Lawful New York Gun Owners Acting Recklessly

[mikeb302000]

Local news reports

Rome Police announce that two men have been arrested following an accidental shooting at a business that came dangerously close to hitting a customer. According to authorities, 56-year-old Ricky J. Hoke and 45-year-old Edward F. Lemmon Jr. are now facing reckless endangerment charges.

While at Hoke's business, Hoke Auto Sales on Erie Boulevard, he was showing Lemmon a recently purchased handgun around 9:30 a.m. Hoke handed Lemmon the weapon, who pointed the gun at the office wall and pulled the trigger, authorities describe.

Law enforcement officials say the bullet passed through the wall into the parking lot, passing through the sleeve and stomach area of a customer's coat. The male customer was not injured.

Rome Police Detective Commander Timothy Bates said the men removed the magazine from the gun but were unaware of a bullet in a chamber. The weapon, which was determined to have been possessed legally, has been secured by police.

First of all, this story goes against all the nonsense we've heard about New York being a de facto gun free zone. Only celebrities and politicians, we're continually told, can own guns legally. Obviously this is not the case.

Secondly, this story goes against the idea that gun owners are, for the most part, responsible and intelligent enough to safely manage their weapons. In fact, the propaganda goes, we're all better off because of them. Obviously that's just not the case either.

One thing I will say about New York is this, as opposed to, say, Indiana or Florida, one mistake like this and you can probably forget about owning guns again in the future. At least I hope that's the case.

Can someone please explain how it's possible for a gun owner to remove the magazine and not consider the fact that there might be a round in the chamber? We read about this quite frequently as the explanation for an unintentional discharges. But, I still don't get it. Are these people that stupid?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Cross posted at Mikeb302000

[ileus]

2. Guns and ammo in the hands of civilians is a bad thing.

[disidoro01]

3. The problem

is the reluctance to take guns away from criminals. It is easy to make guns illegal but that takes them out of the hands of many safe gun owners. It is too easy to illegally have a gun and it is too easy for criminals to get guns. I have not seen any plan to take guns out of the hands of criminlas. Making them illegal simply removes them from the hands of those who would not use them to harm others.

[mikeb302000]

14. Well, you're just not thinking it through

Consider this. ALL guns in criminal hands right now started out the legal property of some lawful gun owner somewhere. Through just a handful of means they flow easily into the criminal world. With proper restrictions on gun ownership, amounting to little more than minor inconvenience to the lawful guys, this could be largely stopped.

But the lawful gun owners led by the NRA and encouraged by the gun manufacturers don't want that.

[trouble.smith]

21. historically, they're much worse in the hands of non-civilians

their accumulated body count is beyond counting and growing daily. Guns belong in the hands of civilians as much if not more so than in the hands of government enforcers. and as far as this post goes, cops are constantly having accidental discharges and are regularly killing innocent people. Where's the outrage? I guess that doesn't fit the narrative?

[Starboard Tack]

35. Guns and ammo in the hands of idiots is a bad thing. Fixed it.

[gejohnston]

4. New York state and NYC have different laws

First of all, this story goes against all the nonsense we've heard about New York being a de facto gun free zone. Only celebrities and politicians, we're continually told, can own guns legally. Obviously this is not the case.

You are confusing gun ownership in New York state with unrestricted concealed carry in NYC, big difference.

Secondly, this story goes against the idea that gun owners are, for the most part, responsible and intelligent enough to safely manage their weapons. In fact, the propaganda goes, we're all better off because of them. Obviously that's just not the case either.

No it doesn't. This is one out of millions.

One thing I will say about New York is this, as opposed to, say, Indiana or Florida, one mistake like this and you can probably forget about owning guns again in the future. At least I hope that's the case

If reckless endangerment is a felony in NY, and he is convicted of it, that isn't true either.

Can someone please explain how it's possible for a gun owner to remove the magazine and not consider the fact that there might be a round in the chamber? We read about this quite frequently as the explanation for an unintentional discharges. But, I still don't get it. Are these people that stupid?

He may have assumed the gun had a magazine safety, but he violated one of the major safety rules, and he didn't read the owner's manual.

[friendly_iconoclast]

11. Perhaps his 'confusion' between the state of New York and NY City isn't actually confusion...

[mikeb302000]

15. I'm not confusing anything

guys on your side of the argument, who exaggerate to the point of lying, often say NY has such strict regulations that it's a de facto gun free zone. This came up in the Empire State shooting last month.

It's "one out of millions" you say? You mean this is the only, singular, unique incident of its kind out of the millions.

What you said about reckless endangerment in NY doesn't even make sense. My point is in NY they take this shit more seriously than they do in Florida, to name just one backward gun-loving state.

Finally, what are you doing, excusing his behavior or condemning it for violating the rules. Make up your mind.

[gejohnston]

19. actually you are

No, we are talking about NYC, and that is no exaggeration.

Yes

Actually it it does. If it is a felony in NY, and he is convicted of it, it becomes a federal crime for him to possess any gun anywhere in the US for life.

Please explain how I'm excusing his behavior

[Berserker]

5. What a way to start the day

Spamcakes

1 can Spam, diced

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

½ cup milk

Pancake mix

Mix the spam, soup and milk in a saucepan and heat until warm. Make pancakes according to package directions. Top each pancake with some of the creamed Spam mixture.
http://www.madisonmagazine.com/Blogs/Small-Dishes/January-2011/Worst-Recipes/

[GreenStormCloud]

6. Meanwhile, millions of New York State legal gunowners ...

...continued to have perfect safety records.

