Ten dead, at least 30 wounded in violent holiday weekend
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July 6, 2009
FROM STNGWIRE REPORTS
Ten people were killed and at least 30 others were wounded in shootings and stabbings during a bloody holiday weekend, including four who died late Sunday into early Monday alone.
The ten people killed included four who were slain in shootings and stabbings during an especially violent six-hour time span late Saturday into early Sunday.
The latest victims include 18-year-old Everette Snow, who was shot while sitting on his front porch during a domestic dispute in the 2200 block of East 78th Street just before 1 a.m. Monday. Snow was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering a gunshot wound to the head, police said.
Also early Monday, Kenneth Crawford, 38, was shot multiple times on a porch in the South Side Englewood neighborhood. Crawford was shot in the 1200 block of West 72nd Place about 12:45 a.m and was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said.
On the Far South Side, 22-year-old Deonte Scott was shot in the 400 block of West 116th Street Sunday night. Scott was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center at 12:16 a.m. after being shot multiple times, authorities said.
One person was taken into police custody for the murder of a South Side man who was fatally shot at 504 E. 91st Pl. at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Cleophus Parrow, 35, was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center at 10:35 p.m. after being shot on his front porch.
Monday, July 6, 2009
No love in the club !
Man charged in gun battle with police
July 6, 2009 4:05 AM | No Comments
A South Side man was charged Sunday in connection with a gun battle with police that left four people shot.
Andre Lemon, 25, of the 5400 block of South Calumet Avenue, was charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder for shootings Sunday at the Fifty Yard Line club at 200 East 75th Street, said News Affairs Officer Amina Greer.
Police were called to the club at about 2:45 a.m. Sunday because of a shooting, Greer said. Once police arrived, there was an exchange of gunfire with Lemon who was arrested.
A weapon was recovered from Lemon, Greer said.
Police said two of the injured men were in serious condition at Stroger Hospital. A third man was listed in good condition at Saint Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center, and a fourth man was at Advocate Christ Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the torso.
All of the victims had already been shot before police arrived.
The Independent Police Review Authority is investigating the police-involved shooting and detectives are looking into the shooting of the four men.
Lemon is scheduled to appear in bond court later today, Greer said.
-- Deanese Williams-Harris
July 6, 2009 4:05 AM | No Comments
A South Side man was charged Sunday in connection with a gun battle with police that left four people shot.
Andre Lemon, 25, of the 5400 block of South Calumet Avenue, was charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder for shootings Sunday at the Fifty Yard Line club at 200 East 75th Street, said News Affairs Officer Amina Greer.
Police were called to the club at about 2:45 a.m. Sunday because of a shooting, Greer said. Once police arrived, there was an exchange of gunfire with Lemon who was arrested.
A weapon was recovered from Lemon, Greer said.
Police said two of the injured men were in serious condition at Stroger Hospital. A third man was listed in good condition at Saint Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center, and a fourth man was at Advocate Christ Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the torso.
All of the victims had already been shot before police arrived.
The Independent Police Review Authority is investigating the police-involved shooting and detectives are looking into the shooting of the four men.
Lemon is scheduled to appear in bond court later today, Greer said.
-- Deanese Williams-Harris
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Happy Holidays
6 slain in Chicago shootings, stabbings
More than 20 injured in weekend violence
By Kristen Schorsch and Carlos Sadovi | Tribune reporters
July 6, 2009
A bloody Saturday night and Sunday in Chicago left six people dead and more than 20 others, including a 7-year-old boy, injured from gunshot or stab wounds.
Marchello Henderson, 26, of the 10400 block of South Wabash Avenue, was killed after being shot several times about 11:45 p.m. Saturday, police said.
Henderson was one of several people standing in the 5700 block of South Union Avenue when he and two others were shot, Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer said. A 7-year-old boy was shot in the arm and was listed in good condition in Comer Children's Hospital, fire and police officials said. A 26-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the side and was grazed by a bullet across the chest, police said. He was in good condition Sunday in Stroger Hospital, police said.
