Yesterday we told of a nine-year-old boy finding a loaded Glock [not pictured] in a movie theater restroom and his father doing the responsible thing by securing it and calling 911. The police took charge of the weapon and were looking for the owner, possibly to prosecute them. According to Tampa PD mouthpiece Laura McElroy, “We believe that this would meet the standard of willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others, to leave a loaded weapon where a child — and in this case a 9-year-old found the gun — that certainly put others at risk…” Well, that was before they found the gun’s owner…
… and surprise, it’s the personal weapon of a LEO — Detective Luke Hussey, a 13-year veteran of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office, to be specific He said he stopped in the bathroom en route to watch a movie, put the weapon on top of a toilet paper dispenser, then forgot about it and left. It only took him 90 minutes to realize it was missing and to go looking for it.
The Tampa Bay Times reports “The Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday that Hussey is the subject of an administrative investigation that could result in suspension or termination. ” However, “Hussey will not face criminal charges, Tampa police said Tuesday.” So he’ll get a slap on the wrist, or, at the very worst, lose his job for doing something that would have resulted in any of us being thrown under the jail for a large portion of the rest of our life.
Looks like Governor Perry has done more than simply visit Connecticut gun manufacturers, he has actually broken a story! Pictured above, Rick has ferreted out the previously unannounced 7.62×39 version of the Colt LE-901 and even took it for a test drive. I wonder what the chances are that he’ll post a review. . .
Now we know why Joe Biden has an almost unhealthy obsession with gun control (well, other than he’s only capable of processing one thought at a time). It’s his “gut.” In listing reasons the Veep keeps harping on the topic, The Christian Science Monitor states: “expanded background checks remain popular with the public… [but] perhaps the most important, is gut level: The vice president and his boss, the president, have an emotional devotion to this issue.” They also quote Democratic strategist Peter Fenn: “I think there is a certain degree of wanting to fight the fight.” It has become personal – they just can’t stand not getting their way – and (to them) it’s a good political move. So it no longer is, and probably never has really been “about the children”
The Cape Cod Times thinks Massachusetts lawmakers haven’t gone far enough with gun control: “several bills would tighten regulations and close loopholes related to assault weapons… but they fail to address the most significant cause of violent crime on our streets — handguns.” State Senator Dan Wolf agrees with them. “While assault weapons have been used in high-profile tragedies in recent years, it’s the handgun that is the real scourge … and where we should focus our efforts to change public consciousness. Handguns are the weapon of choice for the overwhelming number of deaths in our country — suicides as well as homicides.” If you live in the Bay State, you may want to keep an eye on this before you lose any more of your Second Amendment rights.
Since we seem to be hitting on a lot of things that just aren’t right today, we might as well include this one. Rapper J. Cole got this tweet from an (obviously twisted) fan. TMZ tried to locate where it came from had no success. Incidentally, Cole did retweet the message, so I guess he can chalk up another album sale.
@ “I’ll kill my sister”:
WTF?
Even sadder is that this will be in the girl’s mind forever. I don’t care so much that people screw themselves up, but to basically throw a child away, it’s the saddest thing I see happen too often.
I find this behavior truly shocking; I had no idea that gangstas were aware of the existence of apostrophes.
A thug’s idea of humor with his home boys? Sick/stupid!
What’s old is new, I guess.
Consider the cover of the January 1973 issue of National Lampoon magazine.
…and they think they only people who can be trusted with a firearm are the law enforcement officers…
Everyone makes mistakes, my problem is when we make a mistake we are cuffed and have to go through lengthy and expensive court proceeding, when they make a mistake they get sent to principles office, they make up a story, then say something like “Ok, now, when you go out there, look sad so it make it look like I really gave it to you” and then have a laugh and all is forgiven.
I don’t hate cops, I don’t trust them and I sure wish they would be held to the same standards as they do with gun owners. If I have to be fined or go to jail, they should too. And in many cases, nothing happens. Gun owners sure as hell do not get a free pass, nor should they.
“I sure wish they would be held to the same standards as they do with gun owners.”
Ditto
The fact that they are not held to the same standard makes them inherently more reckless. If speeding landed you with a $10,000 ticket you’d watch your speed much closer than you would if the ticket was $100.
The worst part is that some will say, “if a COP can make a mistake like this, how are we supposed to trust ordinary citizens with guns?” Never realizing the irony of that statement.
They can’t see the irony of supporting a big bureaucratic government that restricts our freedoms at every turn and at the same time calling themselves “liberals”, so yea, they don’t get irony.
