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Not yet a VCDL member? Join VCDL at: http://www.vcdl.org/join
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Abbreviations used in VA-ALERT: http://www.vcdl.org/help/abbr.html
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1. VCDL President on TV - background checks [VIDEO]
2. Activist Judge in Fairfax making up rules as he goes along
3. Upstart group pushes harder then the N.R.A.
4. Ice cream vendor beaten, robbed
5. Shooting at a "gun free" mall.
6. Another local group/event that bans firearms
7. Gun Control: Virginia, Maryland differ on legislation
8. Obama broke federal law by flying in "victims" to lobby?
9. Biden criticizes gun owners who are not hunters [VIDEO]
10. Biden Mocks: 'We're going to swoop down and gather up every gun' [VIDEO]
11. Democrat admits Obama agenda is total gun ban [VIDEO]
12. Innocent victims of gun control: the welterweight champion
13. Sen. Feinstein: Private gun sales play into terrorists' hands [VIDEO]
14. Here's the Democrats' plan to pass gun control in the Senate
15. Sen. Lee: Background checks could allow Holder to create gun registry
16. The balm of gun control
17. Pro-gun Catholics clash with bishops' desire for firearm regulation
18. Store owner robbed 15 times in 3 months catches crooks
19. CMP sales news- April 10, 2013
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1. VCDL President on TV - background checks [VIDEO]
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From wric.com: http://tinyurl.com/cd9puf7
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2. Activist Judge in Fairfax making up rules as he goes along
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YET ANOTHER ACTIVIST FAIRFAX COUNTY JUDGE
When the Virginia Legislature allowed CHP holders to renew their permits 180 days prior to expiration, little did they know that they were also opening a can of tortured logic that defies all reasoning. Recently, one of VCDL's Executive Members discovered that he'd be out of town more than the 180 days prior to the expiration of his permit. Rather than risk having his permit expire he decided to renew in advance, lose a few months and just be assured that he would continuously have coverage. That's when he ran afoul of the twisted logic of Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Brett A. Kassabian.
Judge Kassabian approved the issuance of the new permit but with the stipulation that the current permit must be surrendered before the new permit would be issued. What? Nowhere in the Virginia code does it allow for a judge to make such a ruling. When our Executive Member called the Clerk's office he was told that he was indeed correct, it wasn't in the law, but it was Judge Kassabian's rule! When our member pointed out that the Judge did not have the authority to make that rule, under the law, the person simply said to call John Frey, Clerk of the Circuit Court. Our Executive Member did. Mr. Frey consulted with Judge Kassabian who stood firm in his ruling stating that it was his "feeling" that no one should hold two permits at the same time. (I may "feel" that it's okay for me to go 90 mph on Interstate 95 but the police and courts would disagree.)
Okay your Honor; let's look at this logically for a moment. It's okay for someone to hold two permits if it's only for 180 days before expiration, but if it's 181 or more days suddenly the tides rise, earthquakes occur and cataclysmic events will occur? Our member was astounded and asked what possible logic was used to come to this decision. The answer, none! His Honor either had no answer or was unwilling to share it.
This is exactly why the Legislature is loath to allow any discretion to judges or localities, for any time they do there is always someone who abuses that discretion. That is why State Preemption was passed and why it is so important that we close any and all loopholes.
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3. Upstart group pushes harder then the N.R.A.
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GOA as an "upstart" group? Yes, they are much younger than the NRA, but they've been around for a good while.
Ben Piper sent me this:
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From nytimes.com: http://tinyurl.com/bryvtue
Upstart Group Pushes Harder Than the N.R.A.
by Jennifer Steinhauer
April 3, 2013
SPRINGFIELD, Va. — When word surfaced in February that Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, was plotting with Democrats on a bill to expand background checks for gun buyers, Larry Pratt got really mad. Then, Mr. Pratt, the executive director of Gun Owners of America, got busy, mounting a lobbying blitz that helps explain why a bipartisan Senate deal on background checks remains elusive.
Within days, his staff, working from a nondescript space in a squat office building off the Beltway here — there isn't even a nameplate on the door — was on the phone with supporters of his organization in Oklahoma. The group's members were encouraged to inundate Mr. Coburn with e-mails and calls and to otherwise make it exceedingly clear to the senator that an enhanced background check law would not be tolerated.
It wasn't long until Mr. Coburn, a gun rights advocate, had backed away from negotiations with Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, the No. 3 Senate Democrat, securing at least a temporary victory for gun rights activists and frustrating advocates of new gun safety laws.
Once largely unknown, Gun Owners of America, with its war chest, membership and lobbying strength dwarfed by the National Rifle Association, is emerging as an influential force as a series of gun control measures heads to the Senate floor.
The group has already been successful in both freezing senators, particularly Republicans, who have appeared to be on the fence about supporting bills to expand background checks and increase penalties for illegal gun purchases, and empowering those who have a strong gun rights background.
"They are strong defenders of the Second Amendment," said Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, who received donations from the group during his primary campaign and is its key ally in the Senate.
Mr. Coburn attributed his retreat, which deeply damaged the prospects of the bill, to a plan that would have required private gun sellers to keep records. But the gun group believes its campaign contributed to his decision.
"His staff admitted that it kind of irritated the senator," Mr. Pratt said. "We were told, 'He's getting tired of this.' But when we hear complaints like that, we know we are close to success. We are happy he changed his mind."
While it might be increasingly potent, the group is not rich.
Gun Owners of America's total revenue in 2011 was less than $2 million, compared with the N.R.A.'s nearly $220 million. The group spent $1.3 million last year to lobby Congress, while the N.R.A. spent nearly $3 million. Its campaign contributions last year were $119,850, placing it at 2,669 on a list of 20,968 lobbying groups ranked by the Center for Responsive Politics. The N.R.A. spent $1.5 million, putting it at 230th. Gun Owners of America has 300,000 dues-paying members; the N.R.A. has five million.
But, like many grass-roots groups, it is loud. Its members pepper Republican lawmakers with calls. In Republican primaries, the group supports candidates that hew to its message, and it rates floor votes with criteria far tougher than the N.R.A.'s. Senator Max Baucus of Montana, one of the few Democrats to earn an A from the N.R.A., has a D-minus from the group. This is in part because it draws from a far broader range of past votes, like President Obama's health care legislation, to judge lawmakers.
John Hart, a spokesman for Mr. Coburn, declined to respond to questions about the group's role in the senator's decision to pull away from negotiations over a background check bill. "No one in the Senate has a stronger record of not only defending but expanding Second Amendment rights," Mr. Hart said, adding that "Dr. Coburn is still hopeful he can reach an agreement with Senator Schumer."
