June 19, 2004
Dayton Daily News

Man shot, robbed in parking lot

HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County — Montgomery County sheriff's deputies are looking for a man who robbed and shot a Piqua-area man outside an apartment complex Friday.

The victim, 33, was with a female relative at Northland Village Apartments, 5216 Embassy Place. He was standing in the parking lot with another woman when a male assailant took his wallet and shot him through the legs, piercing at least one artery, sheriff's Sgt. Glen McIntosh said.

The victim drove himself about three-quarters of a mile to the parking lot of Sharkey's Lounge on North Dixie Drive. He was taken to an area hospital.

Anyone who has information about the assault should call the sheriff's office at 225-4357, McIntosh said.

Commentary:
It can be certain that fighters for civil liberties would be all over Ohio if tenants were being told they could no longer keep pornography/a copy of Mein Kampf/ John Kerry campaign literature/ etc. in their apartments. Yet when another constitutional right is violated - when they are told they may not keep a firearm in their home for self-defense - these so called civil-liberties fighters are silent.

Research is ongoing, and it is not yet known if this apartment complex is one of several in Dayton that have disarmed residents in their personal living space. But this incident highlights the fact that owners of apartment complexes, trailor parks, etc. are endangering those who live and visit in those places when they enforce prohibitions on their property.

The following locations are enforcing CHL bans in their tenants' personal living space:

In recent letter to the Lorain Morning Journal, gun ban extremist Toby Hoover, who fronts what often appears to be a one-woman show at the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, told the newspaper that Ohioans For Concealed Carry and others are ''promoting the false danger that to have your business weapon-free invites criminal activity.''

''The reality is criminals have no way of knowing what kind of security an employer has on the premises just because he has a public prohibition of weapons,'' she said.

Let all business-owners note: Hoover is admitting that the criminal element is afraid and could be deterred by the unknown "security" behind-the-scenes. This is a familiar argument, since we've long been saying that concealed carry laws are effective because criminals fear the unknown. With a concealed carry law in effect, potential attackers are forced to ask themselves, 'Who is or isn't armed?'

On suggesting that posting discriminatory "no-guns" signs does not invite criminal attack, however, Hoover
is missing the point.

To be sure, the signs don't say "this is the only place in the world where you won't meet resistance". There certainly still is a slight risk to criminals that the store will have made some attempt to provide security, such as a Dayton Kroger whose security guard was hospitalized after being assaulted by an armed robber as he was leaving the store (that Kroger has since removed their signs).

Nevertheless, the fear-factor that Hoover recognizes may deter criminals is reduced considerably in a posted "victim zone." Upon seeing a "no-guns" sign, the criminal can be relatively confident that the persons inside are much less likely to shoot back in self-defense. They get no such confidence in a store without a sign. Clearly, these signs *ARE* telling criminals which locations are safer places to rob.

At first glance, Hoover seems to be grasping the concept of concealed security and crime deterrence, but as is usual with gun ban extremists, her conclusions eventually lead right back to the same place gun control always leads - disarmed victims, and well-armed criminals.

June 21, 2004
Columbus Dispatch

A Northwest Side resident fatally shot a suspected burglar inside an apartment Saturday night, Columbus police said.

John A. Webb, 31, was taken to Ohio State University Medical Center, where he died.

Police found Webb inside 5846 Abbey Church Rd. in the Lakeview Square apartment complex about 11:30 p.m. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the upper body, police said.

With the shooting still under investigation, the resident involved hasn’t been named.

Police said the resident arrived home to find two men burglarizing the apartment and shot one of the men. The other suspect escaped and is being sought by police.

Neighbors were unsure who lives in the apartment, and an employee of the complex said she could not release the name of the resident.

On May 25, the Franklin County sheriff filed an arrest warrant for Webb, whose last known address is 91 Warren Ave., on an aggravated robbery charge, court computer records show. He had been accused of brandishing and firing a chrome .380 handgun while making off with $473.90 from the BP Oil gas station at 7139 Harrisburg Pike on May 24.

Webb has three separate convictions for disorderly conduct as well as one conviction each for resisting arrest and discharging a firearm, court records show.

June 14, 2004
Jointogether.org

Teen Gun Suicide Rate Declines

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study finds that the
number of suicides by youngsters and teens declined 25 percent in the last
decade. The study also shows a significant decrease in gun suicides, the
Associated Press reported June 10.

