Rifle Confiscated

[7shooter]

Fox News website is reporting that the St. Louis couple that defended their home and themselves from the angry mob has been served with a search warrant and his rifle was confiscated. So far no charges have been filed.
Does anyone know what that was about ?

 

[Breakaway500]

They probably want to interrogate the rifle..

 

[s&wchad]

Sound like the press and the DA are signaling to the rioters that the couple is now unarmed. If I were in their shoes, I'd do three things...
- Hire an attorney and file suit against the City, the Mayor and the DA.
- Buy another rifle ASAP.
- Get an insurance rider to cover rioting/terrorism.

Then I'd move somewhere my tax dollars were used in a responsible manner.

 

[Old_Cop]

I hear the clicking of Madam Defarge's knitting needles.

 

[Babysitr]

I have an opinion, but, it involves Stl. politics and Kim Gardner...We had all better pay attention to all this!

 

[G-Mac]

Fox News website is reporting that the St. Louis couple that defended their home and themselves from the angry mob has been served with a search warrant and his rifle was confiscated. So far no charges have been filed.
Does anyone know what that was about ?

Just the rifle? Not her handgun? You'd think they would take everything involved. Not that I think they should have....other than they both need firearms training.

 

[326MOD10]

If they didn't take the handgun that would be strange but maybe that doesn't make the story as exciting.

My guess is if they are going to charge them they took it for evidence.

That would be normal regardless of how you feel about the topic at hand.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

The video I saw on this made me think they were a couple looking for
attention more than fearing for their safety/life. First of all if I were
fearing for my life I would be behind some cover not standing out
front waving guns around and the wife with one hand on her hip.
Of course I was not there and don't know what they perceived as
to the threat. But I thought some strange behavior.

 

[Kurusu]

Sound like the press and the DA are signaling to the rioters that the couple is now unarmed. If I were in their shoes, I'd do three things...
- Hire an attorney and file suit against the City, the Mayor and the DA.
- Buy another rifle ASAP.
- Get an insurance rider to cover rioting/terrorism.

Then I'd move somewhere my tax dollars were used in a responsible manner.

Please consider this my second like on your post.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

It is fashionable and easy for local politicians to play to the mob. Now they can say they "did something" to the couple until this blows over for the next big thing.

 

[chief38]

So as I see it, the 1st. Amendment is gone, and the 2nd is in the process of being null & voided as well - JUST WHEN WE NEED THEM BOTH!!!!!!

I'd like to SEE on what grounds the rifle was taken away? If that couple survive, I hope they sue the hell out of the Mayor, Gov. and PD! What a scam!

The animals have been let out of the cages and the zoo keeper's are now locked up!

 

[chief38]

Sound like the press and the DA are signaling to the rioters that the couple is now unarmed. If I were in their shoes, I'd do three things...
- Hire an attorney and file suit against the City, the Mayor and the DA.
- Buy another rifle ASAP.
- Get an insurance rider to cover rioting/terrorism.

Then I'd move somewhere my tax dollars were used in a responsible manner.

Unfortunately suing the Mayor, Gov. DA will take years. Certainly not going to happen anytime soon and even if it did, political correctness would severely hinder the outcome.

Buy another rifle now - good luck! Nothing available in the hot spots! Besides, I wonder if that couple would be flagged for a new NICS check.

No Insurance Company in their right mind would write a new policy there now.

Unfortunately, that couple is truly on their own right now - SAD, but true. Their only hope is that they have lots of friends who can help them out. The media basically just told BLM/Domestic terrorists that they are now disarmed of their Rifle (at least) and are vulnerable. What truly outrages me is that no one seems to be outraged making criminals out of an innocent hard working couple trying to defend their lives and property. We should all pull together when individuals are told there's nothing that can be done and basically you should flee like a coward and forfeit everything you've worked for you whole life. Shame on their friends & neighbors for not helping - they might be next! SICK, SICK, SICK!!

 

[Absalom]

Fox News website is reporting that the St. Louis couple that defended their home and themselves from the angry mob .....

They weren't defending themselves or anything else from any angry mob, they were brandishing guns completely unnecessarily at protesters walking past their house on the way to the mayor's house.

The legal situation is apparently murky, and their lawyer is in discussions with the DA. But it's clowns like this who do more damage to the reputation of responsible gun owners and are a bigger threat to our 2nd Amendment rights than anti-gunners.

 

[Sistema1927]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

[lrrifleman]

I read this story and a companion piece. According to the companion piece, the wife's pistol was also seized. I don't know if the search was just for those two guns, or all guns in the premises.

I would suspect that the St Louis couple are either looking at charges of brandishing their guns, or are being served an ERPO based on a complaint filed by some of the "peaceful protesters" .

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Buy a Hi-Point. That way when it's taken for evidence it won't hurt so much.
Perhaps we need a debate on "brandishing" ? If someone has a BLM or Rainbow flag with a slash across it and someone tries to take it down and the property own tells them to "cease and desist" ?
P

 

[Buzzzer]

Pretty sure I read somewhere they, or at least he, were lawyers themselves. It depends on what/who you read as to exactly what happened. They stated that they knew the police weren't coming after they called 911. As far as commenting on their actions you can "what if" anything to death. Hind sight is always 20-20...

 

[ameridaddy]

This is one of those things that speculation won't help.
Apply the 48 hour rule and see what unfolds.

