an alternative, how about...

..."Guns in the Nude"?

A google search got just 4 hits though.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22guns+in+the+nude%22

[CO Liberal]

21. Or How About This?

"The Truth That Makes Pro-Gunners Squirm".

[RoeBear]

23. Zing...

...you got me.

TTYL-Gotta go squirm now.

[MrBenchley]

24. They sure spend enough time bitching about it

It don't bother them that people get gunned down...as long as it happens in silence.

[the_acid_one]

25. And it doesnt bother people like Feinstein...

...to exploit people getting gunned down.

Ms Feinstein had an article on her website shortly after a workplace shooting at some plant (Cant remember which)

Ms Feinstein then went on to say that even though the killer didnt use an assault weapon, he could have, (He used a pump action shotgun) and that this massacre underscores the need to renew the assault weapons ban.

The entire article consisted of one paragraph of condolences, and then 10 more of her pimping for the obviously ineffective assault weapons ban.

I wonder if she even feels bad about chasing down tragedys like some kind of personal injury lawyer after ambulances.

And even when the tragedy doesnt involve the firearms Ms Feinstein has made her political career on, thats ok, because it COULD have.

[MrBenchley]

28. Why should it?

She hasn't spent her time pimping for the corrupt gun industry. Or for assault weapons.

[MrSandman]

37. A politician can

be disingenuous if his/her cause is Just?

[the_acid_one]

38. As I said.

She's the political equivilent of an ambulance chaser.

Pro-gun people never want to see tragedys happen. It seems to me that a great deal of anti's not only hope for tragedy, but indeed, hope that tragedy includes the meanest looking weapon possible.

If a criminal kills 5 people with a machete, you wont hear word one for "machete control". If a criminal is even found to be in possession of something so impotent as a Tec-22, let alone uses it to even injure someone, you can bet on a slew of newspaper editorials and Letters to the Editor calling for the ban of anything more potent then a six shooter or a lever action rifle.

I'm sorry but with such jewels as "We need to start calling things like mini-14's machine guns, even if they're not" and "I hope it's another bushmaster" I seriously question the feigned sorrow and empty condolences of some "gun control proponents".

[Wcross]

39. Yeah- see the "guns in the news" threads.......

We get it, we don't really care. Trotting out EVERY criminal mis-use of firearms every day won't convince me to surrender my right to keep and bear arms. Remember, criminals are not obligated to obey the law.

[CO Liberal]

40. And Crying The Blues About Your "Rights".....

...will never convince me that gun control is a bad idea.

[MrBenchley]

41. Especially when those cries

are based on grotesque misrepresentations of the law and history.

[MrBenchley]

42. Sez you

But then who was it here cheerleading for freepers the other day?

[the_acid_one]

26. What truth is that?

Guns shoot? Bullets hurt?

I never would have guessed....I for one am certainly squirming. I really hope no one finds out that guns are a weapon!

[MrBenchley]

20. Woman Shot Leaving Church Dance (TX)

"A woman leaving a church dance in northeast Houston was shot in the chest as she walked to her car early Thursday morning.
Witnesses told officials the victim, Maria Sanchez, was shot in the chest as she left a dance at the Church of Latter Day Saints located on Melbourne. "

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20040102/lo_kprc/1940854

[RoeBear]

22. This couldn't have happened...

...guns aren't allowed at churchs.

[SmokingLoon]

27. I didn't know Mormons danced?!?!? eom

[MrBenchley]

32. Do we really have to list all the things

the RKBA crowd doesn't know?

"The Mormon Church . . . has a history of vigorous participation in dance. From its beginning with founder Joseph Smith in 1839 and in the contemporary Mormon Church today, the amount of dance evident in Mormon culture caused a Time magazine reporter to call the church the "dancingest denomination." "

http://www.byu.edu/fc/ee/q_pe_d.htm

[RoeBear]

34. I dare to compare...

...the dancing at my Baptist church to their LDS.