Mr. Schumer said he hoped for the same. "In the area of guns there's always political pressure," he said. "But I know Tom Coburn well. He's a very principled guy."
Many lawmakers and gun safety advocates believe Gun Owners of America's rising profile and heavy membership drive has led the N.R.A. to take a more aggressive stance against measures it once supported, like an expansion of background checks to include private gun sales. (In 1999, Wayne LaPierre, the chief executive of the N.R.A., said there should be "no loopholes anywhere, for anyone" on gun sale background checks.)
Part of the group's mission, Mr. Pratt said, is to stay on top of the N.R.A. "when we don't think they've gone far enough."
"The N.R.A. is essentially a political party," said Mark Glaze, the director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. "The big majority is centrist, and the base is ideological. And they're pulled to the right in a competition for the base with Larry Pratt, and that's marginalizing them."
Gun Owners of America's central mission now is to prevent the passage of several bills about to hit the Senate floor. It is also lobbying for a House bill that would eliminate gun-free school zones.
Democratic aides said that Republicans approached to co-sponsor a background check bill cited Mr. Pratt's group as their biggest impediment, fearing retribution. Senator Dean Heller of Nevada worried about the group, aides say; Mr. Pratt said his group was concerned about Mr. Heller. "He's been kind of wandering around," Mr. Pratt said.
Mr. Heller said that the group "is a group that I respect," adding that he believed Congress "should expand background checks," but had declined to support a bill with Mr. Schumer. His spokesman did not respond to more requests about Mr. Heller's relationship with the group.
Gun Owners of America was formed in 1975 partly in response to the 1968 gun control act — "to oppose the government," Mr. Pratt said. The N.R.A., he said, was founded to work with the government on issues like marksmanship. (The N.R.A. declined to comment.)
Mr. Pratt cited the groups' positions on a 2007 bill that limited gun access to members of the military with post-traumatic stress disorder, which his group opposed and the N.R.A. did not.
Mr. Pratt, 70, has long been active in Republican politics. He served in the Virginia legislature in the 1980s, and he worked briefly for Patrick J. Buchanan's 1996 presidential campaign.
His group's positions tend to veer farther right than those of the N.R.A. Instead of expanding background checks, he would like to unravel the existing ones on gun purchases, fearing they will lead to a national gun registry. "We have opposed them from the beginning," he said, "because there will be mission creep."
Mr. Pratt's group also opposes penalties for so-called straw purchases, or sales made to people who intend to sell or give the weapon to a person who cannot pass a background check. "There would not be straw purchasing if there were no limits on who can carry a gun," he said.
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4. Ice cream vendor beaten, robbed
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Bill Watkins sent me this:
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From timesdispatch.com: http://tinyurl.com/cy2hs4f
Ice cream vendor beaten, robbed at Broad Rock Sports Complex
by Times-Dispatch Staff Reports
April 10, 2013
RICHMOND -- One man was arrested and Richmond police were seeking others after an ice cream vendor was beaten and robbed at the Broad Rock Sports Complex.
Richmond police Capt. Angela Greene said the vendor was not seriously injured in the attack, which occurred at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at the sports park in the 4800 block of Old Warwick Road in South Richmond.
The victim told police he was selling ice cream in the park when a man confronted him and punched him in the mouth, and when he fell to the ground, the man took cash from his pockets.
One person who witnessed the attack called police and gave authorities a description of the robber, but Greene said others at the park apparently stole some of the vendor's ice cream while he was on the ground.
Based on the description provided by the witness who called police, Greene said, 2nd Precinct officers responded to the area and quickly arrested a suspect at a store on nearby Broad Rock Road.
Lavar L. Coleman, 18, of the 2300 block of Concord Avenue in Richmond, was initially charged with petty larceny.
"The investigation is ongoing," Richmond police Capt. Harvey S. Powers said today, "and additional charges could be placed on him and additional charges could be placed on others involved."
Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (804) 780-1000.
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5. Shooting at a "gun free" mall.
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Executive Member Dave Hicks sent me this:
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From wdbj7.com: http://tinyurl.com/c34l8vw
UPDATE: New River Valley Mall shooting suspect bought 12-gauge shotgun legally
Neil MacInnis is accused of hurting two women Friday when he opened fire at the Christiansburg mall.
by WDBJ7 Web Staff
April 15, 2013
CHRISTIANSBURG, Va.— Neil MacInnis, the teenager accused of opening fire Friday at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg, was taken into custody with a 12-gauge shotgun that he legally purchased two days before the shooting, investigators say.
MacInnis wounded two women inside New River Community College's satellite campus, which is inside the mall.
MacInnis' shotgun was bought legally on Wednesday from a licensed dealer in the New River Valley. Nine spent shell casings were recovered inside New River Community College. Three different types of ammunition were found – bird shot, buck shot, and slugs. Click here to see the search warrant.
Investigators have not found a relationship between MacInnis and the two victims. The Christiansburg Police Department believes the two victims just happened to be in the lobby when MacInnis entered the building. One of the victims was a part-time employee at New River Community College, and the other was a student.
The off-duty mall security guard who was the first to confront MacInnis has been identified as James Gorman. Gorman is credited with ordering MacInnis to drop his weapon and to get on the ground. Gorman then held MacInnis on the ground until two Christiansburg police officers arrived moments later, and took him into custody.
Gorman is employed by AlliedBarton, and is chief of security at the New River Valley Mall. AlliedBarton is contracted to provide security at the New River Valley Mall.
It's still not clear what MacInnis' motive was. During his interview with detectives he said that he "was having a bad week."
MacInnis, who was appointed a public defender in court Monday, is being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond. He is charged with two counts of malicious wounding, and two counts of using a firearm in commission of a felony.
MacInnis has been charged with malicious wounding instead of attempted murder because under Virginia law, the penalties for malicious wounding are more severe than for attempted murder, according to the Christiansburg Police Department.
MacInnis completed the Christiansburg Police Department Citizens Academy program in 2012. It's a 12-week course that has been around since 1995. The course gives citizens an overview about a typical day as a police officer.
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Noon Monday update: New River Valley Mall shooting suspect Neil MacInnis appeared in Montgomery County General District Court on Monday morning.
MacInnis is charged with two counts of using a firearm in commission of a felony, and two counts of malicious wounding. Investigators say MacInnis opened fire Friday afternoon at the Christiansburg mall, wounding two women.
In court Monday, MacInnis was appointed a public defender. His preliminary hearing was also set for 2:30 p.m. June 18. MacInnis did not enter a plea.