Andre Armstrong, 35, of the 4300 block of South Champlain Avenue was stabbed in the chest about 11:50 p.m. Saturday at the same address, News Affairs Officer Michael Fitzpatrick said. Armstrong later was pronounced dead in Stroger.
About midnight Saturday, four men were shot in the 6400 block of South Sangamon Street, police said. An 18-year-old man and a 29-year-old man were in critical condition Sunday in Stroger. Two victims, ages 29 and 34, were in stable condition in St. Bernard Hospital, police said.
Two people were fatally shot about 1:45 a.m. near East 63rd Street and South Maryland Avenue, Fitzpatrick said. Loweton Harrman, 26, of the 9100 block of South Parnell Avenue and Leundra Straight, 22, of North Liberty, Iowa, were killed, the Cook County medical examiner's office said. No other details were available.
Authorities continue to look for several suspects in the fatal shooting of Dominic Barnes, 21, of the 600 block of East 51st Street. Police responded to a shooting about 10:15 a.m. in the 4700 block of South Forrestville Avenue. Witnesses told police Barnes was shot after several people exited a gray Chevrolet Monte Carlo and began firing, police said.
About 11:40 a.m., Francisco Lopez, 29, of the 4700 block of South Paulina Street was shot dead near his home, police said. Another man was taken to Holy Cross Hospital with minor injuries, fire officials said.
A man in his 30s was shot in the head in the 600 block of East 87th Street about 12:19 p.m. Sunday, police said. The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in "very critical condition," said Officer John Mirabelli, a police spokesman.
No charges had been made in any of the fatal shootings as of late Sunday. Several other non-fatal incidents occurred throughout the city late Saturday and early Sunday, police said.
Police spokesman Roderick Drew said he needed a chance to review information about the weekend violence and would not comment until Monday.
kschorsch@tribune.com
csadovi@tribune.com
More than 20 injured in weekend violence
By Kristen Schorsch and Carlos Sadovi | Tribune reporters
July 6, 2009
A bloody Saturday night and Sunday in Chicago left six people dead and more than 20 others, including a 7-year-old boy, injured from gunshot or stab wounds.
Marchello Henderson, 26, of the 10400 block of South Wabash Avenue, was killed after being shot several times about 11:45 p.m. Saturday, police said.
Henderson was one of several people standing in the 5700 block of South Union Avenue when he and two others were shot, Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer said. A 7-year-old boy was shot in the arm and was listed in good condition in Comer Children's Hospital, fire and police officials said. A 26-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the side and was grazed by a bullet across the chest, police said. He was in good condition Sunday in Stroger Hospital, police said.
Andre Armstrong, 35, of the 4300 block of South Champlain Avenue was stabbed in the chest about 11:50 p.m. Saturday at the same address, News Affairs Officer Michael Fitzpatrick said. Armstrong later was pronounced dead in Stroger.
About midnight Saturday, four men were shot in the 6400 block of South Sangamon Street, police said. An 18-year-old man and a 29-year-old man were in critical condition Sunday in Stroger. Two victims, ages 29 and 34, were in stable condition in St. Bernard Hospital, police said.
Two people were fatally shot about 1:45 a.m. near East 63rd Street and South Maryland Avenue, Fitzpatrick said. Loweton Harrman, 26, of the 9100 block of South Parnell Avenue and Leundra Straight, 22, of North Liberty, Iowa, were killed, the Cook County medical examiner's office said. No other details were available.
Authorities continue to look for several suspects in the fatal shooting of Dominic Barnes, 21, of the 600 block of East 51st Street. Police responded to a shooting about 10:15 a.m. in the 4700 block of South Forrestville Avenue. Witnesses told police Barnes was shot after several people exited a gray Chevrolet Monte Carlo and began firing, police said.
About 11:40 a.m., Francisco Lopez, 29, of the 4700 block of South Paulina Street was shot dead near his home, police said. Another man was taken to Holy Cross Hospital with minor injuries, fire officials said.
A man in his 30s was shot in the head in the 600 block of East 87th Street about 12:19 p.m. Sunday, police said. The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in "very critical condition," said Officer John Mirabelli, a police spokesman.
