Every element that could be used...

[armoredman]

"Assault Weapon", kids shot, ex-felon in possession, etc... Damn. The timing couldn't be worse.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081101/ap_on_re_us/trick_or_treat_killing

Police: Shooter feared trick-or-treater was robber
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Digg Facebook Newsvine del.icio.us Reddit StumbleUpon Technorati Yahoo! Bookmarks Print By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press Writer Meg Kinnard, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 23 mins ago AP – This undated photo provided by the Sumter, (S.C.) Police Dept. shows T.J. Darrisaw. T.J. Darrisaw a 12-year-old … SUMTER, S.C. – An ex-convict who thought he was being robbed gunned down a 12-year-old trick-or-treater, spraying nearly 30 rounds with an assault rifle from inside his home after hearing a knock on the door, police said Saturday.

Quentin Patrick, 22, is accused of killing 12-year-old T.J. Darrisaw on Friday night. T.J.'s 9-year-old brother, Ahmadre Darrisaw, and their father, Freddie Grinnell, were injured but were released after being treated at a hospital.

The family attended a Halloween celebration in downtown Sumter, 45 miles east of Columbia, then stopped at Patrick's house because the porch light was on, police said. Another sibling was with them, but wasn't hurt.

Police said at least two of the boys were wearing ghoulish masks when they knocked on the door. The boys' mother and a toddler stayed in the car nearby.

Patrick emptied his AK-47, shooting at least 29 times through his front door, walls and windows after hearing the knock, Police Chief Patty Patterson said.

He told police he had been robbed and shot in the past year.

"He wasn't going to be robbed again, and he wasn't going to be shot again," Patterson said Saturday at a news conference.

She said T.J., a bright young man, suffered multiple wounds, including a fatal shot to his head. No one answered the door at the family's home Saturday.

"This is by far one of the worst tragedies that I have had to personally experience," Patterson said. "It happened basically because kids were out doing what they would normally do on Halloween."

Patrick has been charged with murder, three counts of assault and battery with intent to kill, and one count of assault with intent to kill.

Police said they also charged a 19-year-old in his home, Ericka Patrice Pee, with obstruction of justice when she was caught trying to run away after the shooting with $7,500 in cash. Patterson did not give an explanation for the money.

Pee's 2-year-old daughter was inside during the shooting and is now being cared for by family members.

Patterson said Patrick had multiple drug convictions but police do not believe he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the shooting. Authorities did not know if Patrick or Pee had attorneys. Both are being held without bond.

A man who identified himself as Patrick's brother but declined to give his name said in a call to The Associated Press that he believed Patrick was suffering from post-traumatic stress after a break-in last December. The man's account matched the information police provided.

"We want to let his family know that this is a total tragic accident," he said. "He was trying to protect his family."

Patrick's home is off a busy, two-lane road in Sumter, a city of about 40,000 people. On Saturday, shattered glass still covered the front stoop and about 20 bullet holes peppered the front door and a front-window casement. A firefighter used a hose to wash bloodstains away.

The shooting shocked residents of a neighborhood where most people know each other well.

"I just hate it that that little kid got killed. It used to be the quietest place. I knew everybody and everybody knew me," said Vivian Johnson, 81, who lives two doors from Patrick and Pee but said she did not know them.

County Councilman Charles Edens said he lives just a few blocks away and passed the crime scene on his way back from trick-or-treating with his 13-year-old daughter, who was upset by the news.

"It's going to put a dampening on Halloween," Eden said. "I would think twice about going to a door that we don't know who lives behind."

 

[bdickens]

I think the timing couldn't be better.

for some....

 

[JR47]

Let's see, a convicted felon, drug arrests, girlfriend running away with over $7000 in cash. Loaded AK47 in the house. Hmmmm.........is it just me, but does this sound like a dealer "protecting" his turf?

He had an illegal weapon, as felons can't own firearms. He had illegal ammunition, as felons cannot possess ammunition. Exactly what part of illegal are we missing here?

His actions are his own. There were no other reports of this happening over Halloween. Criminals, by definition, break the law.

Move along, nothing to see here. Even the most rabid anti-gunners will find little traction in this with the public.

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

He had an illegal weapon, as felons can't own firearms. He had illegal ammunition, as felons cannot possess ammunition. Exactly what part of illegal are we missing here?

What we are missing is the proper placement of "illegal" in your statement. Corrected, it would say:

He had a weapon illegally, as felons can't own firearms. He had ammunition illegally, as felons cannot possess ammunition. Exactly what part of illegal are we missing here?
​

Then, the answer would be that it should be illegal that such people who cannot be trusted with arms are free.

Woody

 

[KD5NRH]

If anything, it should be another argument in favor of keeping dangerous felons locked up.

 

[BADUNAME37]

If guns are outlawed, ONLY OUTLAWS (read FELONS) will have guns!

My first reaction was "why was this guy free to go?"

If he didn't use a gun, he could have just as easily used something else to kill.

 

[dmazur]

Whenever an obvious "anti-gun" person starts up with something like this, I generally counter with a comparison to some other form of senseless death.

Auto accidents are a typical comparison.

DUI is illegal, so we have a DUI accident with one or more deaths as a result. Sometimes the person committing the DUI walks away.

Is there going to be a rush to new legislation? Probably not. DUI's are an unfortunate fact of life. The penalties are severe, but perhaps not severe enough.

However, even if there was new legislation as a result (say MADD gets involved), would the new laws target automobile ownership? Almost a definite no. They would be about minimum BAC, harsher penalties, etc.

So that's what I conclude with. How on earth do you think regulating ownership of the device is going to prevent criminal acts? Do you think it is feasible to eliminate guns completely? Criminals seem to get ahold of them anyway...after all, they have no respect for law or they wouldn't be criminals.

How about strict enforcement of existing laws, with actual prison time? I've actually got a few to rethink their knee-jerk initial positions.