Just shaking my head regarding that detective asshat who isn’t going to be prosecuted for leaving, AND forgetting his firearm in the restroom…
“they fail to address the most significant cause of violent crime on our streets…” Absentee parents and the welfare system that encourages them?
Bravo!
You’re an idiot… Making a broad asinine statement like that doesn’t help anyone.
It would be broad and asinine if it wasn’t true.
Stereotypes exist for a reason…..
“Stereotypes exist for a reason…..” Uh huh…so simple minds can process complex ideas.
Good point. Absentee (sperm donors and the hos that allow them access) and the welfare system that encourages them.
That more accurate and make you happy?
I dunno.
The murder rate moves around, but has been about where it is before – and crime in general has been higher. One factor affecting murder these days is of course that it’s harder to pull off; someone with a belly full o’ lead has a better cance today than they did in 1900, so many murders these days don’t come off are are instead classified as attempted murders.
As to the welfare state ad single parents? When “Dad” was an abusive drunk or otherwise degenerate but stuck around, was that any better? We’ve always had bad people with frequently bad spawn, and that they are there to give bad life lessons is no better than they’re being not there. In some cases, it’s likely worse.
A certain percentage of the population has always been sociopathic, taking “sticking it to the Man” beyond the sensible. They frequently idolize or become criminal element – whether gunfighters, bootleggers, crack dealers or what have you.
A rise in bad behavior and knife crie in the 50s can be attributed to WWII veterans with psychological issues taking life out on their kids, and those kids taking it out on everyone.
Add poverty with most escape routs far too narrow for all the would-be escapees, a screwed consumption-based economy in which a bus driver can no longer support a family of four, easy and plentiful money from certain kinds of crime, mass media and entertainment that lauds the ugliest parts of society… It’s not about single moms.
In all seriousness, have any of you been to Mass? Its nothing like the ATL or Oakland or Chicago. Some parts of it are slums, but its not violent.
A violent crime in Mass would be when a Dunkin Donuts employee messes up someone’s coffee order and then the customer jumps the counter. No drive bys, no mass shootings, nothing except for POed Muslims blowing up pressure cookers.
How droll….
I live in mass. Most of the state is not violent, and the cities do not yet have the crime level of atl, Oakland or Chicago, but they are still violent. Dorchester and Roxbury have shootings and murders every week, (read globe or herald) all done by gangstas, brockton and lawrence are on their way there. We have had people murdered for bumping into somone on a scooter, and don’t forget the mattpan massacre.
What about Springfield?
Interesting insights into a complex problem Russ.
I’ve seen some situations so hopeless that it’s difficult to decide what one might do to begin changing it for the better. There is some hellish nexus of poverty and hunger and destitution both material and moral, a confluence of the complete absence of positive examples and paths that don’t lead to nefarious ends that solutions to even immediate problems seem unlikely. There are places where the home is violent and filled with ignorance and parental indifference, immaturity and/or resentment, where addiction is so commonplace that it’s the norm, where school is not a haven from the problems in the home, the street is as bad as either and even the paint on the walls can cause brain damage. Places where dogs and parents are to be feared rather than loved, where both the neighbors and the police are equally frightening and in which children are spared little consideration. These are the places we generally don’t go, unless that is duty calls. Places most Americans won’t go, drive past at speed with the windows up and the doors locked, where you wouldn’t stop even on the fringes and have heard only rumors about the middles of. By and large this is a great nation of plenty, of knowledge and continual improvement, but down in the hell holes life is cheap and everything else seems expensive. I suggest no solution partially because there isn’t any one or two things that would fix the problems, or perhaps even and five or ten. These will have to be dealt with though, in fact, much of what we’re talking about here are individual end user solutions to the larger problems. The immediate problem that arises when a product of those environments is kicking in our door began many years before.
“The murder rate moves around, but has been about where it is before – and crime in general has been higher. ”
Russ, I don’t know what you’re talking about. The murder rate is at a near all-time historical low since the turn of the 20th century and crime in general is also low and has been going down pretty dramatically and very consistently year-over-year since ~1991. Even in these recent years of poor economic conditions, crime rates have been pretty low. That’s all crime. Violent crime rates look more like the murder rates and are also nearly as low as ever during the past 110 years.
Re: the gun in the bathroom and the decision not to pursue criminal charges.
