Thursday, April 18, 2013
The U.S. Senate voted down a measure that would require tougher background checks for those who purchase guns. We’d like to get your take on the issue!
President Barack Obama called the U.S. Senate’s April 17 vote denying stricter background checks for gun purchases “shameful.” The proposed law was shot down 54 to 46 with some Democrats joining Republicans in rejecting the measure, which was hoped to curb gun violence like that witnessed in the Newtown, Conn., massacre last year, according to the Huffington Post. The number of votes was less than the 60 needed to break a filibuster. If approved, the measure would have extended the country’s background check system to include gun shows and Internet purchases of weapons. The failure of the measure likely signals defeat for any other major legislation meant to clamp down on gun violence, the Post says. Other measures that “appear headed for …
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Undercover detectives seized guns from convicted felons and drug dealers operating across the street from Gibsonton Elementary School. Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee discussed “Operation Cease Fire” at a Jan. 15 press conference.
Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee announced the results of a six-month undercover operation that resulted in a wave of arrests of convicted felons who sold guns and drugs across the street from Gibsonton Elementary School. In all, 10 people have been arrested, with arrest warrants issued for three additional people, according to Gee's report, issued at a Jan. 15 press conference (see chart below). Nine of the 13 people netted in the undercover operation were convicted felons, "who sold 29 firearms and 40 silencers to undercover detectives," Gee said. Weapons removed from the street include an AR-15, AK-47 style rifle, 22-caliber rifle with silencer, sawed-off shotguns and sniper-type rifles with night vision. Detectives also …
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
The County Commission is considering an annual gun buyback program that would coincide with a memorial tribute to honor the victims of gun violence.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner doesn’t want to wait for Congress and President Barack Obama to hammer out new gun control measures. In the wake of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy, Beckner is asking county staff tomorrow to develop and promote a regularly scheduled gun buyback program within the county. He’d also like to see the county work with businesses, the community and law enforcement to play host to an annual memorial tribute to victims of gun violence, according to the county commission’s Jan. 9 agenda. The topic of the gun buyback program comes up for discussion at 10:30 a.m. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. at County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa. Let Patch save you time. Get local stories like this delivered right…
Saturday, December 22, 2012
"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," the NRA's Wayne LaPierre said.
At a Friday morning press conference in Washington, D.C., the National Rifle Association broke its weeklong silence following the shooting of 26 people at a school in Newtown, Conn., and called for a surge of gun-carrying "good guys" around American schools. NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre called for a new kind of American domestic security revolving around armed civilians, arguing that "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." "We care about our president, so we protect him with armed Secret Service agents," LaPierre said. "Members of Congress work in offices surrounded by Capitol Police officers. Yet, when it comes to our most beloved, innocent and vulnerable members of the American family, …
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
As America continues to reel in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., slayings we asked Bloomingdale and Riverview residents to weigh in about proposed gun control legislation.
As people across the country talk about tightening gun control legislation in the aftermath of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Bloomingdale and Riverview residents have their own opinions on the topic. When Patch asked people across Tampa Bay what they thought about banning assault weapons, here’s what New Port Richey Patch readers and Facebook fans had to say: There are over 200 million guns in the hands of over 89 million law biding citizens in the United States . Your so called gun bans are a pipe dream . The 1994 gun ban was one of the largest jokes ever perpetrated on the American public. It really didn't ban anything because they knew enforcement was impossible. Just the truth ! and by the way the …
In light of the Newtown, Conn., shootings major retailers across the county are pulling certain assault weapons from their shelves. The National Rifle Association has even issued a statement that it’s ready to make “meaningful contributions.”
As the cry for tighter gun control laws sounds louder throughout America and right here in Tampa Bay, major retailers are reacting. Walmart has announced plans to stop selling the Bushmaster Patrolman's Carbine M4A3 Rifle through its online store. That particular assault rifle is in the same family of guns as the one Adam Lanza, the 20-year-old shooter in the Newtown massacre, reportedly used in the massacre, the Huffington Post reports. Dick’s Sporting Goods, which has a number of Tampa Bay area locations, has also announced a shift in its stocking preferences. That store has suspended the sale of some semi-automatic weapons from all stores in the chain. In a statement, the store said it ordered the move out of respect for the victims …
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Florida is poised to become the first state to have issued 1 million concealed gun permits. Why?
As Florida is poised to become the first state to have issued 1 million concealed firearm permits, Patch wants to know: Why are there so many guns here, and is there such a thing as too many guns? Florida had issued more than 993,000 active permits as of Nov. 30, Bloomberg.com reports. Adam Putman, Florida’s commissioner of agriculture and consumer affairs, said at a news conference Wednesday that the state will pass the 1 million mark next week. “Floridians have a great respect and appreciation for their Second Amendment rights,” Putnam said. The news comes just days after a shooting spree at an Oregon mall left two people dead, as well as a murder-suicide by an NFL player, which prompted some high profile calls from the media for gun …
Dan Pressler
12:04 pm on Monday, May 6, 2013
the question is - would any of these laws prevent the people who already get guns illegally anyway from getting them now ? If not what is the point of the law - more gov't? more ›