Omaha follow-up

[jcr]

I've been on the lookout for information on the rifle that Hawkins used in the Omaha Mall murders.

We know it was an AK-47 style semi-automatic, probably a WASR.

Because it will come up repeatedly and it would be good to have an authoritative response, does anyone know the specifics of its manufacture?

Was it pre-ban and long owned by the step-father? Was it post-ban legal -- that is, manufactured/imported legally under the post-ban laws and therefore conforming to the definition of not being an "assault weapon"? Or was it of a type that would have been illegal from 1994-2004, but again available since the sunset of the "AW" ban?

I know the ban was silly, useless, and ineffective in reducing crime, I just want to be informed when this comes up in debates/op-eds/etc.

Why don't they ever use a good old lever-action?

 

[drgrant]

In the end it won't matter, whether it was a "ban" gun or
not.

If it was a post-cripple gun, the antis will say the ban needs to
be expanded more.

If it was a preban/no ban gun the antis will say we need to
renew the AWB.

Either way, its a poop-fest.

I do think it would be nice if these nutjobs would just use a
single barrel break open shotgun and start with themselves.... that
would save everyone the hassle.

Edit: The only reliable information I've gleaned from the news
about the rifle was that it was an AK type owned by the dad, and
stored in a closet. The kid essentially stole the rifle, and didn't
get it from a gun store, gun show, or anything like that.

-Mike

 

[JonJ]

Edit: The only reliable information I've gleaned from the news
about the rifle was that it was an AK type owned by the dad, and
stored in a closet. The kid essentially stole the rifle, and didn't
get it from a gun store, gun show, or anything like that.

-Mike

It's that damn theft loophole again.

 

[MarkM]

They said on MSNBC that it was a Century Arms WASR-10, I am trying to find something official online to back that up.

 

[drgrant]

It's that damn theft loophole again.

Yeah, I'm sure the antis will want the father prosecuted for
not securing his gun enough against his own family.... and
then we get more wonderful safe storage laws.

Even if the BG was a psycho with a mile long rap sheet the antis
will still "blame the gun" and try to push more crap against all gun
owners.


-Mike

 

[pdm]

Close the theft loophole!

 

[MarkM]

Ok, this is funny stuff: someone posted a question on "Yahoo answers" asking where the killer got the gun from, some of the answers are hilarious:

http://ph.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071207065734AArL9sW

My college roommate had an AR15, which is the non-automatic version of an AK47. I understand there are conversion kits to make an AR15 into an automatic.

AK-47's are readily available at gun stores and gun shows. (BTW gun show usually don't, and aren't required to do background checks)

The Brady Bill stopped import of new ones and banned large clip 30+ rounds but the Republican Congress repealed that a few years ago.

 

[Jose]

The stupidity of the average American is breathtaking.

 

[MarkM]

According to gunpundit there is a photo on the stepfathers myspace page of the stepfather holding what appears to be a "no-ban" AK with side folding stock and regular ("high") capacity magazine. It is probable that this is the weapon the scumbag used.

http://www.gunpundit.com/90.php

The weapon looks identical to this offering from Century Arms:

http://www.centuryarms.biz/proddetail.asp?prod=RI1205-N

 

[Jose]

Yep, the folder would make it rather easy to conceal under a coat.

Clyde Barrow was way ahead of his time with his whipit guns.

 

[gene]

I would never have believed that people so dumb could respond as though they had some small level of knowledge on the subject matter. No wonder why the politics of the country are so screwed up.

This should make be made into a game show called, ARE YOU SMARTER THAN AN IMBECILE?" These people if they haven't been already are going to vote someday. How sad for us and the ones that were clearly anti gun were among the worst.