Being "Disgruntled" + Buying Guns = Early Morning Visit from Swat

HorizontalHunter

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Holy Crap. If someone says that you are "disgruntled" an you buy some guns the police are now being "proactive" and using their SWAT team to take you down based on what they think you may be planning to do. What the hell happened to innocent until proven guilty? The next thing you know the will be arresting anyone who goes to a liquor store and owns a car because they may drive drunk.

Bob


Police act swiftly after gun purchases
ODOT worker who'd been put on leave is mentally evaluated after buying handguns, AK-47
By Anita Burke
Mail Tribune
March 09, 2010 5:00 AM
Concerns about an Oregon Department of Transportation employee who purchased several guns after being placed on leave prompted law enforcement across Southern Oregon to step in.

Negotiators and a SWAT team from Medford police safely took a man — whose name wasn't released — into protective custody Monday morning in the 500 block of Effie Street, Medford police said in a news release.

He was taken to Rogue Valley Medical Center for a mental-health evaluation.

The man recently had been placed on administrative leave from his job and was "very disgruntled," the news release said.

ODOT Communications Director Patrick Cooney said there were administrative, personnel matters involved that limited what the department could discuss.

However, the state agency had reported concerns about the man to law enforcement agencies, who started monitoring him, officials said.

"We had concerning information regarding a personnel issue and were watching the subject," Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters said.

In two days, the man bought a Heckler & Koch .45-caliber universal self-loading handgun, a Walther .380-caliber handgun and an AK-47 assault rifle, Medford police Lt. Bob Hansen said. All of those firearms were purchased legally, with required record checks by the Oregon State Police.

Authorities were "extremely concerned" that the man may have been planning to retaliate against his employers, the news release said.

"Instead of being reactive, we took a proactive approach," OSP Sgt. Jeff Proulx said.

Douglas and Jackson County sheriff's departments, OSP officers based in both counties and police in Medford and Roseburg collaborated, he said.

Medford police watched the man's home overnight, starting at about 9 p.m. Sunday, Hansen said.

Because he was known to have weapons, police wanted to defuse the situation and ensure the man wasn't a danger to himself or others before the neighborhood awakened and people started their daily activities, Hansen said.

Medford's hostage negotiators and SWAT team were called in at 3 a.m. Monday and arrived on the scene at about 5:45 a.m., he said.

About a dozen officers responded. They closed the street for about an hour and evacuated three homes to protect neighbors and prevent bystanders from gathering, he said.

After a phone conversation with negotiators, the man — who was alone in the home — agreed to come out, Hansen said.

Police seized the recently purchased firearms, as well as another .45-caliber Heckler & Koch handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun. Police are holding the weapons for safekeeping, but no criminal charges have been filed.

Reach reporter Anita Burke at 541-776-4485, or e-mail [email protected].



http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100309/NEWS/3090315
 
Repeat after me:

"Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe."
 
So he already legally owned firearms... and he went out and bought some more after being laid off. Because most of these shooters bring 5-6 guns with them. Good work.

I will say the article doesn't specify what about him would make him "disgruntled." Maybe he said he was gonna come back and shoot up the place, but doesn't sound like it.

Mike
 
In two days, the man bought a Heckler & Koch .45-caliber universal self-loading handgun, a Walther .380-caliber handgun and an AK-47 assault rifle,

1) Wow, the HK pistol actually consciously loads itself? Cool! where do I get one of those?!

2) So the guy must have had a machine gun license. Otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get a rifle capable of full-auto fire.

[rolleyes]
 
Holy Crap. If someone says that you are "disgruntled" an you buy some guns the police are now being "proactive" and using their SWAT team to take you down based on what they think you may be planning to do. What the hell happened to innocent until proven guilty? The next thing you know the will be arresting anyone who goes to a liquor store and owns a car because they may drive drunk.

Bob


Police act swiftly after gun purchases
ODOT worker who'd been put on leave is mentally evaluated after buying handguns, AK-47
By Anita Burke
Mail Tribune
March 09, 2010 5:00 AM
Concerns about an Oregon Department of Transportation employee who purchased several guns after being placed on leave prompted law enforcement across Southern Oregon to step in.

Negotiators and a SWAT team from Medford police safely took a man — whose name wasn't released — into protective custody Monday morning in the 500 block of Effie Street, Medford police said in a news release.

He was taken to Rogue Valley Medical Center for a mental-health evaluation.

The man recently had been placed on administrative leave from his job and was "very disgruntled," the news release said.

ODOT Communications Director Patrick Cooney said there were administrative, personnel matters involved that limited what the department could discuss.

However, the state agency had reported concerns about the man to law enforcement agencies, who started monitoring him, officials said.

"We had concerning information regarding a personnel issue and were watching the subject," Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters said.

In two days, the man bought a Heckler & Koch .45-caliber universal self-loading handgun, a Walther .380-caliber handgun and an AK-47 assault rifle, Medford police Lt. Bob Hansen said. All of those firearms were purchased legally, with required record checks by the Oregon State Police.

Authorities were "extremely concerned" that the man may have been planning to retaliate against his employers, the news release said.

"Instead of being reactive, we took a proactive approach," OSP Sgt. Jeff Proulx said.

Douglas and Jackson County sheriff's departments, OSP officers based in both counties and police in Medford and Roseburg collaborated, he said.

