Here's a disturbing story

[Duer 157099]

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/When-the-homeless-may-not-be-harmless-3742201.php

When the homeless may not be harmless

If you live in San Francisco you've had one of these encounters: Someone starts ranting as you walk past. Most of us just ignore them. After all, they're harmless.

But Capt. Greg Corrales at the Park Station reminds us that it isn't always that simple. His officers recently made a chilling discovery when they searched the car of a homeless man in Golden Gate Park.

Robert Johns was on their radar, and when they searched his vehicle they found a sawed-off shotgun, a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, 14 knives and more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition, police said.

"The camouflage clothing and survivalist gear isn't illegal," said Officer Elizabeth Prillinger. But as she wrote in her report, "the totality of the circumstances ... suggests that Johns may be preparing to engage in some violent act of unknown dimension."

Disturbing to me that apparently if you own those things *but aren't homeless* then it is perfectly normal. But if you are homeless and keep your weapons in your car (home) then suddenly you are a huge threat.

[Ezlivin]

1. They become auto weapons

Which are much more dangerous than non-auto weapons.

I guess that's their reasoning.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

2. um...that's not what the article is saying

i would agree with your premise were it not for the fact that apparently the person in question in your snippet has been ranting wildly and for little apparent reason...

sP

[Duer 157099]

3. I understand. But even without that part

the implication is still there and is still clear.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

5. i disagree

but can see where you would get that impression by the general mood toward the homeless among police and city officials. this article simply focuses on the troubled Johns character and his weapons. the article title is a bit shitty, though.

once again...all of this sort seems to lead back to a complete lack of mental healthcare or the stigma that entails...

sP

[Duer 157099]

7. Yes, it was the title that pissed me off the most

The title of course sets the tone for the whole article and that was what I was responding to.

Plus the fact that there seems to be a distinction between where one keeps their arsenal, whether in a house or a car. For the homeless, their car *is* their house.

[tawadi]

4. The suspect claiming that he "cut his own umbilical cord" was disturbing too. eom

[lunatica]

6. You think that a person with a home who rants at passing people wouldn't end up on police radar?

And the police would think it's perfectly OK to find those weapons in the ranter's house and not consider the ranter dangerous?

[onethatcares]

8. meanwhile, there are people

with millions of rounds of ammuntion and uncounted weaponry that post rants from the comfortable confines of their
living rooms.

The police don't check them out.

I'm torn on this matter of Robert Johns. The sawed off is a definite no-no, the rest,if they weren't stolen or obtained illegaly, ..............................................that's where the being torn comes in.

[randome]

9. You have a point but cars are not safe lockups for weaponry.

So there is that difference.