I know I’ve said this before, but “This is my surprised face.” It’s really interesting that we went from criminal charges because “We believe that this would meet the standard of willful and want in disregard and safety of others” to “We’ll look at all the facts, his record, and then once that’s completed a determination will be made on what type of discipline will be issued.”
If it makes you feel any better, he still faces an an administrative review that “could cost him his job.” But not his freedom.
Or his RKBA.
On the plus side its sets a precedent that could be used by us lowly serfs should we ever make a mistake of this magnitude.
Some days, my level of cynicism about government employees is insufficient for the task at hand.
Between the NSA, IRS, State Department and other scandals… and then that whopper of a report that the FBI has never made a bad shoot/no-shoot decision… this is one of those days.
The only way to increase competence in government is to remove the bozos. Citizens need to eliminate government unions, which will then open the door to being able to sack the incompetent.
Does the Senate have a union? Because that would explain a lot.
Yes, and it seems to revolve around a test to insure that the members know jack about the US Constitution before they’re allowed to become members.
I thought that was the majority of voters.
DNC and RNC?
I wonder if any US Senators are Oathkeepers?
http://oathkeepers.org/oath/
Pretty sure it’s actually a Fraternity.
Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Dept. sounds like an old story. When a car accident occurs, if Mom was driving, she wasn’t paying attention. If a teen was driving, they were showing off. If dad was driving, it was unavoidable! Source? Mad Magazine about 50 years ago.
Rick Perry may be a dope, but he’s a Texas dope, and governor at that. Gotta love Texas! If I go to the capital I have to go through a metal detector. Well, not really, see I have a Texas Concealed Carry License. I go around the line and the metal detector, my CCL is confirmed, and me and my heat are free to roam the Texas Capital. Maybe we can get some of them gun laws so we could have more violence in The Great State of Texas!
Missouri’s capital does not have a metal detector . . . . just saying
I thought only congresscritters and their staff were allowed to carry in the Capital Building?
Anyone else notice that the hammer is down in the picture? Meaning the 1911 isn’t hot. The threat is still messed up, but the lack of a loaded gun might indicate that there is less of an immediate homicidal intention. Or it’s a bb gun where the hammer doesn’t cycle.
Or the homicidal maniac is just an idiot. More so than we can already assume, that is.
Nothing funny about either safety violation. Grip doesn’t look fat enough to be a para LDA (hot with hammer down). On the other hand if it was she could probably get three blocks before he finished the trigger pull.
Everyone should have one gun with a horrendous trigger, it’s great for flinch training.
Speaking of which spending the day operating a jackhammer kind of lessens the impulse to flinch. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re local. I even have a half removed brick BBQ you can practice on. But in exchange for all that free flinch training you have to help me paint the fence.
Nice catch! I didn’t see that. My gun(s) or lack thereof don’t have hammers, if I actually did have guns, which I don’t, NSA.
#1 The gun is ALWAYS loaded
#2 ALWAYS point in a safe direction
Do you think the grabbers (who brought you “the shoulder thing that goes up”) will analyze that picture the same way you did?
Not trying to be a di@%, just saying.
I don’t think it’s a justification for the douchebag so much as some hope for everyone else.
Twitchy had a peice on this. The guy that posted it claimed that it was a BB gun and he did get a visit from the police.
Definitely appears to be a BB or toy gun to me. Still not funny though.
And cops wonder why they are hated so much. So many of them go around lurking like sharks ruthlessly hunting down their next victim they can throw catch-all arrestable charges against like disorderly conduct, public intoxication, etc. They’ll throw you to the ground and electrocute you if you innocently and peacefully lay a hand on their shoulder while talking to them.
People are sick and tired of their horrible behavior and beying rewarded for it by being given extra paid vacation, or in the case of Antonio Beuhler, getting an award (Oborski).
Cops don’t get prosecuted because a badge gives you extra rights.
So I leave a gun in a restroom by accident, they’ll charge me and arrest me…an LEO does it and it’s a “mistake”….
It’s like a Tale of Two Cities…
A tale of two strata.
As a detective, he’s probably so used to dropping weapons that he forgot the bathroom wasn’t a crime scene.
Another dumbass LEO.
“Captain Gene: Okay, they returned your shoes, and they returned your weapons. Here you go Terry. Allen……. someone was nice enough to put some linseed oil on that. Dark walnut or something, might want to think about dropping him a thank you note.”