Medford police watched the man's home overnight, starting at about 9 p.m. Sunday, Hansen said.

Because he was known to have weapons, police wanted to defuse the situation and ensure the man wasn't a danger to himself or others before the neighborhood awakened and people started their daily activities, Hansen said.

Medford's hostage negotiators and SWAT team were called in at 3 a.m. Monday and arrived on the scene at about 5:45 a.m., he said.

About a dozen officers responded. They closed the street for about an hour and evacuated three homes to protect neighbors and prevent bystanders from gathering, he said.

After a phone conversation with negotiators, the man — who was alone in the home — agreed to come out, Hansen said.

Police seized the recently purchased firearms, as well as another .45-caliber Heckler & Koch handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun. Police are holding the weapons for safekeeping, but no criminal charges have been filed.

Reach reporter Anita Burke at 541-776-4485, or e-mail [email protected].



http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100309/NEWS/3090315

My guess is there is more to this than reported....like he was mouthing off publicly to employees about being disgruntled...and maybe said something threatening....

However, it is still a case of guilty til proven innocent.....and pretty much BS.
 
/\/\ Guilty of what though? Being disgruntled isn't a crime...and even if you are, talking about it isn't a crime either.
 
How is this different from a woman, who had a bad day, going shopping for some clothes? Unless he threatened someone and claimed he was going to come into work and shoot the place up, all the guy did was blow off some steam by going shopping.
 
It's a good thing that I'm not "MisterDisgruntled"

Seriously, it makes just as much (if not more) sense as "informational" roadblocks, that "just happen" to catch OUIs, or random bag searches on the T.

Pro-active policing is more efficient...I'm sure that everything will work out fine....and, I'm sure that the announcement that all is hunky-dory will be as prominently reported in the same places as this story. That, and the local authorities will have a "welcome back" party for the gentleman, and all the neighbors, as a compensation for rousting them from bed so early. [rolleyes]
 
Wow, the authorities have finally crossed the line. If I had a horrible week at work, an afternoon at the range with an AK-47 sounds like a great stress reliever. I wonder just how "disgruntled" this man is now!
 
How many known gang bangers with outstanding warrants did the hundreds of cops pass by standing on the street corners on the way to this pre-crime crime scene?

How is it they are only able to be "proactive" with people that (presumably) have no criminal history and have not yet done anything?
 
Repeat after me:

"Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe. Big brother keeps us safe."

And:

War is Peace

Freedom is Slavery
 
what was that movie with tom cruise where they arrested people before they committed a crime

(not saying this guy was going to commit a crime)
 
what was that movie with tom cruise where they arrested people before they committed a crime

(not saying this guy was going to commit a crime)

Minority Report


Also, given the facts they gave us, its complete BS they arrested the guy. But I am curious why he was put on administrative leave. And if he was facing possible termination you really want to blow $2k on guns?
 
I am curious as to how they figured out that he bought the guns..... it's not clear from the article. This could either be an epic case of a guy running his mouth, or it could be a some kind of state level registration system, etc.... but I thought Oregon was fairly gun friendly... hmm.

-Mike
 
And if he was facing possible termination you really want to blow $2k on guns?

People do strange things when they get fired or laid off. I know a guy that got laid off and then he went out and bought a BMW Z3. [laugh]

-Mike
 
I've been disgruntled with various people, organizations, laws, regulations, and government departments for several decades. Does that mean I'm about to be hauled off to some Gulag for reprogramming? I think that this story is really making a mountain out of a molehill. That kind of stuff could never happen in a country based on individual liberty, like ours is.

Excuse me a moment, there's someone knocking at my door. I'll be right back.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
 
looks like the OSP reported the purchases to whichever agency was monitoring him.

Ouch. That's just wonderful.... So apparently, in oregon, if you piss off the wrong
people, your gun buying habits can be "monitored" without due process....

-Mike
 
1) Wow, the HK pistol actually consciously loads itself? Cool! where do I get one of those?!

2) So the guy must have had a machine gun license. Otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get a rifle capable of full-auto fire.

[rolleyes]

1) HK USP, "Universelle Selbstlade Pistole", or Universal Self-Loading (autoloading) Pistol.

2) Did you really expect any better from a newsie?
 
yeah.. Uh... Just in Oregon, right?

Well, in OR and a few other states... Oregon is shown on the FBI as being a "Full POC" state, which means the state runs all firearms checks as a go between with NICS. Some states are FBI only, even MA. (Although ostensibly, in MA the state would just use MIRCS to monitor purchases). NH is a 50% state, in NH the state has a POC for Handguns but rifles and shotguns go through the FBI. VT and ME are "FBI only" states.

My guess is also that the POC states sometimes may collect more info about the purchase than is normally collected. Normally the FBI only knows the person, and whether or not the NICS check was initiated for a rifle or handgun.

-Mike
 
I don't think it's so much an issue of monitoring them without due process, but acting upon said monitoring. Having purchases monitored unofficially isn't new or unusual.

+1. I know if you buy more than one handgun at a time you get put on the FBI watch list that goes right to your town PD. Happened to one of my buddies, he bought two pistols at one time and his friend from the local PD called him to tell him he was on the list.

However, monitoring is one thing....taking them away and putting you in jail for doing nothing with no charges filed is another...and reeks to high heaven.
 
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