No charges had been made in any of the fatal shootings as of late Sunday. Several other non-fatal incidents occurred throughout the city late Saturday and early Sunday, police said.
Police spokesman Roderick Drew said he needed a chance to review information about the weekend violence and would not comment until Monday.
kschorsch@tribune.com
csadovi@tribune.com
Crack head politician messes up again !
The Charge Against Barry: Stalking His Ex-Girlfriend
By Tim Craig and Jenna Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, July 6, 2009
D.C. Council member Marion Barry found himself mired in more political, legal and personal drama yesterday after his arrest late Saturday on charges that he was stalking a female companion.
Barry's latest run-in with the law centers on his relationship with political consultant Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, who alleges that he continues to approach her even though they split up a few months ago.
Barry, Watts-Brighthaupt and police gave conflicting accounts of how the former mayor ended up in police custody Saturday night after attending several Fourth of July functions.
U.S. Park Service Police arrested Barry (D-Ward 8) about 8:45 p.m. in Anacostia Park after a woman flagged down an officer to report that a man in a nearby vehicle was "bothering her," police said.
After interviewing Barry and Watts-Brighthaupt, Barry, 73, was charged with one count of "misdemeanor stalking," said Sgt. David Schlosser, a Park Police spokesman. Barry, on probation for failing to pay his federal taxes, was released hours later and ordered to appear in court Thursday.
Through a spokeswoman yesterday, Barry called the charges unfounded and asked prosecutors to drop them. Natalie Williams, the spokeswoman, said that Barry feels "betrayed" because of the emotional and financial support he has provided Watts-Brighthaupt, 40, over the years and that he suggested she is unstable. In April, Barry made news after he paid $800 at an auction to buy Watts-Brighthaupt an opera jacket even as he struggled to repay back taxes.
Williams said Barry and Watts-Brighthaupt met Saturday afternoon for lunch before Barry attended several Fourth of July events. On his way home, Williams said, Barry once again came into contact with Watts-Brighthaupt near the park after they saw each other's vehicles. "How are there charges of stalking when they had lunch earlier in the day?" Williams asked. "It was consensual. . . . There was no hide-and-seek stalking as one would think when they hear the term."
In an interview, Watts-Brighthaupt said she didn't seek to have Barry arrested and did not report the encounter to police. Police pulled over Barry for a traffic violation, she said.
Watts-Brighthaupt, the mother of two girls, says she never felt her life was in danger as Barry was "trying to catch me." But she said she has "tons and tons of evidence to prove" that Barry was stalking her in a way that was not life-threatening.
Barry, through his spokeswoman, alleged that Park Police mistreated him by holding him for four hours Saturday night before giving him access to his attorney. Police officials declined to comment on the specifics of the arrest. Schlosser said the officer who arrested Barry was a New York native who did not know that Barry was a prominent D.C. Council member. He said Barry was "very cooperative" during the booking process.
Watts-Brighthaupt said she worked on Barry's 2008 council campaign as a paid consultant and they began dating during the Democratic National Convention last summer. She said they broke up three days before his kidney transplant in February. "It was a wonderful, insightful, history-telling experience," she said of their time together.
The two still see each other every other day, she said.
CONTINUED 1 2 Next >
By Tim Craig and Jenna Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, July 6, 2009
D.C. Council member Marion Barry found himself mired in more political, legal and personal drama yesterday after his arrest late Saturday on charges that he was stalking a female companion.
Barry's latest run-in with the law centers on his relationship with political consultant Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, who alleges that he continues to approach her even though they split up a few months ago.
Barry, Watts-Brighthaupt and police gave conflicting accounts of how the former mayor ended up in police custody Saturday night after attending several Fourth of July functions.
U.S. Park Service Police arrested Barry (D-Ward 8) about 8:45 p.m. in Anacostia Park after a woman flagged down an officer to report that a man in a nearby vehicle was "bothering her," police said.
After interviewing Barry and Watts-Brighthaupt, Barry, 73, was charged with one count of "misdemeanor stalking," said Sgt. David Schlosser, a Park Police spokesman. Barry, on probation for failing to pay his federal taxes, was released hours later and ordered to appear in court Thursday.