 

[vt_shooter]

Could the couple have had guns visible on them to serve as a deterrent to the mob without meeting the definition of brandishing? I read open carry may be banned by municipality in Missouri, but if someone has a Missouri carry permit carry that trumps local restrictions and you can open carry. I doubt either of them has a permit based on no apparent firearms handling training, and suspect St. Louis would be a place that banned open carry. Does open carry apply to having a rifle hanging off your shoulder on a sling while pointed at no one or would that be brandishing without a permit? If they had their guns not visible I suspect it would have gotten very ugly in terms of the mob doing whatever it wanted to do, and at that point perhaps guns would have had to come out and be used.

 

[fordson]

They are lawyers ..........

 

[ladder13]

So carrying bricks, bats, rocks, Molotov cocktails, etc don't qualify as "brandishing"?

Yeah, plenty of clowns out there indeed.

I know, the "protestors" were just going to do their civic duty.

 

[Absalom]

Could the couple have had guns visible on them to serve as a deterrent to the mob without meeting the definition of brandishing? I read open carry may be banned by municipality in Missouri, but if someone has a Missouri carry permit carry that trumps local restrictions and you can open carry. ...
If they had their guns not visible I suspect it would have gotten very ugly in terms of the mob doing whatever it wanted to do, and at that point perhaps guns would have had to come out and be used.

Since they were on their front porch lawn, I don't think any of this would actually been an issue. They were well within their rights to have the guns, even visible.

The brandishing problem would arise from their pointing the guns at people slowly walking past on the sidewalk and street, none of whom is setting foot on the property or making any moves, aggressive or not, toward the couple or their house.

Especially the wife can be seen in video to actively and quite aggressively verbally engage protestors while pointing her gun at specific people who are not showing any threatening behavior.

And that of course is the main point. The "violent mob" simply never existed.

 

[vt_shooter]

When it comes to mob behavior, it could be that the entire mob is guilty of the behavior of any of them. They were all in there illegally after they got in via breaking and entering. Maybe the argument can be made that it's okay to point a gun at someone who's just broken and entered. They're lawyers - they'll figure it out.

 

[Steve912]

The "violent mob" simply never existed.

Well, they mob tore the homeowner's wrought iron gate off the
hinges, and walked into their yard.

That's kinda violent, to me...and threatens further violence,
as the mob was approaching the house itself.

That's when the homeowners retrieved the weapons.

Seemed like further violence, was quelled...simply.

 

[Onomea]

Hmm. Didn't know that. Got a link?

 

[scoobysnacker]

I watched the video awhile back, and am a little fuzzy on some details. Best of my knowledge, the couple remained on their own property, so I'd THINK any "open carry" restrictions wouldn't apply. I mean, unless you're not allowed to have a firearm at all, you CAN hold one on your property... right?

Now, if the protesters tore down a gate on their property, that definitely is an illegal action and a potential threat, I would think. Fences are in place to keep people out, a mob tearing one down seems like a slam-dunk "I feel threatened" moment.

Now, my question is, did they point the guns at anyone? I know she seemed to sweep the crowd (and hubby too) with the pistol a few times, but did he ever with the rifle? I thought he stood there holding it. His finger appeared to stay away from the trigger, and he never raised it.
Legal question- you can stand in front of your house holding a rifle, can't you? Not sweeping the crowd, but just stand there?

 

[ContinentalOp]

Well, they mob tore the homeowner's wrought iron gate off the
hinges, and walked into their yard.

There seems to be some debate as to whether or not the gate was damaged. There's video showing "protesters" entering through a gate, but the video shows the gate already open, so it's still up in the air exactly how they got the gate open. Here's a link to an article that includes the video: Couple Who Pointed Guns at Protesters Release Statement in Support of Protesters | News Blog I can't say if the article is accurate or not, but if you scroll down to, I believe, the second video, it shows the "protesters" entering the gate.

However, what's not in dispute is that the entire gated community the lawyer couple lived in is considered private property, so, at the very least, the "protesters" were trespassing.

I haven't been following this story, but I did read somewhere that after this incident the couple hired private security for their home. Don't have a source for that info.

 

[jeffrefrig]

Sad times we're in. I don't believe they should've been holding the guns pointed the way they show in the picture, as they are basically asking for trouble. Don't point any gun at anyone unless you are planning on using it, and the person(s) better be threatening you and/or your family's life or otherwise causing some physical harm. This is only what I have been taught all my life and what I personally feel from observing what has been going on for a long time now; especially right now. Just use common sense. Right now is not the time to be a martyr, especially if all the witnesses are the protesters. As we have seen lately, everyone wants to capture the event of someone getting killed rather than helping the person. Yeah, you will be arrested for interfering with an arrest, but the person getting killed will live and the DA will eventually, more likely than not, drop the charges against you. The way the woman is holding that pistol is stupid. Holster it or hold it downward. The man, same thing...sling it over the shoulder or just hold it pointed down. If the SHTFan, it's a split second to pull it up and shoot. I'm sorry, it's just my stupid opinion. Nowdays, it's just best to keep my mouth shut; I tried hard to keep it just that: an opinion. Both sides of America need to pull together. I need a beer!
Be safe everybody! Jeff T., PGH PA

 

[Puller]

This is one of those things that speculation won't help.
Apply the 48 hour rule and see what unfolds.

I agree ^^^ Everything I'm seeing in this thread so far is speculation or coming from media reports (which is just speculation with a leftist slant).

 

[zeke]

Missouri couple who defended home have rifle seized during police search: report | Fox News

Perhaps it helps to view both sides of situations. The video in the link clearly shows the gate to the community, which certainly appears to have been broken through. The property owners are saying they and their dog were being verbally threatened. Then, the "protesters" came back on another day. In most jurisdictions, people have the right to protect themselves, especially if police can't/won't.