The judge asked MacInnis if he understood the charges against him, and he said yes.
One of the shooting victims was a New River Community College employee, and the other was a New River Community College student.
MacInnis wore a jail-issued orange jump suit during his appearance. Several of his family members gasped when he entered the courtroom, according to WDBJ7's Orlando Salinas.
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The man accused of shooting two people at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg on Friday is expected to appear in court Monday morning.
An arraignment is scheduled for Neil MacInnis at 10:30 a.m. Monday in Montgomery County General District Court in Christiansburg.
MacInnis is accused of shooting a New River Community College part-time employee and student on Friday.
He was arrested shortly after the shooting. At last check, both victims are in stable condition at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
MacInnis is charged with two counts of using a firearm in commission of a felony, and two counts of malicious wounding.
WDBJ7 will be at the hearing.
Check back soon for more updates.
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From the Associated Press
The uncle of a man charged with shooting two women at a community college in Virginia says the suspect's family is stunned and devastated.
Stewart MacInnis tells The Associated Press that Neil Allan MacInnis' family also is concerned about the victims and their families.
His 18-year-old nephew is being held at the Montgomery County Jail on two counts each of malicious wounding and using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Police say Neil MacInnis is accused of shooting the women Friday at a satellite campus of New River Community College at a mall in Christiansburg. Police aren't releasing the victims' names.
Stewart MacInnis says the shootings also affected students, faculty and staff at the college. He says the family's thoughts are with them, as well.
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From The Associated Press
A student who hid from a gunman as he shot two women at a southwest Virginia community college says he attempted to lure more students out of hiding by pretending he was a police officer.
Clara Keller told The Roanoke Times that she didn't take the bait and waited with four friends under a desk until the shootings ended Friday at New River Community College's satellite campus in Christiansburg.
Police have identified the shooter as 18-year-old Neil Allan MacInnis, a student at the college.
He is charged with two counts of malicious wounding and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. It is unclear whether he has an attorney.
The conditions of the two women injured in the shooting were not immediately available Saturday.
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SUNDAY UPDATE: New River Community College classes at all locations will be cancelled on Monday and Tuesday, April 15 and 16.
Offices will remain open. Counseling services will available Sunday, April 14, at NRCC in Dublin from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and at both Dublin and the college's New River Valley Mall site on Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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A New River Community College student says he heard the gunman's shots being fired as he sat in class.
Brandon Robinson says he was in his calculus class on Friday afternoon inside of the New River Valley Mall.
"First it didn't really register as a shot. It sounded more like someone dropping books very loudly," said Robinson.
Robinson soon realized it wasn't books but bullets he'd heard. He says he went into safety mode. Initially Robinson went to the back of the classroom with his peers, but noticed that his teacher was alone at the front of the class. He stood up to see if anyone needed help.
"I thought in protocol you should turn off the lights and make it a dark room," said Robinson.
He says his teacher had locked the doors. He decided to crouch down in front of the doors with his teacher. He would push back if the suspect were to try to force his way in.
"When all that runs through your head, the adrenaline is crazy. I was very nervous, very shaky with the amount of adrenaline," said Robinson.
Robinson says it's still hard to wrap his head around the shooting outside his classroom door.
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The second victim from Friday's shooting has been identified as a student at New River Community College.
The delay in identifying her connection to the college was due to a misspelling in her name.
Both victims are reported to be in stable condition at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
The identities of both victims and further information on their conditions will not be released to protect their privacy.
The investigation is ongoing.
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The suspect accused of opening fire and injuring two women Friday at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg has been identified by investigators.
18-year-old Neil Allen MacInnis of Christiansburg has been charged with two counts of malicious wounding and two counts of using a firearm while committing a felony. MacInnis is enrolled as a New River Community College student. The shooting took place at New River Community College's satellite location inside the mall.
About five minutes after the shooting, MacInnis was subdued by an off-duty security guard and two Christiansburg police officers.
Police are investigating whether or not an internet post about a shooting was made by MacInnis. Click here to see the post in question.
MacInnis completed the Christiansburg Citizen Police Academy in 2012, according to Christiansburg Police Chief Mark Sisson. MacInnis is being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond.
"Today has been a very tough day," Sisson said. "Today has been a very tough day for law enforcement officers involved. It's been a very tough day for the victims and their families. It's been a very tough day for the suspect's families."
Sisson said investigators are trying to figure out the relationship between MacInnis and the victims. Both victims are now being treated at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. One was originally airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. The other victim was taken by ambulance to LewisGale Hospital at Montgomery.
One of the victims was a part-time employee at New River Community College. It's not clear if the other victim had a relationship to the school.
An official tells WDBJ7 that when police came, MacInnis dropped his gun and told police "Come get me." The official also said one of the two injured women was shot through a window and had cuts to her face, and was hit in the hand.
Family members we spoke to are in disbelief, and said they couldn't imagine MaCInnis with a gun. Neighbors tell WDBJ7 that MacInnis lived in Christiansburg with his parents. They said they were stunned to hear that MacInnis was involved with the shooting.
"My fiancée's brother had just left there taking classes over there like an hour-and-a-half ago before it happened," Steven Addison of Christiansburg said. "You have to watch where you go. It could happen anywhere, anytime. It's scary."
Investigators say MacInnis drove to the New River Valley Mall around 1:55 p.m. Friday afternoon. MacInnis got out of his car with a gun and walked into the mall, and then opened fire. He was in custody five minutes later. WDBJ7 verified two pictures of MacInnis being taken into custody. Click here to see the pictures, which were shared by WDBJ7 viewer Amanda Taylor.
Search warrants have been conducted at several locations potentially linked to MacInnis, according to a news release.
According to New River Valley Mall Manager Mike Poldiak, the mall will re-open at noon Saturday.
Montgomery County schools were briefly locked down, but that lockdown was lifted shortly after the suspect was placed in custody.
WDBJ7 spoke with a man who works inside the mall, but didn't make it inside for work Friday.
"When I got to the mall I saw all the commotion and I called my boss, she told me not to come in," Josiah Munger said.
Munger has a friend who was in class inside the school.
The friend said he heard four shots from what sounded like a shotgun. Investigators have not released what type of weapon was used.
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A suspect is in custody following a shooting that injured two women Friday at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg.
One of the victims was taken to LewisGale Hospital at Montgomery, and the other was airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Investigators have not released the shooting suspect's identity, but they have confirmed that the suspect is an adult man. WDBJ7 has confirmed two pictures of the suspect being taken into custody. Click here to see the pictures.
An official tells WDBJ7 that when police came, the shooting suspect dropped his gun and told police "Come get me." The suspect is still being interviewed by Christiansburg police, and has not been charged yet.