Through a spokeswoman yesterday, Barry called the charges unfounded and asked prosecutors to drop them. Natalie Williams, the spokeswoman, said that Barry feels "betrayed" because of the emotional and financial support he has provided Watts-Brighthaupt, 40, over the years and that he suggested she is unstable. In April, Barry made news after he paid $800 at an auction to buy Watts-Brighthaupt an opera jacket even as he struggled to repay back taxes.
Williams said Barry and Watts-Brighthaupt met Saturday afternoon for lunch before Barry attended several Fourth of July events. On his way home, Williams said, Barry once again came into contact with Watts-Brighthaupt near the park after they saw each other's vehicles. "How are there charges of stalking when they had lunch earlier in the day?" Williams asked. "It was consensual. . . . There was no hide-and-seek stalking as one would think when they hear the term."
In an interview, Watts-Brighthaupt said she didn't seek to have Barry arrested and did not report the encounter to police. Police pulled over Barry for a traffic violation, she said.
Watts-Brighthaupt, the mother of two girls, says she never felt her life was in danger as Barry was "trying to catch me." But she said she has "tons and tons of evidence to prove" that Barry was stalking her in a way that was not life-threatening.
Barry, through his spokeswoman, alleged that Park Police mistreated him by holding him for four hours Saturday night before giving him access to his attorney. Police officials declined to comment on the specifics of the arrest. Schlosser said the officer who arrested Barry was a New York native who did not know that Barry was a prominent D.C. Council member. He said Barry was "very cooperative" during the booking process.
Watts-Brighthaupt said she worked on Barry's 2008 council campaign as a paid consultant and they began dating during the Democratic National Convention last summer. She said they broke up three days before his kidney transplant in February. "It was a wonderful, insightful, history-telling experience," she said of their time together.
The two still see each other every other day, she said.
CONTINUED 1 2 Next >
Friday, July 3, 2009
What Chicago may become !
Wayne leader asks Granholm to send law enforcement to Detroit
BY LORI HIGGINS • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • July 3, 2009
A Wayne County leader is asking Gov. Jennifer Granholm to send state law enforcement to Detroit in the wake of the shootings this week of seven teenagers at a bus stop.
“This is not a criticism of the Detroit Police Department, but our local law enforcement does not have the staffing or resources to keep our kids safe,” Keith Williams, vice chair of the Wayne County Commission, said in a statement this morning.
“We need the intervention of the state to protect our children. Thought must be given to sending in the State Police and possibly even the National Guard.”
Williams is also asking business, clergy and elected leaders at the state, county and local levels to address violence around Detroit schools.
BY LORI HIGGINS • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • July 3, 2009
A Wayne County leader is asking Gov. Jennifer Granholm to send state law enforcement to Detroit in the wake of the shootings this week of seven teenagers at a bus stop.
“This is not a criticism of the Detroit Police Department, but our local law enforcement does not have the staffing or resources to keep our kids safe,” Keith Williams, vice chair of the Wayne County Commission, said in a statement this morning.
“We need the intervention of the state to protect our children. Thought must be given to sending in the State Police and possibly even the National Guard.”
Williams is also asking business, clergy and elected leaders at the state, county and local levels to address violence around Detroit schools.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
My kind of pastor !
Pastor Urges His Flock to Bring Guns to Church
Jim Winn for The New York Times
Ken Pagano, the pastor at New Bethel Church, prepared to try a Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun at a shooting range.
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LinkedinDiggFacebookMixxMySpaceYahoo! BuzzPermalinkBy KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
Published: June 25, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Ken Pagano, the pastor of the New Bethel Church here, is passionate about gun rights. He shoots regularly at the local firing range, and his sermon two weeks ago was on “God, Guns, Gospel and Geometry.” And on Saturday night, he is inviting his congregation of 150 and others to wear or carry their firearms into the sanctuary to “celebrate our rights as Americans!” as a promotional flier for the “open carry celebration” puts it.
