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Bridgeport CT gun owners protesting legal inequality (courtesy wtnh.com)

If you’re new to these parts IGOTD stands for Irresponsible Gun Owner of The Day. TTAG’s IGOTD series provides examples of careless gun handling to remind readers to follow basic gun safety rules. Bridgeport Police Department Officer Juan Santiago earned that honor when he “borrowed” a gun from a friend (?) at Bagel King and triggered a negligent discharge. Many of the commentators underneath our post bitched about the fact that Santiago would get a slap on the wrist, whereas law-abiding gun owners would be arrested, prosecuted, fined and lose their gun rights. Permanently. Meanwhile, out in the real world, Connecticut gun owners protested the BPD’s inaction. [Click here to watch wtnh.com’s news report.] And wouldn’t you know it: the BPD have “handed off” the investigation to the State Police. Watch this space . . .

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28 COMMENTS

    • No law enforcement agency should be afforded the luxury of investigating themselves.
      If criminals were afforded that luxury the prison industrial complex wouldn’t exist.

      What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, except when it comes to gun rights standards.

  2. we applaud you, CT Citizen’s Defense League. Also, Mr. Benedetto’s interview w/ the reporter was very clear and concise.

  3. Whenever impartiality is in question departments hand-off to the State Police, it is the ‘proper’ thing to do. That or the Feds.

    Hopefully it will be more than a slap on the wrist, but I’d be surprised.

    • Be interesting to read the Connecticut State Police’ findings on this incident, being as all parties belong to the same Connecticut Law Enforcement ‘club’.

      A public report will probably be months away to afford time for interest to wane, but please RF do a follow up article on the results if you can so we can see where the chips fall on this double standard issue.

      Most LEO’s handle firearms every day, so the possibility of a negligent discharge may be higher. But since LEOs handle firearms every day they should be more cognizant and habitual in their safe handling skills – one would think.

      I guess safety is as safety does, or conversely complacency is as complacency does. Still, there should be NO double standard; if a non-LEO citizen or resident suffers sanctions for a Neg. Dist., so should a cop. If cops are not held criminally accountable, there should be no criminal sanction when a non-LEO citizen commits a ND either, only civil liability remedies which should be available to any injured party, for what they’re worth.

      • The difference here is that the members of the CCDL are making noise and it will not go away quietly.

        Either we have equal protection under the law, or we don’t.

        • Agreed; and there shouldn’t be any “either – or” to it.

          There should be neither “carve outs” nor “extra burden” on this aspect of our Constitutionally protected right.

      • “Most LEO’s handle firearms every day, so the possibility of a negligent discharge may be higher.”

        While that IS a very logical/sensible statement it makes no difference whatsoever in this context. Gun store employees handle firearms all day every day and aren’t given any “breaks” if an ND happens. I also handle firearms every single day and wouldn’t be given any leeway if I were to have an ND.

        If we are to be held to a set of given standards so should EVERYONE regardless of the uniform.

        • Hey, ShaunL:
          Isn’t that what I stated?

          Maybe you should try reading a comment in its entirety before jumping to the keyboard!

          Or do you need help with reading comprehension?

          Vr.
          Roscoe

        • Maybe they should be held to higher standards being they’re the pros with special carry rights not permitted to others based on who signs the paycheck.

        • “Gun store employees handle firearms all day every day and aren’t given any “breaks” if an ND happens.”

          I know that to be false in a couple cases.

        • Soldiers handle guns all the time too, but if a Soldier has an ND he is pretty much guaranteed to lose rank.

      • @ Keith in TX:

        They may have special carrying rights but I know from 1st hand experience too many are not “pros”, at least when it comes to shooting skills. Some have a large collection of allotted practice ammo to prove that point.

        You find slackers in all fields, and yes, I agree that cops should be held to higher standards..

  4. John Edwards was right. There are two Americas…..

    An America where us Plebeians are subject to the draconian laws our elected leaders force upon us.

    An America where our elected officials believe they are aristocratic and above the law while living on the decadence provided at the tax payers expense.

  5. I have a better idea, change the laws so if you’re a non cop in CT, gotcha laws won’t ruin your life. Then an honest mistake like a hollow point bullet rolling around your trunk doesn’t get you 7 years in Trenton State. NJ reference for the rest of you.

  8. While I agree with their protest, they have to find someone with some PR ability to be the one in front of the camera. That guy’s message came off as rambling and angry.

  9. Isn’t Bridgeport CT. Home to Winchester and other gun manufacturers? You would think those in power would recognize the fact that the only reason for Bridgeport is ‘probably’ because of gun manufacturing over the last 150 plus years.
    That aside good for the gun owners these good ole boy rules need to go away along with the good ole boy Anti’s. This officer needs to lose his job ,be prosecuted ,loose his gun rights forever or the State needs to get it’s head out of it’s ass and start respecting gun owners and their 2nd Amendment RIGHTS!

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