The official also said one of the two injured women was shot through a window and had cuts to her face, and was hit in the hand.
Investigators are holding a news conference at 8 p.m. about the shooting. WDBJ7 is planning on live streaming the news conference.
The New River Valley Mall was evacuated after the shootings and remains closed. The mall released the following statement at 6 p.m. about the shootings
"First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this senseless act, as well as their families. The investigation into what happened is being coordinated by the Christiansburg Police Department, and we are cooperating fully with the police. Like everyone in our community, we are relieved to learn that a suspect is in custody.
The mall will be closed for the balance of today, and we expect to have an announcement at a later time regarding when it will reopen. We also expect to soon have a team at the scene to provide counseling and emotional support to tenants and employees as needed, to help the individuals cope with the effects of this tragedy in the difficult time."
The first call about the shootings came into the Christiansburg 911 Dispatch Center around 1:55 p.m. The call came in as a person with a gun at New River Community College's satellite location, which is inside the New River Valley Mall. The caller said they heard shots fired.
Officers were on scene at 2 p.m. The suspect was taken into custody a short time later.
"At this time we do not believe there is any continuing threat to the community at large," Christiansburg Police Chief Mark Sisson said during a 3 p.m. news conference.
Montgomery County schools were briefly locked down, but that lockdown was lifted shortly after the suspect was placed in custody.
Witnesses tell WDBJ7 that the gunman jumped out of a white car and entered New River Valley Mall through a side entrance.
WDBJ7 spoke with a man who works inside the mall, but didn't make it inside for work Friday.
"When I got to the mall I saw all the commotion and I called my boss, she told me not to come in," Josiah Munger said.
Munger has a friend who was in class inside the school.
The friend said he heard four shots from what sounded like a shotgun, but we have not confirmed any of that as police are still continuing their investigation inside the mall.
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An official tells WDBJ7 that when police came, the shooting suspect dropped his gun and told police "Come get me."
The official also said one of the two injured women was shot through a window and had cuts to her face and was hit in the hand.
Investigators are holding a news conference at 8 p.m. WDBJ7 is planning on live streaming the news conference.
Here is a statement from New River Valley Mall about the shootings:
First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this senseless act, as well as their families. The investigation into what happened is being coordinated by the Christiansburg Police Department, and we are cooperating fully with the police. Like everyone in our community, we are relieved to learn that a suspect is in custody.
The mall will be closed for the balance of today, and we expect to have an announcement at a later time regarding when it will reopen. We also expect to soon have a team at the scene to provide counseling and emotional support to tenants and employees as needed, to help the individuals cope with the effects of this tragedy in the difficult time.
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5:40 p.m. update: The New River Valley Mall is still being cleared by law enforcement.
The suspect, an adult male, is being interviewed by the Christiansburg Police Department.
He has not been charged yet.
New River Community College has canceled classes for the remainder of Friday and Saturday. They are providing counseling.
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4:41 p.m. update: A suspect is in custody following a shooting that injured two women Friday at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg.
One woman was airlifted to the hospital, the other woman was taken by ambulance to the hospital. One of the victims is at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and the other is in stable condition at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery.
The suspect's name has not been released.
The call came into the Christiansburg 911 Dispatch Center around 1:55 p.m. The call came in as a person with a gun at New River Community College satellite location inside the mall. The caller reported hearing shots fired.
Officers were on scene at 2 p.m. The suspect was taken into custody a short time later.
The mall was evacuated and remains closed.
"At this time we do not believe there is any continuing threat to the community at large," Christiansburg Police Chief Mark Sisson said during a 3 p.m. news conference.
Montgomery County schools were briefly locked down, but that lockdown was lifted shortly after the suspect was placed in custody.
Witnesses tell WDBJ7 that the gunman jumped out of a white car and entered New River Valley Mall through a side entrance.
WDBJ7 spoke with a man who works inside the mall, but didn't make it inside for work Friday.
"When I got to the mall I saw all the commotion and I called my boss, she told me not to come in," Josiah Munger said.
Munger has a friend who was in class inside the school.
The friend said he heard four shots from what sounded like a shotgun, but we have not confirmed any of that as police are still continuing their investigation inside the mall.
======================
Christiansburg public information officer Becky Wilburn will be giving a statement at 3 p.m.
Traffic on Peppers Ferry Road is backed up.
One person has been airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and another person has been airlifted to LewisGale Hospital Montgomery. That person is in stable condition.
New River Valley Community College is closed for the rest of the day. All activities in around New River Valley Mall have been suspended.
Store employees report hearing loud noises inside the mall. According to a WDBJ7 photographer, four ambulances and around 50 people are near the New River Community College entrance.
Check back soon for more updates.
======================
Right now we're following breaking news about reports of a shooting at the New River Valley Mall.
According to security, a shooting suspect has been taken into custody.
We're told it happened near the New River Community College facility at the mall in Christiansburg.
We've contacted a number of stores near the college center at the mall.
They confirm that businesses are locked down and at least one employee reports hearing gunshots.
Any injuries are unknown at this time.
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6. Another local group/event that bans firearms
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How can you love cars, but hate guns? There's a group that does.
James Deguzman sent me this:
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Greetings,
As a car enthusiast and supporter of our freedoms given to us by the Constitution I wanted to point out that a local car club that hosts "classic car cruise in's" has banned firearms from its events.
The club is called "middle peninsula classic cruisers of Gloucester" VA.
http://www.mpccofgloucester.com/
http://www.mpccofgloucester.com/files/2012_cruise_rules.pdf
I do know that a few years ago I told vcdl about "cars and coffee" car cruise in at Williamsburg winery had banned firearms as well and you guys got involved and they changed their policy. figure that these morons need a wake up call as well.
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7. Gun Control: Virginia, Maryland differ on legislation
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Night and day. Like the old border between East and West Berlin.
Walter Jackson sent me this:
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From wjla.com: http://tinyurl.com/c93uugb
Gun Control: Virginia, Maryland differ on legislation
By Jeff Goldberg
April 9, 2013
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, a common refrain among gun owners is that they're passionate about their firearms.
For an example of that passion, look no further than Scott Lorincz at Blue Ridge Arsenal in Chantilly.
"We value our second amendment rights and that's one of the main reasons that brought me to Virginia," he says.
Lorinz moved from Maryland 15 years ago. Here, he can openly carry a firearm and believes the ability to do so makes this state much safer than his previous home.
"The crime rates in Virginia are much, much lower because we shoot back in Virginia," he says.