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Jim Winn for The New York Times
Ken Pagano of New Bethel Church in Louisville, Ky. “God and guns were part of the foundation of this country,” he said.
Readers' Comments
Readers shared their thoughts on this article.
Read All Comments (677) »“God and guns were part of the foundation of this country,” Mr. Pagano, 49, said Wednesday in the small brick Assembly of God church, where a large wooden cross hung over the altar and two American flags jutted from side walls. “I don’t see any contradiction in this. Not every Christian denomination is pacifist.”
The bring-your-gun-to-church day, which will include a $1 raffle of a handgun, firearms safety lessons and a picnic, is another sign that the gun culture in the United States is thriving despite, or perhaps because of, President Obama’s election in November.
Last year, the National Rifle Association ran a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign against Mr. Obama, stoking fears that he would be the most antigun president in history and that firearms would be confiscated. One worry was that a Democratic president and Congress would reinstitute the assault-weapons ban, which expired in 2004.
But there is little support for the ban. Mr. Obama and his party have largely ignored gun-control issues, and the president even signed a measure that will allow firearms in national parks.
Still, the fear remains that Mr. Obama, and his attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr., will crack down on guns sooner or later. That — along with the faltering economy, which gun sellers say has spurred purchases for self-defense — has fueled a record surge in gun sales.
“Every president wants to be re-elected, and gun bans are pretty much a nonstarter for getting re-elected,” said Win Underwood, owner of the Bluegrass Indoor Range here. “What I suspect is going to happen is, Obama’s going to cool his jets until he can get re-elected, and then he’ll start building his legacy in these hot-button areas.”
When Mr. Obama was elected in November, federal instant background checks, the best indicator of gun sales, jumped 42 percent over the previous November. Every month since then, the number of checks has been higher than the year before, although the postelection surge may be tapering off, as all surges eventually do. While the number of checks in April increased 30 percent from the year before, the number of checks in May (1,023,102) was only 15 percent higher than in May 2008.
The National Rifle Association says its membership is up 30 percent since November. And several states have recently passed laws allowing gun owners to carry firearms in more places — bars, restaurants, cars and parks.
“We have a very active agenda in all 50 states,” said Chris W. Cox, legislative director of the N.R.A., widely considered the country’s most powerful lobby. “We have right-to-carry laws in over 40 states; 20 years ago, it was in just six.”
Of the 40 states with right-to-carry laws, 20 allow guns in churches.
Public attitudes also seem to be turning more sympathetic to gun owners. In April, the Pew Research Center found for the first time that almost as many people said it was more important to protect the rights of gun owners (45 percent) than to control gun ownership (49 percent). Just a year ago, Pew said, 58 percent said gun control was more important than the rights of gun owners (37 percent).
Gun-control advocates say they feel increasingly ineffective, especially after a recent spate of high-profile shootings, including last month’s murder, inside a church in Kansas, of a doctor who performed late-term abortions.
“We’ve definitely been marginalized,” said Pam Gersh, a public relations consultant here who helped organize a rally in Louisville in 2000, to coincide with the Million Mom March against guns in Washington.
“The Brady Campaign and other similar organizations who advocate sensible gun responsibility laws don’t have the money and the political power — not even close,” she said. “This pastor is obviously crossing a line here and saying ‘I can even take my guns to church, and there is nothing you can do about it.’ ”
1 2
Jim Winn for The New York Times
Ken Pagano, the pastor at New Bethel Church, prepared to try a Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun at a shooting range.
Sign in to Recommendcomments (677) E-MailSend To PhonePrint Single Page Reprints ShareClose
LinkedinDiggFacebookMixxMySpaceYahoo! BuzzPermalinkBy KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
Published: June 25, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Ken Pagano, the pastor of the New Bethel Church here, is passionate about gun rights. He shoots regularly at the local firing range, and his sermon two weeks ago was on “God, Guns, Gospel and Geometry.” And on Saturday night, he is inviting his congregation of 150 and others to wear or carry their firearms into the sanctuary to “celebrate our rights as Americans!” as a promotional flier for the “open carry celebration” puts it.
