I've seen some bad news stories in my time, but this one takes the cake.

[misANTHrope]

http://www.wftv.com/news/10726683/detail.html

Video Shows Man With Military Assault Rifle Rob 7-Eleven

MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Police in Melbourne are looking for an armed robber who pulled off a small heist with a pretty big gun. Police released pictures to Channel 9 Thursday, taken from inside the 7-Eleven on South Babcock Street.

Police couldn't tell if gun was loaded. If it was, it was loaded with bullets bigger than three inches long and sharp on the front end, designed to pierce and made to explode on impact. Police said, if they'd run up on him or if he had gotten rattled, who knows what would have happened.

Police believe the very big gun the robber was pointing at the clerk is a Russian SKS military assault rifle. It could be semi-automatic or automatic. It's a very powerful gun and his even has a scope on it.

The surveillance video from the 7-Eleven shows the robber's face so clearly, police are hoping someone will recognize him and tell them who he is.

It happened at four o'clock Thursday morning, when the clerks were the only other people in the store.

Police said the robber walked right up to the counter and told clerk Frederick Macon to hand over all the money and to hurry up. He did, but investigators said the robber and his big gun left with a small amount of loot, less than $100.

The clerk and the store managers would not talk to Eyewitness News.

I think I ought to be ticked off about this, but the fact that it's written like a children's book just throws me off-balance. Why in the world does this person have a job writing news copy?

 

[Standing Wolf]

Police couldn't tell if gun was loaded. If it was, it was loaded with bullets bigger than three inches long and sharp on the front end, designed to pierce and made to explode on impact. Police said, if they'd run up on him or if he had gotten rattled, who knows what would have happened.

[sincerity] Way scary! [/sincerity]

 

[PercyShelley]

An SKS that shoots three inch long bullets? What, like a PTRS? The puerile obsession with hardware is magnified by the fact that this writer clearly has no idea what they're talking about (yeah, I know, pot and kettle, but I have some pretension of sophistication about it!). Who cares what gun he used in the commission of the act, much less inaccurate technical specifics thereof?

Where's the veneer of dispassionate objectivity? This is written more informally and sing-song than barbershop gossip. The use of indirect quotation in the second paragraph is particularly egregious.

And the use of qualifiers? "Pretty" big gun, "so" clearly, walked "right" up...

No wonder they didn't want to speak with these jokers.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Where can I buy a CQB weapon like that?

 

[Thain]

OMG! His even has a scope on it!!!!!!11oneone!!

 

[GD]

He's right - 3 inch "bullets" would be very long. However, if it is an SKS, those cartridges are one of the smallest 30 calibre rounds made. I don't believe an SKS would make an ideal robbery weapon, it is not exactly concealable nor as handy as a handgun. Sharp, exploding bullets! Where can I get some? Probably this thing was loaded with cheap wolf ammo or some of the early 90's corrosive steel core ammo. Better to get shot with that "sharp" ammo than softpoints. One thing I have learned about journalism majors - they aren't experts about anything. That's what qualifies them to write stories about anything in schools of journalism. What's worse is when they finally find a job with a newspaper that is in the business of making money and influencing people. Then "truth" becomes something that is dispised and avoided, especially if it doesn't sell.

 

[Nugilum]

Police couldn't tell if gun was loaded. If it was, it was loaded with bullets bigger than three inches long and sharp on the front end, designed to pierce and made to explode on impact.

Ooh, Ooh, Can I get some of those?

Once again, we have proof that the media is loaded with individuals who either don't know how to research a story, or basically just don't care.

I'm wondering why the rifle wasn't identified as an AK-47 instead of a SKS since they look sooo similar.

 

[Bruce333]

I seem to recall this was discussed here when it was a current news story in January 2007.

 

[rocinante]

The journalism is just astonishing. BIG GUN, EXPLODE ON IMPACT!

Lions, Tigers, and Bears OH MY.

If you liked this one as much as me read this other thread where some legal conceal carry permit students got made on campus. My fifth grader would be ashamed to turn in a report as these.


http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=342477

 

[silverlance]

7-11 gets stuck up by the Big Bad Wolf

 

[misANTHrope]

I seem to recall this was discussed here when it was a current news story in January 2007.