After Newtown, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell formed a task force on school safety. But efforts to restrict fire arms, like closing the so-called gun show loophole, didn't go far during the general assembly in Richmond.
In Annapolis, however, Maryland lawmakers approved stiff gun control measures, including a wide-ranging ban on assault weapons.
In Old Town Alexandria, there's a very different Virginia state of mind.
"I think we need more control when it comes to firearms," says one resident.
"I support absolute gun control," says another.
People like Joseph Russell want leaders at the capitol to listen to them too.
"I wish they would take action and be more stern when it comes to gun control in Virginia," he says.
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8. Obama broke federal law by flying in "victims" to lobby?
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H. Howell sent me this email:
Federal law prohibits the expenditure of appropriated funds for the purpose of lobbying to influence legislative actions by congress. The President used a military aircraft to bring people to Washington to lobby for gun control. All military aircraft including Air Force 1 are purchased, operated and maintained with appropriated funds. Looks like another law has been broken by Obama.
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9. Biden criticizes gun owners who are not hunters [VIDEO]
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Member Walter Jackson sent me this:
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From washingtonexaminer.com: http://tinyurl.com/bsxdhmk
Biden criticizes gun owners who are not hunters: 'They like the way it feels...it's like driving a Ferrari'
by Charlie Spiering
April 11, 2013
During a conversation about gun violence on MSNBC this morning, Vice President Joe Biden explained that there was a growing group of gun owners that might not understand guns as well as hunters.
"There is a whole new sort of group of individuals now who – I don't know what the numbers are – that never hunt at all," Biden said. "But they own guns for one of two reasons, self-protection or they just like the feel of that AR-15 at the range. They like the way it feels."
Biden imitated holding a weapon and added, "You know, it's like driving a Ferrari, Do you know what I mean?"
"My impression is there's not the same sort of cultural norm about gun ownership with a lot of people who are buying guns now," Biden added recalling a dinner he attended in Delaware sponsored by the "White Neck Hunting Club."
The hunters he met there, Biden explained, were "responsible gun owners" who wanted to pass restrictions on assault rifles.
"They are embarrassed with this notion that somehow these guys are being -- doing something that is inappropriate owning guns," Biden insisted.
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10. Biden Mocks: 'We're going to swoop down and gather up every gun' [VIDEO]
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Member Walter Jackson sent me this:
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From breitbart.com: http://tinyurl.com/c345vk4
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11. Democrat admits Obama agenda is total gun ban [VIDEO]
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I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked!
Well, OK, I'm not even surprised in the least.
Member Walter Jackson sent me this:
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From infowars.com: http://tinyurl.com/d35qs6u
Video: Democrat Admits Obama Agenda Is Total Gun Ban
"We will make your sign legitimate shortly"
by Paul Joseph Watson, Infowars.com
April 10, 2013
Democratic Austin City Council member and potential next mayor Mike Martinez admitted during a speech that the Obama administration's long term gun control agenda is focused on banning firearms altogether.
Pointing out a sign held by a protester which read, "stop gun ban!," Martinez remarked, "someone needs to inform him that there is no gun ban currently, but because of the work we're doing here today, we will make your sign legitimate shortly, so you hang on to that." The crowd cheered as Martinez made his vow.
The event, which was was hosted in association with Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo who also gave a speech, took place on Saturday and was sponsored in part by Texas Gun Sense, a group pushing for stricter gun laws which would include universal background checks, limiting magazine capacities of semi-auto assault rifles and preventing guns being put in the hands of armed security guards on school campuses.
The man holding the sign, known as "Texas George," continually had his free speech impeded by pro-gun control demonstrators who repeatedly blocked his sign, according to reports.
"Police had to step in for crowd control as speakers took the stage and the confrontation heated up," reports KHOU.com.
Organizer Hilary Rand with Moms Demand Action claimed that Second Amendment advocates were "perpetrating things that are just not true," adding, "Nobody wants to ban guns here we're just trying talking about coming up with sensible solutions that can help make us safer, we're talking about strengthening the laws that we currently have and creating new laws that will help us enforce those laws we currently have, nobody wants to change the constitution."
However, Martinez' assertion that a total gun ban would be made "legitimate" confounds this rhetoric and underscores the fact that tighter gun control restrictions and gun registrations are merely stepping stones to a British-style all out ban on firearms.
These rare glimpses into the true guiding force behind the gun control agenda occasionally rear their head during public speeches.
Back in 1995, current Attorney General Eric Holder called for authorities to "brainwash people into thinking about guns in a vastly different way."
In the same year, current California Senator and gun control pioneer Dianne Feinstein told 60 Minutes, "If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States, for an outright ban, picking up [every gun]… Mr. and Mrs. America, turn 'em all in."
While Democrats are admitting their overarching agenda is to ban firearms, the federal government is simultaneously arming itself to the teeth with the purchase of over 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition in addition to thousands of fully automatic assault rifles.
The KHOU report below repeats rhetoric from the organizers that the rally was "not about banning guns completely." Apparently, Mike Martinez didn't get the memo.
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12. Innocent victims of gun control: the welterweight champion
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Executive Member John Pierce shared this:
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From monachuslex.com: http://tinyurl.com/d48tlgk
Innocent Victims of Gun Control: The welterweight champion
by John Pierce
April 10, 2013
Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero has beaten many opponents on his way to becoming the WBC Welterweight Champion. He has also beaten back leukemia and is known far and wide for his squeaky-clean lifestyle.
In short, Guerrero is a champion in every meaning of the term. He is truly an American hero and role model. But once again, we see the gun control trap set by Democrats snap shut on an innocent, law-abiding citizen.
Guerrero is now facing a felony charge that could put him away for 15 years.
Just like Beth Ferrizzi from yesterday's edition of this series, the champ was arrested while trying his best to legally check an unloaded firearm at a New York airport. Unbeknownst to many residents of normal states, New York's gun laws are so complex and strict as to effectively strip all Second Amendment rights from those who foolishly enter its boundaries.
En route to Vegas, Guerrero was attempting to complete an act that is both legal and commonplace in almost all other states … checking a properly encased and unloaded firearm with his luggage.
Guerrero, a known hunter, had been asked to bring one of his firearms by a film crew from Showtime that wanted to get shots of Guerrero shooting and Guerrero, like so many other innocent people, did not realize that New York has effectively shredded the Constitution within its borders.
To add insult to injury, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown issued a press release mocking Guerrero by saying that "I hope he fights better than he thinks."
Once again, we see the Democrats achieving their true goal at the expense of a good man. Who is the real criminal in this story?