Skip to next paragraph
Enlarge This Image
Jim Winn for The New York Times
Ken Pagano of New Bethel Church in Louisville, Ky. “God and guns were part of the foundation of this country,” he said.
Readers' Comments
Readers shared their thoughts on this article.
Read All Comments (677) »“God and guns were part of the foundation of this country,” Mr. Pagano, 49, said Wednesday in the small brick Assembly of God church, where a large wooden cross hung over the altar and two American flags jutted from side walls. “I don’t see any contradiction in this. Not every Christian denomination is pacifist.”
The bring-your-gun-to-church day, which will include a $1 raffle of a handgun, firearms safety lessons and a picnic, is another sign that the gun culture in the United States is thriving despite, or perhaps because of, President Obama’s election in November.
Last year, the National Rifle Association ran a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign against Mr. Obama, stoking fears that he would be the most antigun president in history and that firearms would be confiscated. One worry was that a Democratic president and Congress would reinstitute the assault-weapons ban, which expired in 2004.
But there is little support for the ban. Mr. Obama and his party have largely ignored gun-control issues, and the president even signed a measure that will allow firearms in national parks.
Still, the fear remains that Mr. Obama, and his attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr., will crack down on guns sooner or later. That — along with the faltering economy, which gun sellers say has spurred purchases for self-defense — has fueled a record surge in gun sales.
“Every president wants to be re-elected, and gun bans are pretty much a nonstarter for getting re-elected,” said Win Underwood, owner of the Bluegrass Indoor Range here. “What I suspect is going to happen is, Obama’s going to cool his jets until he can get re-elected, and then he’ll start building his legacy in these hot-button areas.”
When Mr. Obama was elected in November, federal instant background checks, the best indicator of gun sales, jumped 42 percent over the previous November. Every month since then, the number of checks has been higher than the year before, although the postelection surge may be tapering off, as all surges eventually do. While the number of checks in April increased 30 percent from the year before, the number of checks in May (1,023,102) was only 15 percent higher than in May 2008.
The National Rifle Association says its membership is up 30 percent since November. And several states have recently passed laws allowing gun owners to carry firearms in more places — bars, restaurants, cars and parks.
“We have a very active agenda in all 50 states,” said Chris W. Cox, legislative director of the N.R.A., widely considered the country’s most powerful lobby. “We have right-to-carry laws in over 40 states; 20 years ago, it was in just six.”
Of the 40 states with right-to-carry laws, 20 allow guns in churches.
Public attitudes also seem to be turning more sympathetic to gun owners. In April, the Pew Research Center found for the first time that almost as many people said it was more important to protect the rights of gun owners (45 percent) than to control gun ownership (49 percent). Just a year ago, Pew said, 58 percent said gun control was more important than the rights of gun owners (37 percent).
Gun-control advocates say they feel increasingly ineffective, especially after a recent spate of high-profile shootings, including last month’s murder, inside a church in Kansas, of a doctor who performed late-term abortions.
“We’ve definitely been marginalized,” said Pam Gersh, a public relations consultant here who helped organize a rally in Louisville in 2000, to coincide with the Million Mom March against guns in Washington.
“The Brady Campaign and other similar organizations who advocate sensible gun responsibility laws don’t have the money and the political power — not even close,” she said. “This pastor is obviously crossing a line here and saying ‘I can even take my guns to church, and there is nothing you can do about it.’ ”
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more ccw
Record numbers seek permits to carry concealed weapons
By GLENN E. RICE
The Kansas City Star
DAVID EULITT
Concealed weapons training at Great Guns in Liberty includes practice on an indoor firing range. Jerica Unger shot at targets with a .22-caliber handgun.