According to the CDC report, the number of suicides declined from 2,151 in
1992 to 1,883 in 2001. Among those ages 10 to 19, suicides declined from
6.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 1992 to 4.6 per 100,000 in 2001.

The CDC report also found that hanging and other forms of suffocation
replaced self-inflicted shootings as the most common method of suicide
among 10- to 14-year-olds.

A specialist in adolescent medicine said the decline in teen suicide could
be attributed to greater acceptance of gays and new safety measures, such
as trigger locks and lock boxes, that keep guns away from children.

Commentary:
In the past ten years, concealed carry laws were passed for the first time in many states, and liberalized to make licenses available to a greater number of people in others. Each time, the gun ban lobby claimed that "the increased availability of guns would lead to more gun deaths." One of the scare tactics they frequently use is the idea that availability of a gun in a home would lead to an increased risk of suicide.

Since more and more homes have firearms in them, this finding by the CDC is yet another fine example of how gun ban extremists are finding it more and more difficult not to prove OUR point when discussing firearms statistics.

The suggestion that increased safe storage laws have played a part in this trend is incredibly weak.

As detailed in Dr. John Lott's book The Bias Against Guns, a comparison was done between states with safe storage laws and those without found that "safe storage laws have no impact on accidental gun death rates or on total suicide rates."

True to the above story, which referenced teens substituting hanging and other suffocation techniques, Lott went on to say that "while there is some weak evidence that safe storage laws reduce juvenile gun suicides, those intent on committing suicide appear to easily substitute other methods, asthe total number of juvenile suicides actually rises (however statistically insignificant) after passage of safe storage laws."

Although not applicable to this suicide story, it would be remiss if we did not add that Lott went on to say that "the only consistent impact of safe storage laws is to raise rape, robbery and burglary rates, and the effects are very large. My most conservative estimates show that safe storage laws resulted in 3,738 more rapes, 21,000 more robberies, and 49,733 more burglaries annually in the fifteen states with these laws."

Thanks once again to the Brady bunch of gun ban extremists for shining a light on the truth - that they are dead wrong.

Related Story:
More proof from gun ban extremists...that bans don't work!

...and learning to use them.

June 15, 2004
Grand Rapids (MI) Press

WYOMING -- Sharon Crow used to cry at the first pop of gunfire.

The sound traumatized the 49-year-old Wyoming woman years ago when her brother attempted suicide by shooting himself.

Now, Crow is turning the corner and looking to arm herself, the result of conquering her fear through handgun education.

"My motto in life is, anything that I'm afraid of, I feel I have to overcome it," Crow said after an hour at Silver Bullet Firearms shooting range on South Division Avenue in Wyoming. "The first time I was here, one shot and the tears started flowing.

"Now, after the third time, I'm hooked."

Crow is not alone in her growing comfort with firearms, according to local police and gun dealers.

Women are arming themselves with increasing frequency, often for personal safety, but also for sport and as a hobby.

Since 2001, women have received 11,882 of the 109,694 concealed-weapons permits taken out in Michigan. While still in the minority with 11 percent of the licenses, there is no denying the appeal.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

Gee, wonder if she was carrying more than one...

June 19, 2004
Columbus Dispatch

An aggravated-menacing charge has been filed against the Franklin County deputy sheriff accused of aiming a gun at a cab driver while off duty last month.

Steve Schumaker, an Acme Taxi driver, filed a complaint against Deputy Tressa Brinkley after a May 17 incident that he described as road rage. Yesterday, a misdemeanor warrant was issued against Brinkley.

Schumaker said the incident began near Livingston Avenue and Lockbourne Road. This is his side:

Brinkley, 31, was driving a convertible when she abruptly cut in front of his cab. Schumaker honked his horn, and then both drivers exchanged obscene gestures.

When the two vehicles stopped side by side at a red light near Livingston and College avenues, Brinkley was aiming a gun, Schumaker said. "I’ll shoot you dead," she said.

Schumaker ducked, then dialed 911 and followed Brinkley’s car.

Columbus police stopped Brinkley’s car but did not file any charges. They told Brinkley that he could pursue charges through the city prosecutor’s office, Sgt. Brent Mull said.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for more.

June 20, 2004
Cleveland Plain Dealer

Ohio concealed-weapon law carries its own smoking gun

John Campanelli
Plain Dealer Reporter

Is that a dozen handguns under your coat or are you just happy to see the loophole in Ohio's concealed-carry law?