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13. Sen. Feinstein: Private gun sales play into terrorists' hands [VIDEO]
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I suggest a roll of duct tape be kept handy with all the lies and distortions in this video. A liberty-hater orgy.
Warning: features Dianne Feinstein, Joe Scarborough, and Al Sharpton, all birds of a feather.
Whitey Roark sent me this:
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More Feistein insanity!
From breitbart.com: http://tinyurl.com/dysmywe
SEN. FEINSTEIN: PRIVATE GUN SALES PLAY INTO TERRORISTS' HANDS
by AWR Hawkins
April 11, 2013
During an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said expanded background checks are "not enough," and private gun sales cannot continue because they allow terrorists to buy guns in the United States.
"Can a terrorist currently buy a gun in this country? Yes. Can a felon? Yes. You go to a gun show and virtually no questions are asked," Feinstein claimed.
Joe Scarborough chimed in later in the segment to echo Feinstein's claim, asserting, "So now we have al Qaeda terrorists saying, 'Kill Americans, it's easy, just go to gun shows, get an assault weapon.'"
In addition, Feinstein believes the failure of the filibuster threat against Senate gun control opens the door to her "assault weapons" ban once again:
Do you need a 30 round clip and an AR-15 to hunt? ...I don't understand, and I never have, why this nation is better, how we protect our nation better, with these weapons available.
So the bill I have, which is close [to what they just instituted in Connecticut], really doesn't take a weapon away from anybody. If they sell that weapon there's a background check. If they keep that weapon, it has to be kept with a trigger lock and in a safe. And it exempts 2,258 weapons in 96 pages of bill language by make and model. What it does do, is dry up of the supply [of these weapons] over time.
Feinstein said she does not understand the "psychopathology" of people who oppose "prudent gun regulation."
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14. Here's the Democrats' plan to pass gun control in the Senate
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Member Paul Henick sent me this:
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From buzzfeed.com: http://tinyurl.com/bnyqncf
Here's The Democrats' Plan To Pass Gun Control In The Senate
Senior Hill aides describe Harry Reid's strategy.
by Benny Johnson
April 12, 2013
It has been almost 20 years since Congress has taken up the topic of gun control legislation.
As the new debate over gun control heats up, senior Senate aides on both sides of the issue laid out advocates' plan to get their bill through the Senate.
The strategy advocated by gun control supporters in the Senate was described to BuzzFeed by two senior Republican Senate aides working to oppose the effort, and confirmed by a Democratic Senate leadership aide working to get it passed.
Prospects for the gun control legislation weren't looking good until the recent Toomey/Manchin proposal.
The legislation proposed by Republican Sen. Pat Toomey and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin would expand background checks for those looking to purchase guns, while providing some exemptions.
The new Toomey/Manchin language will replace the old background-check language currently in the bill, and it will be championed as bipartisan.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will then call for a cloture vote on the legislation with the new language in place. He expects to get the votes he needs.
Reid will then bring up the highly controversial Assault Weapons Ban championed by Sen. Diane Finestein (D-CA).
A ban on high-capacity magazines will also be offered as an amendment.
Both of these amendments are expected to go down in flames. And Senate aides said that's by design on Reid's part.
By voting against these measures, conservative and moderate Democrats, like Sen. Mary Landrieu, will be able to position themselves as pro-gun.
Those votes are also designed to give cover to Montana Sen. Jon Tester, who hails from one of the most gun-friendly states in the country.
These members will be able to return home and say they voted against the most controversial aspects of the legislation.
Then, after covering for his members, Reid will bring the bill to the floor for final passage.
Meanwhile, the White House will run interference, building as much public support as it can for the bill.
Senate Republicans who oppose all new gun control legislation will be in a tough position.
The Senate will debate heavily, with Reid needing at least five Republican votes to pass the final version of the bill.
If Reid passes the bill, it will be by razor-thin margins. This is something the Senate has become accustomed to.
Of course, the bill will then head to the Republican-controlled House, where it will face clear challenges.
But no matter what the outcome, gun control will surely be one of the most heated political debates Washington has seen in a while.
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15. Sen. Lee: Background checks could allow Holder to create gun registry [VIDEO]
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Member Walter Jackson sent me this:
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From cnsnews.com: http://tinyurl.com/c4c2jge
Sen. Lee: Background Checks Could Allow Holder to Create Gun Registry Using Regulations
By Joe Schoffstall
April 10, 2013
On Wednesday, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) took to the Senate floor and warned that universal background checks could lead to a national registry system for guns.
"Some of the proposals, like for example- universal background checks- would allow the federal government to surveil law-abiding citizens who exercise their Constitutional rights. One of the provisions we expect to see in the bill based on what we saw in the Judiciary Committee- on which I sit- would allow the Attorney General of the United States (Eric Holder) to promulgate regulations that could lead to a national registry system for guns. Something my constituents in Utah are very concerned about, and understandably so," said Sen. Lee.
Lee also said that the government has no place monitoring the legal exercise of any Constitutional right a citizen chooses to exercise:
"You see, the federal government has no business monitoring when or how often you go to church; what books and newspapers you read; who you vote for; your health conditions; what you eat for breakfast; and the details of your private life-- including your lawful exercise of your rights protected by the Second Amendment and other provisions of the Bill of Rights."
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16. The balm of gun control
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James Durso sent me this:
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From washingtonpost.com: http://tinyurl.com/cx28n82
The balm of gun control
By Kathleen Parker
April 9, 2013
The biggest obstacle to the Obama administration's push for tighter gun control may be its own best argument: Newtown.
This is because nothing proposed in the gun-control debates would have prevented the mass killing of children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and everybody knows it. At best, tighter gun laws will make us feel better.
Let's review: The Newtown killer was a mentally disturbed young man living with his mother. She had legally purchased her arsenal and had even taught her son how to responsibly handle firearms.
What she did not do was: (1) deal appropriately with her son's mental illness; (2) safely contain her guns so that her son could not access them.
As much as anyone, I am eager to do whatever will make a difference. But I'm unconvinced that what is being proposed will provide the solution we seek.
Universal background checks are a perfectly good idea, except that they won't stop the burglar who recently cleaned out our house of all our legally purchased rifles and shotguns, including an antique that had belonged to my great-grandfather, who, as sheriff of Barnwell County, S.C., confiscated the gun from the triple murderer he tracked for three days and finally killed. (I want that gun back, please.)
Those guns are now in circulation among an element of society that has no intention of submitting to a background check or any other well-intentioned effort to ensure that only good guys have guns.
Should we insist that buyers at gun shows submit to a quick background check as they would at any gun store? Sure. Why not? Federally licensed vendors at gun shows already have to conduct background checks, but everyday people who sell among themselves at the shows do not. Few beyond the gun lobby object to this step, but even this wouldn't have prevented Newtown.