Crime Scene KC | More on concealed-carry
Photos | Concealed-carry applications up
Breaking News
Still no positive ID on man found dead after Bates County standoffOverland Park man convicted of raping 9-year-oldRelatives of dead man soughtNBC Action Weather | Nice and sunny Thursday, high 86Major case squad reconvenes in Cole Camp homicidesNixon signs bills opening fee office contracts to biddingHigher court fees start today in Johnson CountyMajor elbow surgery for Royals' AvilesRoyals’ Olivo suspended one game, finedLow levels of hazardous chromium found in some Missouri soil samplesKansas regulators postpone decision on racetracksKU Endowment Association posts big lossesL.A. woman sentenced in Olathe drug deliveryWater referee says Nebraska owes Kansas $10,000 -- not $9 millionNorthwest Missouri man killed in crashSt. Louis County man charged in wife's deathBody found after Bates County standoffEnvironmental officials to discuss sludge probeBank robber sentencedKansas drivers: Be aware of new lawsJackie Poynter surveys the row of handguns on the metal table and picks out a silver .22-caliber Smith & Wesson.
With protective ear muffs on, the 31-year-old Independence woman waits for the firearms instructor to give the signal before squeezing off a series of shots.
“We’ve got a marksman right here,” she exclaims. “Lord help anyone breaking into my house.”
Across the Kansas City area, record numbers of people like Poynter are applying for permits to carry concealed weapons. The surge reflects the fears of rising crime in a down economy and concerns that the election of President Barack Obama might bring new limits on gun rights.
Clay County has seen the biggest increase.
From Jan. 1 through the end of May, 801 Clay County residents applied for permits to carry a concealed weapon — compared with 863 in all of 2008.
Sheriff Bob Boydston said that in January the line of applicants stretched across the office. Each week, the line got longer.
Eventually, Boydston had to pull deputies from other duties to handle the demand. The county has gone from accepting applications two days a week to five.
“They are afraid that weapons and ammunition will not be available, but there is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding fueling this,” Boydston said.
Since Obama’s election, gun dealers nationwide have reported strong sales, and ammunition makers can’t keep up with demand.
Ken Novak, an associate professor and the chairman of the criminal justice and criminology department at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, said the economy is prompting homeowners to take extra measures to protect themselves and their families.
“They perceive crime is going up and will act on that,” Novak said.
In Kansas City, violent crime in the first four months of the year was up 10 percent compared with the same period last year. Aggravated assaults were up 20 percent, at 1,265, and the homicide count — 34 — was 17 percent higher than a year earlier. Rapes and robbery were down about 5 percent.
Novak said, however, that there is no measurable evidence that concealed-carry laws deter crime.
Supporters of concealed-carry say the law has fulfilled its mission of giving people the ability to protect themselves.
Rachel Parsons, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, said the group has noticed a nationwide increase in applications for concealed-carry permits.
“Folks have a reason to worry, and that is why they are going out in droves, purchasing guns and ammunition and getting their right-to-carry permit,” Parsons said. “After 9/11 and (Hurricane) Katrina, people have learned the police will not always be there and they want to be able to protect themselves and their families.”
She said those seeking concealed-carry permits point to Obama’s record in the Illinois Legislature.
As a state senator, Obama supported bans on semiautomatic weapons and tighter firearms restrictions in general. He also voted to leave gun manufacturers and dealers open to lawsuits, and he has said local jurisdictions should be able to regulate guns to reduce crime on city streets.
But Obama also has said that owning guns, including handguns, is an individual right and an American tradition and should remain legal.
Peter Hamm, a spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said there was no tangible evidence that the Obama administration would seek to curtail ammunition purchases or limit gun rights.
“To think Obama is going to take their guns away is stupid. The man has his hands full,” Hamm said. “The calls of gloom and doom that are being sold out there are not only untrue but not healthy.”
Joining Poynter in the recent concealed-carry class in Liberty was Dan Pulliam, 39, of Excelsior Springs. Pulliam said he wanted the permit so he could carry a handgun to protect himself and his wife when they’re driving in some of the more remote parts of town.
“There are too many weirdos out there, and I like to have something, just in case,” Pulliam said.
By GLENN E. RICE
The Kansas City Star
DAVID EULITT
Concealed weapons training at Great Guns in Liberty includes practice on an indoor firing range. Jerica Unger shot at targets with a .22-caliber handgun.