[Clames]

7. Mikey defies the laws of mathematics and common sense with his power of extrapolation.

n/t

[Eleanors38]

9. Theres gotta be a caped figure costume in this. Nt

[mikeb302000]

16. Yeah

I say there are too many fuck-ups among you lawful gun owners.

[glacierbay]

24. Then petition your Congresscritter.........

Oh, wait............................................................................................

[friendly_iconoclast]

28. So what are *you* actually doing about it, besides blogging?

Frankly, you're just another slacktivist amidst a dwindling herd, the gun control closed-information feedback loop notwithstanding.

Doing the Ward Churchill "the Man's keeping me down!" schtick undoubtedly goes over well in certain circles, but it doesn't actually achieve anything...

[Remmah2]

29. The sum of all fears.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=attention%20whore

I heard an urban legend that this behavior does exist out there.

[Remmah2]

8. NY state anti-gun laws play a part in the incompetence of the shooters.

As per NY penal law as part of the pre-permitting process, applicants are not permitted to shoot firearms thus live fire on the range is also not permitted. This is a shining example of NY's reasonable anti-gun laws. Once the permit is granted, even then, hands on proficiency training is not required. Apparently the "reasonable gun laws" as provided by the state legislature have failed and thus set up people who want to be responsible firearms owners for failure.


"First of all, this story goes against all the nonsense we've heard about New York being a de facto gun free zone. Only celebrities and politicians, we're continually told, can own guns legally. Obviously this is not the case."

Obviously this is incorrect and 100% wrong , but this is just another case of anti-gun fanatics being misinformed and being perpetually wrong. Are anti-gun fanatics interested in the truth? I don't believe so because corrections are never made and research is half assed and never undertaken.

[4th law of robotics]

10. Wow, it takes one incident for you to label tens of millions as irresponsible and stupid?

What do you think of muslims?


Also would you accept stories of shootings in gun free zones as proof that gun free zones do not work?

[friendly_iconoclast]

12. Now, there's two inconvenient questions that will never be answered!

[mikeb302000]

17. Did I say "tens of millions are irresponsible?"

No, which means you just make shit up, attribute it to me and then argue against that as if I really did say it.

I suppose you do that because your argument is so strong and obvious that I'm the one who's wrong.

[4th law of robotics]

25. You said:

Secondly, this story goes against the idea that gun owners are, for the most part, responsible and intelligent enough to safely manage their weapons. In fact, the propaganda goes, we're all better off because of them. Obviously that's just not the case either.

There are about 200 million gun owners. For the "most part" would imply more than half. So let's say 101 million.

That's quite a few that are too irresponsible and stupid to own guns according to your argument.

[Glaug-Eldare]

13. Carry permits in New York

[IMG][/IMG]

Light green counties are effectively "shall-issue," and issue handgun permits to all qualified applicants

Yellow counties will issue handgun permits to qualified applicants with special need, e.g. sensitive employment, death threats

Red counties will not issue handgun permits at all, or not without political connections.

[mikeb302000]

18. I like that map.

Would you send a link to it?

[Glaug-Eldare]

20. Sure!

Big one's here, and the project lives at MD Shooters.

[IMG][/IMG]

In case you can't read the fine print:

Note: MA town laws too numerous to display; prevailing policy in county shown

This map is not guaranteed to be accurate. Information shown here may be out-of-date, inaccurate, or incomplete. You are responsible for learning the laws of your jurisdiction, and any jurisdiction in which you intend to carry a firearm.

County map by U.S. Census Bureau
CA info from CalCCW.com
MA info from TYPEO1313 and eric_07 at northeastshooters.com
NY info from davejensen at nyfirearms.com
Other state information from 2ADems.com

[holdencaufield]

22. That's a whole lot o' freedom

[Reasonable_Argument]

26. Damn

That just shows you how much influence Chicago has over Illnois politics.

[Straw Man]

30. Um ... not so fast.

Yellow counties will issue handgun permits to qualified applicants with special need, e.g. sensitive employment, death threats

My county is yellow on that map. I have a full-carry permit, but I don't fit either one of those profiles. The decision is essentially up to the issuing judge.

[Glaug-Eldare]

31. Good illustration of the problem

Without preemption, your civil rights depend on your ZIP code. Without objective standards, they depend on the whims of bureaucrats.

Which county, by the way? If your experience is the norm there, I'd like to recolor it.

[slackmaster]

23. Basic gun safety should be taught in public schools

Can someone please explain how it's possible for a gun owner to remove the magazine and not consider the fact that there might be a round in the chamber?

The problem is that too many kids are growing up in gun-ignorant households. Every high school graduate should know how to safely unload a semiautomatic rifle, pistol, or shotgun.

[bongbong]

27. Guns!

Guns, according to the Delicate Flowers in the DU Gun Lobby, are safer than mother's milk multiplied by rainbow unicorns.

Thus, this incident must NOT have happened. You'll have to, in the words of the Delicate Flowers, "PROVE IT!"

Where's the video? Huh? Huh? You librals are always trying to attack the beloved Precious!

[mikeb302000]

33. I enjoyed that. n.t.

[glacierbay]

34. Why would you enjoy a non sensical statement?

Is it because you two are like two peas in a.......................Oh, never mind.

[former-republican]

32. here you go