And the hits just keep on coming in California . . . AB 7 – Another Long Gun Prohibition and Camel’s Nose Under the Tent
When California Governor Jerry Brown cited the importance of “local control” as a reason for vetoing one of the worst anti-gun bills to reach his desk last month, he got a decent head nod from California’s gun retailers. SB 464 would have mandated absurd security requirements on gun stores and Brown’s veto message said “This bill would require additional security enhancements on the premises of all licensed firearms dealers in California. State law already requires that firearms dealers enact security measures to avoid theft. Local jurisdictions can-and have-gone further by adding additional specific requirements. I believe local authorities are in the best position to determine what, if any additional measures are needed in their jurisdictions.”
If anything, Governor Brown is consistent in his inconsistency. Why, then, does he not subscribe to the same philosophy on what “local authorities” can and should do with other gun bills?
Take AB 7 for example. Signed by the Governor just weeks ago, this is a perfect example of a solution in search of a problem.
Another serious crime that was prevented thanks to a firearm . . . Good Samaritan Stops Kidnapping With Gun
On October 5, a vigilant Las Vegas resident, Justin Pearson, noticed a BMW zooming through his neighborhood and abruptly stopping in front of a neighbor’s house where a 6-year-old boy was playing in the front yard. As Pearson watched in horror, the driver quickly hopped out of the vehicle and grabbed the boy.
While the kidnapper’s height was similar to his own (over 6 feet), Pearson could see that the man had a much larger build — Pearson would not be able to take him on pound for pound.
As the Las Vegas Journal Review notes, “Fortunately, Pearson had a trump card — a Heckler & Koch VP9 pistollegally resting on his right hip.”
Mr. Pearson has a concealed carry permit and said he has used his firearm once before. Years ago, he drew his weapon when a would-be robber pulled a knife on his friend. Pearson said, “I quickly drew my firearm, and the kid ran away.”
Thief Steals ATF Agent’s Car Fully Loaded with Multiple Guns
A U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms agent had his car and the guns inside stolen from a popular beach in La Jolla Thursday.
The theft happened in the morning along Black Gold Road near Black’s Beach.
San Diego police told NBC 7 the car was unmarked.
The reason cases like these get attention is due in large part to the Kathryn Steinle murder trial going on in the Bay Area right now.
Wait, isn’t that illegal? . . . Out of Sight: Gun Owners with Violent Pasts Obtain Permits to Carry in Secretive Process
Gun owners in Minnesota denied permits to carry firearms in public because of a history of violent behavior – including domestic abuse, assaultive and suicidal behavior – are able to obtain them anyway by appealing to judges in a secretive court process.
More than 350 gun owners have obtained permits to carry since 2010 after initially being denied by a county sheriff, according to records from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
A KSTP investigation found four of every five permit denials were successfully appealed to a judge or sheriff last year.
Our old friend Garen Wintemute gets more free pub for doing, well, nothing than anyone else we know . . . UC Davis Doctor Believes Medical Field Can Help Curb Gun Violence
UC Davis Doctor Garen Wintemute leads gun violence research and believes medical professionals can play a role in ending gun violence. It was the topic of an article he wrote following the Las Vegas mass shooting, where he asks fellow doctors nationwide to commit to doing their part to end gun violence.
For 35 years, the emergency room doctor has worked to save lives threatened and often taken by gun violence.
Dr. Wintemute said, “If I, as a clinician, want to do the best I can to stop patients from dying from gunshot wounds, I have to keep them from getting shot in the first place.”
A win in the Land of Lincoln . . . Illinois House Shuts Down Bill That Would Tighten Gun Control
The Illinois state House rejected a gun control measure by a vote of 54-48 Thursday, that would have banned bump stocks and other devices that allow guns and rifles to fire ammunition faster.
The bill was brought before the House by Democratic Rep. Marty Moylan in response to the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, according to The Illinois News Network.
Critics felt the bill’s language was too broad and would lead to confusion, making law abiding gun owners into criminals. If passed into law, the bill would have made owning weapons with trigger enhancements a Class 2 felony, carrying a sentence of three to seven years in prison.