The state's new law, which allows permit-holding citizens to carry a hidden handgun, doesn't say you can't have more than one.

Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro's office confirmed what will no doubt worry almost everyone: Nowhere in the legislation's 99 pages is there any language limiting the amount of heat a citizen can pack.

Two guns, four guns, six guns, a dozen all legal. Really, the only thing limiting the number of guns you can carry is how many you can carry, physically, until you topple over from the weight of the lead.

The loophole, whether an oversight or intentional, is one of the many flaws of the legislation, says Seven Hills lawyer Stephen C. Miller, who teaches the concealed-carry law's required safety course at Stonewall Ltd., a Broadview Heights gun store and range.

"They tried to reinvent the wheel and they made a square," says Miller.

By allowing people to carry more than one gun, the state's lawmakers have put police officers, who usually carry only one weapon, at a firepower disadvantage, Miller says.

"The quickest way to reload is not reloading. It's grabbing another gun."

The character in these illustrations, whom Miller calls "Captain Ohio," is weighed down with 12 hidden guns that could carry a total of more than 100 rounds. That's quite a portable arsenal, fully legal under state law.

And characters like Captain Ohio aren't entirely fictional.

"If it can be done," Miller says. "It will be done."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

jcampanelli@plaind.com, 216-999-4694

Commentary:
Accompanying the print version of this story was a Rambo-style cartoon caricature covered with guns, entitled "Captain Ohio".

No, this wasn't published on the editorial page, despite opinionated comments like "Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro's office confirmed what will no doubt worry almost everyone" and despite working hard to conjur up a new "loophole" in Ohio's concealed handgun license law for the anti-gunners to claim needs fixing.

And no, we have no explanation for why someone who represents a Cleveland firearms store is consistently arguing points to the media that sound more like they're coming from a Million Mom Marcher.

What we can tell you is that this reporter didn't bother to do any research to see if there are any examples of CHL-holders causing problems in other states due to carrying more than one firearm (there aren't).

We can also tell you that this reporter did not bother to find out if any other states have restrictions on the number of firearms a licensee can carry, nor did he research to see if Miller's claims that police officers are "usually" not carrying backup is true (it isn't).

Mr. Campanelli told OFCC today that he supports the right to CCW, but that he "personally finds it odd" that legislators did not insert language restricting the number of firearms a person can carry. He stands by his statement that this part of the law will "worry almost everyone", since he talked to "a lot of people" before writing the story and they were all concerned. He didn't feel it was necessary to do the research mentioned above because his story "was just about this one issue."

Does the derogatory "Captain Ohio" graphic Mr. Miller uses in his classes at Stonewall suggest the gun store only wants you to purchase one firearm as well? If so, that's some business plan.

A Stonewall Ltd. representative confirmed for OFCC today that attorney Stephen Miller is employed by the club to teach all classes at Stonewall. The representative we spoke with agreed with Miller - he too didn't think there was any need for licenseholders to carry more than one firearm, and he too thought it put police at a disadvantage!

Ironically, this Stonewall representative has chosen not to get a CHL...because the law is "too restrictive".

For more on Stonewall's attitudes toward Ohio's new concealed handgun license law, consider these comments from an April 4, 2004 Plain Dealer article:

Ohio's concealed-carry law is among the worst ever written. At least that's the first thing I and a roomful of others at a local shooting range are told as we're about to undergo training required by that law.

"It's a terrible bill, guys," said Diane Donnett, owner of Stonewall Ltd. "The state tried to reinvent the wheel here - and they made it square."

Sound familiar? It gets worse:

"The strongest message instructors gave was to think hard before applying for a permit because it could bring more hassles than the privilege (or "right" depending on a person's Second Amendment philosophy) would be worth.

Then, an attorney Donnett had enlisted for the training told the class he wasn't politically correct and that "idiot lawyers" wrote the concealed-carry law.

He described a nervous tango during traffic stops that is likely to go on between police and those carrying concealed weapons:

You tell the officer at your window that you have a permit and are carrying a concealed gun. From then on, the officer is anxious and so are you.

The attorney suggested that the driver offer to step out of the car, let the officer handcuff him or her and then take the gun.

Is it any wonder that the number of applicants in Cuyahoga Co. is low? Between Stonewall, Sheriff McFaul and the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the appearance is given that an entrely different law was passed than the one the rest of state is now enjoying.