Meanwhile, what about my neighbor, Mike, who, theoretically, wants to buy a shotgun I no longer use? Is it really practical to insist that he submit to a background check? Gun-control proponents would have Mike and me run down to Dick's Sporting Goods (or some other "portal") and run through a quick background check. We could do that. Or I could just give Mike the gun and he could hand me a couple hundred dollars one of these days.
If a law isn't enforceable, is it a good law? Does it prevent Newtown for neighbors to run through a little ritual that creates yet another level of government oversight for no real practical purpose other than to create a gun registry, which gun-control advocates insist they don't want?
But we have to do something, don't we?
Banning assault weapons and large magazines is appealing. But what, exactly, is an assault weapon, anyway? Most think of assault weapons as machine guns, but many popular firearms, from ranch rifles to handguns, are, like the AR-15 used at Newtown, semi-automatic. This means that they fire only one round each time the trigger is pulled and the gun automatically reloads. Do we ban all semi-automatic weapons?
Limiting the size of magazines also seems like a common-sense solution. Then again, maybe a killer simply would carry several small magazines and swap them out, as Eric Harris did at Columbine High School in 1999 and Seung-Hui Cho did at Virginia Tech in 2007. Harris was armed with a Hi-Point 995 carbine with 13 magazines of 10 rounds each. His partner, Dylan Klebold, carried a semi-automatic handgun and a short-barrel shotgun, which, gun experts will tell you, is the most effective close-range weapon of all. And Cho used two handguns that are not considered "assault weapons."
In a country with an estimated 250 million to 300 million guns, imposing new laws on honest people is problematic and bureaucratically complicated. Add to the conundrum our politics of individual freedom combined with the exploitation of emotion to craft what is likely an impotent solution, and it is little wonder our congressional leadership is bamboozled.
The fact is that crazy people who would commit a Newtown-type massacre constitute an infinitesimal percentage of the population. Criminals will always have guns, as the murderer on death row told me when I first wrote about this issue 30 years ago. And forcing law-abiding gun owners to submit to new regulations will not prevent another Newtown or Aurora or Columbine.
This is not to say we should do nothing. But, lest we delude ourselves, whatever we do we will do because it makes us feel better. Perhaps that is enough.
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17. Pro-gun Catholics clash with bishops' desire for firearm regulation
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Board Member Dennis O'Connor sent me this:
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From ncronline.org: http://tinyurl.com/c8kz4a7
Pro-gun Catholics clash with bishops' desire for firearm regulation
by Aaron Schrank
April 11, 2013
As the Senate takes up a heated debate over gun control and background checks, Catholic bishops have used the months since the Newtown, Conn., school shootings to push gun control in email blasts and Senate Judiciary Committee testimony. But among the Catholic faithful, not everyone supports gun control measures.
Call them the NRA Catholics.
John M. Snyder, a lifelong Catholic and former seminarian, is one. Snyder isn't thrilled to be opposing the bishops, but he sees little choice. An outspoken gun rights activist for decades -- once the chief Washington lobbyist for the Citizens Committee For the Right to Keep and Bear Arms -- he doesn't see any discord between his faith and his activism.
"Advocating for the rights of people to defend themselves with the appropriate weapons is part and parcel of my Catholicism," said Snyder, of Washington. "I do feel a great loyalty to the church and the bishops and it pains me to see them behaving so foolishly."
In the midst of the heated post-Newtown gun control debate, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued firm support for increased regulation of firearms, citing Catholic teaching on the ethic of life. After President Barack Obama announced a package of legislative gun control proposals, the bishops joined a coalition of faith leaders in urging members of Congress to support them.
While most U.S. Catholics fall in line with the bishops' stance on guns -- about 62 percent support gun control, according to a poll by Washington-based the Public Religion Research Institute and Religion News Service -- many in the pro-gun minority protest or disregard their leaders' pronounced role in the debate.
"The Catholic church is a spiritual guide, but it's not a guide in determining my rights," said Mark Cunningham, a Salinas, Calif., Catholic who opposes increased gun control laws. "They're offering an opinion, but it's not something that I have to believe in as a Catholic."
Snyder, the former lobbyist, said he hopes Catholics will feel at home in the group he runs, the St. Gabriel Possenti Society, dedicated to promoting the 19th-century Italian priest as "the patron saint of handgunners." In 1860, the priest used a handgun to scare away a band of soldiers from raping and pillaging his small village.
The pro-gun crowd is not unique in its willingness to oppose the bishops. U.S. Catholics are increasingly parting ways with the church's moral and political guidance on a range of social issues.
The bishops are best known for wading into the national political conversation to oppose contraception coverage, but 82 percent of Catholics consider birth control morally acceptable, according to a 2012 Gallup poll. And 58 percent support a federal mandate for religiously affiliated employers to cover birth control costs in their health insurance plans, against vociferous opposition from the hierarchy.
Likewise, the church is opposed to gay marriage, but a March Quinnipiac University poll showed that 54 percent of U.S. Catholics support same-sex marriage.
The bishops' conference publishes pastoral statements on a range of policy issues, including the federal budget and immigration. And despite no definitive Catholic teaching on gun control, it has consistently pushed for increased regulation. As far back as 1975, the bishops called for "effective and courageous action to control handguns, leading to their eventual elimination from our society."
"We believe in the protection of life," said Anthony Granado, policy adviser in the bishops' Office of Domestic Social Development. "There are far too many people who are being killed in our streets and our homes."
The bishops' recent statements earned them a spot on the National Rifle Association's list of anti-gun national organizations (since removed from the NRA's website) alongside a number of other religious groups and Hollywood celebrities.
Philip Cathell is an NRA member living in rural Maryland and a committed Catholic. He says he knows plenty of Catholic clergy and laypeople who oppose the bishops' teachings on gun control.
"In a perfect world, if people obeyed laws, the bishops' stance might be effective," said Cathell, a 25-year-old engineer. "But criminals aren't going to be turning in their guns."
In 2007, Cathell was a student at Virginia Tech and heard the gunshots that left 32 people on his campus dead. When it comes to prevention of such mass shootings, he favors the NRA's plan to put armed guards in schools.
Among the most prominent pro-gun Catholics is former vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan. A self-professed "Catholic deer hunter," the Wisconsin congressman boasts an "A" rating from the NRA for his pro-gun rights policies -- and has been criticized by the bishops for his budget proposals.
