Open Carry Incident.......

Interview with arrested shop owner.

Hear the gun store owner on this radio station phone interview.It is in video format.. Start at 7:50 to miss the intro.



He might make it onto The Daily Show before his 15 minutes of fame run out.
 
Last edited:
Back in December, I was at the Expo in Louisville KY....The entire place was jam packed,
Cheerleader competitions going on with young folks and their parents everywhere,
the annual Christmas Show and Nat'l Gun Day in full swing,
Men and women carrying firearm openly and concealed as well I'm sure, among the milling crowds.

I did not witness the first riot or upheaval of panic....Go figger.

Some folks indulge in inappropriate conduct in public to make a statement or
out of ignorance of the local customs. While others panic at the slightest provocation.

For the other side to preach tolerance from the rooftops...

But, do not choose to tolerate others intolerance :rolleyes::D


That Is All


.
 
One last point: the "in-your-face" attitude that some folks take in these open carry situations. I hope I don't p-off too many folks here, but that's just not helpful. None of us were appointed by anyone to be the point-man in the drive to "get the public and the cops used to seeing guns in the open." You can have every right in the world, but trying to go toe-to-toe with the cops or even "Moms What Be Hatin' Guns" is not going to go well. You may "win" in the end, probably after a protracted and expensive battle, but you'll lose the war in the court of public opinion.

+1^^^ I've met very few OC advocates that didn't display that defiant, in-your-face, "What are you gonna do about it" demeanor. If not up front, it quickly boils to the surface at the whiff of a challenge. The Constitution does allow you to yell FIRE in a crowded theatre, but problems will quickly follow. Wanna OC? By all means, do your thing. Right or wrong, you will attract attention. Personally, I don't need the aggravation.
 
I have been raised in these woods and swamps---I also choose to continue living here.
This was a real piece of work and the guy with the gun was the 2x4. He did NOTHING wrong and I am suprised that he was not bothered by folks asking what he was carrying rather than going into panic.
I see folks on the street walking into gunshops with pistols in their hands and it does not raise a stir.
I agree with one of the first responses here. We got too many folks that bring their prejudices into our state and refuse to conform---go back home folks, we are a happy bunch and you are idiots.
NOW, this/these Cops should be put on parking meter service--they have no clue.
Cuff 'em and stuff 'em is all about being a big ol rough guy with a badge. An old time Sheriff would have found a janitorial job for these boys.
Blessings
 
A little late getting in on this post I know but just want to get my two cents worth in. Here in Tennessee we don't have concealed carry permits as most call them. We have what is called a handgun carry permit which has no stipulations as to how you carry it concealed or open. Although it is OK to carry open why would someone in my opinion want to telegraph his weapon to the bad guys? Much less in a store such as a Walmart etc. where you stand a good chance of scaring the **** out of some folks. I don't even do the gun asso decal stuff on my truck windows. Huntin' hiking or around the house I do sometimes carry open 'cause it's handy. The only reason I can see why someone would do this in a public place is to gather attention. I like to call them Wallyworld gun commandos'. I do miss the good old days when you could carry your huntin' rifle or shotgun on a gun rack in the back window of your pickup without worry it would be stolen or get arrested. Used to be able to carry your latest prize weapon to school and show it off to the guys or your principal out side and nobody gave it a second thought. Oh! Well!
 
As a practical matter, "disturbing the peace" is just about anything that the police think it is. Here in IL someone was arrested and charged with DTP for walking into a college police station wearing an open and EMPTY handgun holster. The receptionist (or whatever title she might have) told the officers that seeing an EMPTY holster made her nervous, so they arrested the guy. Admittedly he was testing the law and protesting the then very rigid anti-gun laws in Illinois, but it shows that you can be arrested and charged for just about anything. While charges ultimately were dropped, I know that his legal costs were substantial (he appealed for financial help from the pro-gun community) and I am sure he "marked" himself as a trouble-maker in the eyes of all local law enforcement agencies. I don't think his protest accomplished anything positive for the pro-gun side, but it did set a precedent for using DTP as an anti-gun catch-all charge.
 
Well since he has a gun store in the mall what IF a person patronizes said store and purchases an unboxed rifle in said store and strolls out of said store through the mall to return to their car or truck with their new rifle. How would that be seen by the mall and the folks in it.

Was it smart no.
Was it legal yes
Did he do a smart thing no


As a Texas resident this is very unnerving seems the anti's are gaining ground everywhere
 
Don't know if it is true or not, but according to the news, Texas is the top destination for people fleeing California. Most are supposedly looking for employment. Lots of Yankees have also moved to our fair state.
 
When I lived in california I bought many guns from the "gunshop". They always would put the gun in a bag even with my vehicle alongside the front door.
 
When I lived in california I bought many guns from the "gunshop". They always would put the gun in a bag even with my vehicle alongside the front door.

The key word here is California;)!!!! Hey, I lived there for over 40 years...............been there; done that; LEFT............:)

But, don't feel special; the local Dick's here in Cedar Rapids walks the gun out the door for you...............hands it to you in the parking lot!! What's with that??? IF I meant to do mischief all I had to do was walk back in the door....some lawyer thing I'm guessing.
 
