Complied from news reports by WBNS-TV and NBC4-TV in Columbus.

August 27, 2004

An 18 year old boy, who police say has numerous misdemeanor warrants out for past crimes, accidentally proved the falacy of gun control and rules against firearms in parks Friday.

Police said Andre Rayburn, 18, and his girlfriend were sitting at a picnic table at Krumm Park on the city's northeast side when Rayburn accidentally fired the shot from a pistol he was carrying in his pocket. The teen was hit in his side by the bullet.

Unlicensed possession of a firearm is against the rules of the park, and Rayburn was not old enough to obtain a concealed handgun license, even if he could have qualified.

After piecing together various statements from witnesses, police said that the shooting was accidental and that the shot was fired from a .22-caliber pistol Rayburn was carrying, Garcia reported.

"They just started tussling around in a friendly manner and then the gun went off," Detective James Day said.

Rayburn was in stable condition Thursday night at Grant Medical Center.

Police said they could file charges because Rayburn was not old enough to carry a weapon and because he had the gun in an area that does not allow firearms.

As Ohioans For Concealed Carry has been explaining to stubborn city officials in Clyde, Toledo and other Ohio cities, gun control efforts (including ordinances and signs banning firearms in parks) cannot protect Ohioans from those who care nothing for the rules of our society.

On the other hand, there is absolutely NO evidence that citizens who are trained and licensed to carry firearms for self-defense present ANY threat to fellow citizens in parks, or anywhere else.

Related Stories:
BANK ROBBER HIDES IN COLUMBUS PARK

11 yr.-old raped in ''hell''; otherwise known as a ''gun-free'' Toledo city park

More evidence of the need for self-defense in parks

Proof: Legislators right to protect CCW in parks, bike paths & many public spots

Jogger attacked on bikeway; suspect nabbed

Park flasher problem highlights needs for armed self-protection in parks

SIMPLE: Letter-writer understands; some Mayors stumped

Letter to the Editor: Legal license-holders not danger in parks

August 28, 2004
Akron Beacon Journal

West Akron resident charged in incident at door of her home

A West Akron woman is accused of pointing a gun at a saleswoman who knocked on her door.

Police say Kelly Maurer scared the solicitor, but Maurer says she wasn't threatening anyone and only took the loaded 9 mm to the door because she was afraid for her safety.

Maurer was charged with misdemeanor aggravated menacing for the encounter Thursday at her home in the 1200 block of West Sunsetview Drive.

She also faces a misdemeanor child endangering charge because police say they found the gun in close proximity to her 5-year-old daughter.

Maurer, 37, is free on bond. Her daughter has been placed with relatives, said Summit County Children Services officials.

The evening of the incident, Maurer was home alone with her daughter. Her husband was out of town.

"She felt that it was necessary for her to be armed under the circumstances,'' said Maurer's attorney, Lawrence Cook. "She had several incidents in which her security lights had gone off for no reason in the middle of the night. She was somewhat frightened.''

One startling event from earlier in the week involved a strange man who showed up at her door asking her to help him pray for his dead relatives, Cook said.

When the solicitor came to her door, Maurer did answer with her gun, but she didn't step outside, Cook said.

"It very quickly became apparent to her that this was merely salespeople doing their job,'' he said. "As soon as she saw that's who it was, she told them she was sorry and that she was not interested.... There were no threatening words.''

Police say the solicitor, a 19-year-old woman from Indiana, told officers she was afraid that Maurer was going to shoot her.

The solicitor could not be reached for comment. It isn't clear what product she was trying to sell Maurer.

Related Story:
Tale of Two Cities: Detroit woman kills attacker; Akron home invasion spree

August 27, 2004
Fremont News Messenger

General laws of the state cannot be ignored

The News-Messenger is making the same knee-jerk reaction that Clyde officials made when they passed their misguided prohibition of concealed handgun license holders in parks.

This paper argues that because you can ban grilling and loitering, you should be able to ban guns, too.

Using that logic, Clyde officials could refuse to recognize the Ohio driver's license or vehicle tags because they're a "Charter" government -- and could impose criminal penalties for those who tried to drive within the city limits without Clyde approval. Everyone knows their Ohio driver's license entitles them to the same rights statewide, and further that other states and even Canada offer reciprocity for those privileges.

Similarly, with concealed handgun licensing, the State of Ohio has implemented a general law that must be uniformly implemented and respected statewide and that has now gained respect and reciprocity in many other states.

If local governments could bow out of controversial state laws on a whim, our system of government would be pointless.

The City of Clyde has produced no evidence of a need for this ordinance. There is no evidence from the 45 other states, which currently allow the carrying of handguns, to suggest Clyde officials have a leg to stand on. We are left to conclude that their decision is based either on well-intended, irrational, unjustified fear of the unknown or a deeply rooted anti-gun agenda.

On the other hand, there is overwhelming anecdotal evidence across the State of Ohio and this country indicating that violent crimes against good, honest people happen in public parks regularly, yet randomly.

Secluded hiking and bike trails are the last place that government officials and anti-gun editors should suggest they know better than the law-abiding citizen when it comes to defending their own lives and families against random and unpredictable acts of violence.

Jeff Garvas, President
Ohioans For Concealed Carry
POB 25488
Cleveland, Ohio 44125

NOTE: This newspaper conducted an online survey asking its readers whether cities, towns and counties should be able to ban weapons in their parks. The results were overwhelming.

Click on the "Read More..." link below for another letter criticizing the City of Clyde for its unconstitutional actions.

August 26, 2004
Toledo City Paper

Why are you reporting who carries guns and who doesn’t? I really hope you thought it through well before you made those law-abiding citizens’ names available on your Web site ["Packing heat," TCP Aug. 12-18].

The names you should be printing are the names of criminals who are illegally toting guns around for wrongful purposes.

My mother is not on the list of permit holders, so everyone now knows she is an easy target for robbery, mugging, rape or worse.

Why not just compile a list of everyone in the county, remove the ones who are listed as CCW holders, and label the list as an "easy target" list?

I don’t appreciate this abuse of the law one bit. I’m also planning on writing to the proper authorities about how disgusted I am about the abuse of media access to the list of names.

Scott Heinlein
Cincinnati

Click on the "Read More..." link below to read a letter praising this identification of "easy targets" from gun ban extremist Toby Hoover.