Earlier this year, a group of Catholic leaders sent an open letter to Catholics in Congress urging them to stand up to the NRA. The letter specifically names Ryan as well as Speaker John Boehner and Indiana Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly, who are also Catholics with "A" ratings from the NRA.
Those missives are unlikely to sway pro-gun Catholics such as Snyder, who cites the same Catholic concerns for the protection of life as the basis for their objections to restricting firearms.
"Well, it's all a matter of salvation," Snyder said. "I need a crucifix to save my soul and a handgun to save my ass."
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18. Store owner robbed 15 times in 3 months catches crooks
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From dailymail.co.uk: http://tinyurl.com/chyy6tl
Hardware store owner robbed 15 times in three months catches crooks after camping out in his store with gun
By James Nye
April 9, 2013
After 15 burglaries over three months, a California hardware store owner took the law into his own hands by catching the men he suspects of robbing him saying, 'This is my property; I'm going to defend it.'
Fed up after losing thousands of dollars worth of gardening equipment and spending money on surveillance cameras and new fencing, Darin Fowler decided the only option was a stake-out.
So on Friday night, Fowler waited up until the early hours of the morning and at 3.30 a.m. pulled his gun on the two unsuspecting men he caught taking equipment out of the store lot.
'They were yanking units through the fence,' said Fowler to CBS Local in Sacramento. 'As soon as he saw the gun he was very compliant.'
Ordering one of the suspects, Dillon Masterson, to the floor, Fowler called Oroville police who he says arrived within two minutes and took the men into custody.
Law enforcement officials then searched Masterson's home and found equipment stolen from Fowler. They also arrested Steven Rodrigues in connection with the brazen thefts.
The spate of robberies began at the turn of the year and according to Fowler had left him feeling annoyed and defenseless.
'They were taking chain saws, weed eaters, lawn mowers. They would remove complete generator heads off generators,' he said
The enterprising burglars simply cut a hole in the fence of Fowler's property 15 times and took whatever they wanted, whenever.
'They had actually cut this all the way down, and zip tied it open, spread it right open,' Fowler said.
Despite installing surveillance cameras which caught blurry images of his equipment being stolen, Fowler was no closer to finding the culprits - until he decided to wait them out.
However, the brave move almost ended in disaster when Fowler fell asleep waiting up for the thieves - but was luckily woken by the sound of the equipment being moved.
'Two-and-a-half months of seeing this guy on video, and I finally caught him,' said Fowler.
'It was almost closure because now we can relax a little bit now and get back to work.'
Police say Masterson was out on bail at the time of his arrest, and was also in possession of drugs.
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19. CMP sales news- April 10, 2013
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Michael Irvin sent me this:
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Please note that backorders have now increased from 12,000 unfilled orders to 17,000.
CMP Store inventories are low.
Collector and correct grade M1's are now only available through their auction site.
.22 and .30 Carbine ammo is essentially gone for now.
CMP Sales Email Update
CMP TELEPHONE DISRUPTION. As most of our customers know, there is currently a surge in the country for the purchase of rifles, parts, ammunition and anything related to firearms. Several businesses have stopped taking calls altogether and the FBI NICS operation has indefinitely discontinued taking customer service calls for status of NICS background checks. CMP is also experiencing an extraordinarily large daily volume of calls that occasionally result in temporary meltdown of our phone and voice mail systems. Callers report that they stay on the lines for hours and move up in the queue only to be disconnected or directed to leave a message. We apologize for the inconvenience and highly recommend that callers not remain on hold for more than 10 minutes. Please hang up and try again later or contact us via email atcustserve@thecmp.org. This situation is temporary and will resolve itself in time.
CONNECTICUT. Effective immediately, all customers purchasing any CMP rifle to be delivered in CT must have the rifle shipped to a CT licensed FFL dealer to be in compliance with new CT legal requirements. Copy of dealer's license and shipping information must be provided with rifle orders. Ammunition orders may still be shipped directly to the customer until 30 Sep, 2013. CMP will not ship ammunition directly to individual homes after that date. We assume that additional guidance will be provided by CT prior to that date. CT customers who have already mailed their rifle orders to CMP should provide custserve@thecmp.orgwith dealer information or revised shipping instructions or order cancellation instructions. Information can also be faxed to 256-835-3527 or mailed to CMP Customer Service, (Attn: CT Order), 1401 Commerce Blvd., Anniston, AL 36207.
COLLECTOR AND CORRECT GRADE M1 GARANDS. Because of the high demand and the scarcity of the M1 Correct and Collector Grades, these grades will only be available for sale through the CMP auction site http://cmpauction.thecmp.org/.
CMP STORE INVENTORIES LOW. The CMP currently has over 17,000 unfilled orders for rifles, ammo and other items. We also still have thousands of M1 Garands. These rifles all require inspection / repair / grading before being offered for sale. At times the customer demand exceeds the amount that our staff can make ready for sale. This is the case now with the field and service grade M1 Garand rifles. As the CMP armory produces the rifles, they are used to fill existing mail orders, some from as far back as the beginning of January. Until we catch up on mail orders, there may not be any field or service grade rifles in the stores at Anniston or Camp Perry. For now, we only have the HRA M1 Service Grade Special ($950), M1 CMP Special ($995), M1C, M1D, M1NM, and Kimber model .82 (.22LR) regularly in stock at both stores. Other options may or may not be available in the stores on any given day. We expect the store racks to remain relatively empty until late June. Lately we have had several customers at both stores very disappointed after driving many hours, only to find empty racks.
AMMO SHORTAGE. The CMP is sold out of Aguila caliber .22LR rimfire and Aguila .30 carbine ammunition. The manufacturer, Aguila, has advised that the earliest we can expect resupply is October, 2013, at slightly higher pricing. We are still accepting orders and will fill those orders as soon as we have received new inventory. At the rate that orders are being received for this backordered ammunition, the entire resupply quantity may be sold before it is even received. Anyone interested in purchasing this ammo should place their order on estore now and get on the list.http://estore.thecmp.org/store/catalog/catalog.aspx?pg=catalogList&cat=AMC.
CMP SALES AT EASTERN GAMES. The
CMP Eastern Games will once again be held at Camp Butner, NC, with registration beginning on 3 May, 2013. The event schedule shows that sales of rifles and ammunition will not start until 4 May. As a result of lessons learned this past weekend at the CMP Oklahoma Games, early sales of rifles and ammunition will start on 3 May, 2013 for registered event competitors ONLY. Sales to individuals who have not registered for the shooting events will begin as scheduled on 4 May.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Orest Michaels
Chief Operating Officer
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dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to
Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.
VCDL web page: http://www.vcdl.org [http://www.vcdl.org/]
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