You know...

If my local PD got a "Man with a gun in the mall" call and they didn't come roaring out prepared for a bad guy instead of a stupid guy, I'd be angry. Especially if it turned out to be a bad guy. Fortunately, this time it was just a stupid guy.

"Just because you can doesn't mean that you should".

It's the world we live in. Quit dreaming and face reality.
 
Here in Illinois I have bought guns from MC Sports. After the state mandated waiting period (one day for long guns, three days for handguns) you can pick up your purchase. But they don't just hand you the gun and let you walk out the door. They put the gun in the bag and walk you out the door, then hand the bag to you. Makes no sense to me. I don't know whether this is just a policy of MC Sports or some arcane requirement here in Illinois.
 
Here in Illinois I have bought guns from MC Sports. After the state mandated waiting period (one day for long guns, three days for handguns) you can pick up your purchase. But they don't just hand you the gun and let you walk out the door. They put the gun in the bag and walk you out the door, then hand the bag to you. Makes no sense to me. I don't know whether this is just a policy of MC Sports or some arcane requirement here in Illinois.

Wal-Mart here does the same thing. I picked up a Ruger 10/22 there several years back and that is how I got it.
 
Harassment "Disturbing the Peace" and "Inciting Panic" charges helped get CCW approved in Ohio. For a long time the FOP fought CCW saying it was not needed in Ohio because open carry was legal. However if anyone open carried they were charged with inciting panic or disturbing the peace. Finally a Judge said that a right denied is not a right in fact. After loosing several law suits municipalities and police departments have decided that at least in this case someone should probably actually be breaking the law before they are charged with a crime. Every now an then a locality forgets that exercising a right is not a crime so we stage open carry walks to remind them.

I've been told that some departments have learned the lesson well enough ($$$$) that when someone phones in a Man With a Gun call they actually ask a few questions before dispatching SWAT. They try to determine if the MWAG is acting in a menacing manner or minding his own business. Though I hope they do a drive by to establish the facts for themselves. Radical idea I know but it seems to be working.
 
Last edited:
This thread reminds me of two gentlemen I saw last year. I was on duty & it was late afternoon. I saw two guys in a fast food parking lot that's located on our main thoroughfare. They were standing by a vehicle. An open rifle case was on the trunk with an AR inside.
I watched them for awhile and it was obvious they were negotiating an Armslist-style sale. I drove up, said hi and made it clear I was only making a consensual contact. I then suggested that while they weren't breaking any laws, not everyone would appreciate what they were doing. For the sake of gun owners they might want to find a less obvious place to handle a similar transaction next time.

Sent from somewhere between the Ohio territory and the neutral zone.
 
I don't believe OCing a long gun in a mall is a smart idea. That being said, I have no problem with open carry, especially pistols. Not everybody has the ideal body to conceal a firearm. Especially in the warmer, more humid months, I rather open carry a pistol than have leather and a gun pressed up against my body. Firearms are tools. God forbid somebody sees you with a holstered pistol on your hip :rolleyes:. As for long guns, I don't find it necessary to walk around with a slung rifle/shotgun on your shoulder, but guess what? It's your right! PA State Troopers have the option of carrying an AR-15 or shotgun in their patrol car. One of the reasons is because their back up can be over 30 minutes away. If that's a good enough excuse for a LEO, then it should be a good enough excuse for a civilian too.

Again, in summary, I think this guy didn't use proper judgement OCing a long gun in the mall. I see no problems at all OCing pistols, and as for OCing long guns, it should be legal but hopefully people will use good judgement. You have to remember...firearms are tools, just like hammers, trucks, and screw drivers. Most people who carry guns aren't going to go on a killing spree.
 
Stupid ? What is he susposed to ? Stick it down his pant's leg and insite every 50 year old cougar and teen-age girl in sight to riot.
C'mon folks -- get some sense. How long and how many times has he done this.
I have nothing but pity for you folks that think what he did was stupid.
Blessings
 
William, it ain't what we think, what you think, or even what the cops think. It's the simple fact that at least one person, for whatever reason, called 911 and complained.
The vast majority of cops have a Rule #2, (right after #1, which is "I will go home in one piece tonight.") That #2 is: "I will NOT get a complaint and/or get fired today." Guess what the best way to get a complaint is? Not doing "something" when someone calls the police. The bosses are ALWAYS second-guessing us on EVERY call. Were you courteous? Why did/didn't you do what the complainant wanted? Where's the report? Why didn't you call a supervisor? On and on...
Now, I can't say that's what happened here - but y'all can't say it didn't. You can apply all the "experiences" and prejudices you want to any encounter with the cops, but I can guarantee you, you probably don't know the half of it.
Welcome to my world: the public either loves you or hates you with no in-between, and the bosses absolutely don't trust you because you might "embarrass" them. Needless to say, I'm counting the minutes until retirement day.
 
Back
Top