[MrBenchley]

29. News in brief from central Pennsylvania

"A 21-year-old woman was shot to death and her live-in boyfriend was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the hand early Thursday morning, state police said.
Authorities did not say who had shot whom. It was not immediately clear whether any of the gunshot wounds were self-inflicted.
Tiffany Zimmerman, 21, of Pine Creek Township, died around 12:55 a.m., about an hour after she was reportedly shot twice in the abdomen and chest."

And...

"LEBANON, Pa. (AP) _ Authorities were investigating the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man in the parking lot of a food store.
Police used metal detectors and blocked off the Foodkart parking lot Thursday to search for evidence in the murder of Davis Alvarez, who was pronounced dead earlier that morning."


http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10742225&BRD=2212&PAG=461&dept_id=465812&rfi=6

[MrBenchley]

30. President Bush Hunts Quail In South Texas

Lest we forget the gun rights crowd's favorite president ever....

"resident Bush shot quail on a South Texas hunting trip on New Year's Day, but he ate beef. Bush encouraged all Americans to eat beef despite concern over mad cow disease. Bush went hunting with his father, former President George Bush of Houston. The resident later said he thinks he shot five birds during the outing near Falfurrias."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/keye/20040102/lo_keye/presidentbushhuntsquailinsouthtexas

Mad Cow disease don't frighten Chimpy....his brain turned to sponge long ago.

[MrBenchley]

31. Police: Celebratory Gunfire Kills New Year's Eve Reveler (TX)

"The shooting death of a woman in southeast Houston on New Year's Eve might have been the result of celebratory gunfire.
Patrol officers responded to the 7100 block of Avenue O around 11 p.m. Wednesday night where a New Year's Eve party was being held.
Witnesses said the victim, 18-year-old Ashley Briller, walked out of the home's back door when a person at the party fired a shot in the air.
Officials said the victim was struck in the shoulder. Briller was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. "

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ibsys/20040102/lo_kprc/1940898&e=3

[MrBenchley]

33. Police Identify Nite City Shooting Suspect (WI)

"Town of Madison police are looking for Shandrell Evans in connection to the deadly Nite City Nightclub shooting early Saturday.
Evans, 28, of Madison, also goes by the alias of "Murder" or "DN." He has a tattoo on his right forearm and is about 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds.
Town of Madison police say he is dangerous and is known to carry a gun.
Timothy Wooten, 25, a Nite City bouncer, was shot and killed early Saturday. Another bouncer was shot in the arm. Both were standing inside the club when the shots were fired from the outside through the door. Wooten was a newlywed and father of four. "

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=300&ncid=300&e=3&u=/ibsys/20040102/lo_wisc/1940691

[MrBenchley]

35. Man Collapses, Dies In Local Street After Shooting (OH)

"What appears to be Cincinnati's first homicide of the year happened Friday afternoon on a local street.
A man was shot near the intersection of Liberty and Republic streets in Over-the-Rhine at about 3:30 p.m., WLWT Eyewitness News 5 reported.
The victim collapsed in the middle of Liberty Street and was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was not immediately released.
Several streets in the area remain closed while police investigate. "

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20040102/lo_wlwt/1941214

[MrBenchley]

36. Officer, reveler hurt in shooting (MD)

"A Baltimore police officer was shot in the hip early yesterday after trying to stop a reveler from firing a handgun in a misbegotten New Year's Eve celebration in East Baltimore.
The suspect was shot in the shin during an exchange of bullets after police asked the man to drop his weapon, police said. The officer and the gunman were treated at Maryland Shock Trauma Center, and neither man's wounds appeared to be life-threatening.
Between 7 p.m. Wednesday and 3 a.m. yesterday, police received more than 200 calls about gunshots fired. Forty-five guns were seized, and 33 people were arrested on gun-related charges, said patrol Chief Carl Gutberlet.
New Year's Eve gunfire has been a perennial problem in Baltimore, with authorities frequently expressing concern about the risks. "

http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/crime/bal-md.shoot02jan02,0,6160556.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

[Moderator]

43. locking--this is so last week

:-)