Crime Scene KC | More on concealed-carry
Photos | Concealed-carry applications up
Breaking News
Still no positive ID on man found dead after Bates County standoffOverland Park man convicted of raping 9-year-oldRelatives of dead man soughtNBC Action Weather | Nice and sunny Thursday, high 86Major case squad reconvenes in Cole Camp homicidesNixon signs bills opening fee office contracts to biddingHigher court fees start today in Johnson CountyMajor elbow surgery for Royals' AvilesRoyals’ Olivo suspended one game, finedLow levels of hazardous chromium found in some Missouri soil samplesKansas regulators postpone decision on racetracksKU Endowment Association posts big lossesL.A. woman sentenced in Olathe drug deliveryWater referee says Nebraska owes Kansas $10,000 -- not $9 millionNorthwest Missouri man killed in crashSt. Louis County man charged in wife's deathBody found after Bates County standoffEnvironmental officials to discuss sludge probeBank robber sentencedKansas drivers: Be aware of new lawsJackie Poynter surveys the row of handguns on the metal table and picks out a silver .22-caliber Smith & Wesson.
With protective ear muffs on, the 31-year-old Independence woman waits for the firearms instructor to give the signal before squeezing off a series of shots.
“We’ve got a marksman right here,” she exclaims. “Lord help anyone breaking into my house.”
Across the Kansas City area, record numbers of people like Poynter are applying for permits to carry concealed weapons. The surge reflects the fears of rising crime in a down economy and concerns that the election of President Barack Obama might bring new limits on gun rights.
Clay County has seen the biggest increase.
From Jan. 1 through the end of May, 801 Clay County residents applied for permits to carry a concealed weapon — compared with 863 in all of 2008.
Sheriff Bob Boydston said that in January the line of applicants stretched across the office. Each week, the line got longer.
Eventually, Boydston had to pull deputies from other duties to handle the demand. The county has gone from accepting applications two days a week to five.
“They are afraid that weapons and ammunition will not be available, but there is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding fueling this,” Boydston said.
Since Obama’s election, gun dealers nationwide have reported strong sales, and ammunition makers can’t keep up with demand.
Ken Novak, an associate professor and the chairman of the criminal justice and criminology department at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, said the economy is prompting homeowners to take extra measures to protect themselves and their families.
“They perceive crime is going up and will act on that,” Novak said.
In Kansas City, violent crime in the first four months of the year was up 10 percent compared with the same period last year. Aggravated assaults were up 20 percent, at 1,265, and the homicide count — 34 — was 17 percent higher than a year earlier. Rapes and robbery were down about 5 percent.
Novak said, however, that there is no measurable evidence that concealed-carry laws deter crime.
Supporters of concealed-carry say the law has fulfilled its mission of giving people the ability to protect themselves.
Rachel Parsons, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, said the group has noticed a nationwide increase in applications for concealed-carry permits.
“Folks have a reason to worry, and that is why they are going out in droves, purchasing guns and ammunition and getting their right-to-carry permit,” Parsons said. “After 9/11 and (Hurricane) Katrina, people have learned the police will not always be there and they want to be able to protect themselves and their families.”
She said those seeking concealed-carry permits point to Obama’s record in the Illinois Legislature.
As a state senator, Obama supported bans on semiautomatic weapons and tighter firearms restrictions in general. He also voted to leave gun manufacturers and dealers open to lawsuits, and he has said local jurisdictions should be able to regulate guns to reduce crime on city streets.
But Obama also has said that owning guns, including handguns, is an individual right and an American tradition and should remain legal.
Peter Hamm, a spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said there was no tangible evidence that the Obama administration would seek to curtail ammunition purchases or limit gun rights.
“To think Obama is going to take their guns away is stupid. The man has his hands full,” Hamm said. “The calls of gloom and doom that are being sold out there are not only untrue but not healthy.”
Joining Poynter in the recent concealed-carry class in Liberty was Dan Pulliam, 39, of Excelsior Springs. Pulliam said he wanted the permit so he could carry a handgun to protect himself and his wife when they’re driving in some of the more remote parts of town.
“There are too many weirdos out there, and I like to have something, just in case,” Pulliam said.
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