It’s difficult to comprehend the lack of professionalism required to leave your weapon in a toilet stall. First off, unless you’re in full battle rattle a bit of kit that big and heavy ought to be instantly missed. Second, assuming the CIQ (cop in question) didn’t have another comparable or more effective weapon on him he has managed to leave his primary behind and required an hour and a half to realize it. I have to get down to number three to mention that he’s left a potentially dangerous device in a public place.
I’ve had pistols fall out an inopportune times, I have hidden them in my home to the degree that I’ve had difficulty locating them, but I have never even come close to leaving my primary behind anywhere. Frankly I can’t imagine not A. Checking the ride and location of my pistol when I pants up or B. being unaware that I was suddenly minus something the size of a Glock. Then of course there is the double check. Who walks out of a stall like that without looking back to confirm you haven’t dropped your wallet, keys, knife. . .something? (Am I the only one who gains 5lbs by putting on his EDC?)
True that. I miss my FD pager within a couple steps and it is 4oz.
Or they might just get a better holster. My EDC sits right against my calf when my pants are around my ankles, no need to unholster at all. What does fall out all the @#$% time is my knife because I can’t even get it out of my pocket with one hand if I tension the clip enough to hold it that tight.
Award Citation to Read:
“Detective Luke Hussey displayed outstanding courage and forethought by planting a duty weapon in a toilet stall at a local movie theatre. This weapon was then found by a little boy, who turned it in to his father. Det. Hussey’s motivation directly resulted in an arrest (of the father) and suspension from school (for the son). This will give the media further cause to promote our “guns are bad” agenda. Det. Hussey’s actions reflect great credit upon him, the department, our controlling union, and the administration”
Regarding the Tampa PD and the little lost Glock; I am reminded of a story told by an instructor at the (Tampa) Hillsborough Criminal Justice Institute in the Spring of 2004. During our officer survival block the gentleman, who was a deputy with the HCSD, was relating an experience from his first year in uniform. He and several other deputies met for lunch one afternoon at a local diner on the north side of Tampa. After finishing his meal the newly commissioned deputy excused himself and left for the bathroom to contimplate his existence..
Our instructor explained that he hung his duty belt by the hook on the door and proceeded with his business. While sitting there a call came in that required his immediate response. He quickly pulled his pants back up and rushed out the door responding to the radio call. It wasn’t until he got two blocks away that he realized he had no gunbelt.
I doubt the Tampa PD would set any roadblocks up for him, though.
The moral? If a deputy can forget a twenty pound belt a citizen can forget a 20 ounce pistol.
Why do I bring this up? I hate double standards
Thank you for this pointless story that has nothing to do with any of the articles in the post.
Cops who break the law should be prosecuted, same as any other citizen. Plain and simple.
I agree completely and at no point did I say otherwise. In fact, the story was anything but pointless because it indicated that this was hardly the first time that a HCSD deputy had made that mistake. Please read for content next time.
I retold this story because of the cavalier way it was originally related to us and I stated that (like in this example) TPD would have done nothing to the original deputy. I find the way in which uniformed officers are treated differently to be very annoying. Hence the complaint about a double standard.
Please do us all a favor and do not skim people’s responses because you are likely to miss something.
Have any of the AI who live in FL, contacted Laura McElroy, and asked her her take on the story now that the identity of the person who willfully and wantonly disregarded the safety of others, to leave a loaded weapon where a child — and in this case a 9-year-old found the gun — that certainly put others at risk, has been identified?
No, because we don’t want a ton of traffic citations and routine drug searches of our cars.
The only wiseguys the mob tolerates are its own.
How would contacting the reporter, subject you to a ton of traffic citations and drug searches?
Read the post again. She works for the Tampa PD. She’s not a journalist or reporter AFAIK.
Sorry, had to go back up and reread……old age is a bitch!
I know of a similar case in a NC elementary school a teacher friend of mine told me about.
The school resource officer un-holstered his glock while sitting on the porcelain throne in a student bathroom. After finishing, he manages to leave the weapon in the stall. An hour later a teacher found it and returned it to the LEO concealed in a folded newspaper.
I can only assume that being bored to death as school resource officer would cause someone to not notice an empty holster?
No disciplinary action was taken against the officer. True Story.
One thing that most of y’all have missed: the LEO who left his pistol in the toilet probably washed his hands after, well, you know. So give the guy props for hygiene, ‘kay?
So if I leave my heater in the bathroom at the movies all I have to worry about is a suspension from work coupled with and “administrative review”?
Sounds a bit light to me but I’ll take that over a felony.
Biden always goes with his “gut” because it’s closer to his brain.