Oops, didn't even notice the date. It was posted on a local firearms forum yesterday, and I just assumed it was current.

 

[Eric F]

I seem to recall this was discussed here when it was a current news story in January 2007

UM yeah we get enough of this kind of stuff as is with out looking into 13 month old stories.

 

[Hanzerik]

A loaded 7.62x39 round (Case, and bullet) has an overall length of about 2.25".

I agree, that is a very poorly written article.

 

[xjchief]

Do you think they'll accept my resume to be one of their crack reporters?

Deer Eyewitnez newz

Ur store on bad man who robed 711 mkes me want too be newz report-man. Me want rite story for yous guys; Me like yur chanel lot an tink me culd rite realy good newz storee for yu. I dont licke tha oter chanel- licke yous guys mores. I werk rely cheep an harder fo yu. All-so me not lick gunz beecuz the're skared me but lots of mor if biger bulets an tiliscop on top.

Tank yu,

XJChief

PS I think their station identifier should be changed from WFTV to ***?-TV.

 

[Hanzerik]

***-TV Is already assigned to another station LOL

 

[Tommygunn]

3" Bullets, guys! Don't you know that the SKS is an anti-aircraft weapon!!!!!!!

 

[Superlite27]

Those bullets sure are "sharp on the front end"!

Really long POINTY BULLETS! Who'd a thunk it?

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Wow, just...wow.

I'll help the journalist out:

Police couldn't tell if gun was loaded because they weren't there, and wouldn't be able to if they were. If it was, it was loaded with intermediate caliber cartridges, probably cheap wolf ammo that can punch a small hole in soft targets. Police said, if they'd run up on him or if he had gotten rattled, who knows what would have happened. He probably would have blown through all 10 rounds in the gun rapidly and inaccurately, not hitting anything while the police gunned him down

Police believe the very long clumsy gun the robber was pointing at the clerk is a Russian SKS military-style or hunting rifle. It is semi-automatic but not fully automatic. It's a very cheap awkward gun for a robbery and his has a scope on it which makes it even less suited for a stick-up.

Police are looking for a man with bruised ribs from when he tried to run out the doorway holding the long rifle sideways.

 

[Hardware]

I understand that the dull exploding bullets hurt more.

 

[icebones]

just goes to show you, the media have no idea what their talking about, first off that is an M14 or M1a rifle, hard to tell which, it is not an sks.

and true, the article must have been written by a 8 year old child, the author clearly has not the slightest idea... i would bet my bottom dollar the author hasnt even seen a sks, (russian military assault rifle) whatever, actually the sks is classified as a self-loading carbine. no sks was ever made by russia or china to fire full auto. and thats where most of the sks rifles come from,

the sks (7.62x39mm) and M14 (7.62x51mm nato or .308) fire completely diffrent rounds for that matter...

 

[velojym]

Doesn't matter, if the readers accept everything in print as 'fact'.

 

[1911Tuner]

sharp on the front end, designed to pierce and made to explode on impact.

So...Do they pierce or do they explode on impact? Can't have it both ways.

 

[rocinante]

probably cheap wolf ammo that can punch a small hole in soft targets.

I guess what you say is true enough too but misleading.

otah great way to correct this "journalist". I know cheap wolf ammo can punch small holes through quarter inch iron brackets holding paper targets at 25 yards. Twice. I am a crappy shot. Well was Well am

 

[doc2rn]

Did I hear her right? She said Police told her that the bullets where bigger and designed to explode on impact?! If she is correct the police are exasserbating the problem.

 

[bloodedsky]

Dunno if you all knew this....

All newspaper articles (including nationally circulated magazines) are written for no higher than an eighth grade reading level. This article really isn't so bad when you take that into account, and it uses antithesis besides ("...pulled off a small heist with a pretty big gun"--small vs. big).

Editors will scale articles down in an attempt to meet this ridiculous low standard of reading. I know; I used to write for a local newspaper until I got fed up by people telling me that "ludicrous" and other such words are too "high brow" for the general reading public. I'd blame the editor rather than the author.