someone with a gun in the Burlington Mall

[atilla]

i'm taking orders now, gentlemen.

 

[scouter-rick]

3.5 hours on the forum and 4300+ views and no one has mentioned blitz1 or a cat. <grin>

 

[Force]

http://www.wbur.org/2011/04/19/mall-evacuation

You can see the cop trying to keep it on his shoulder as he frisks the kid

 

[ChevyGuy91]

If it makes a terrifying shotgun sound, I am in.

 

[ChevyGuy91]

http://www.wbur.org/2011/04/19/mall-evacuation

You can see the cop trying to keep it on his shoulder as he frisks the kid

You guys are all over playing this, that thing looks EXACTLY like a short rifle.

 

[Ziptar]

He must have had the "Gunbrella"

Be a shooter in the rain! The handle and the tip of Rifle Umbrella is designed just like a rifle gun. Looks cool and is a great gift to your friends!

Too bad its Temporary Out of Stock... For $25 I want to "Look Cool" Too!

 

[Admin]

So why did they go through his bag and frisk him exactly?

 

[MichaelJR]

http://www.wbur.org/2011/04/19/mall-evacuation

You can see the cop trying to keep it on his shoulder as he frisks the kid

Poor kid looks scared to death....and they were clearly lecturing him based on their body language. "KID, DO YOU KNOW HOW CLOSE YOU WERE TO GETTING YOU AND YOUR DOG POPPED BY ONE OF MY TRIGGER HAPPY SWAT MEMBERS!?!?!?"

 

[ChevyGuy91]

So why did they go through his bag and frisk him exactly?

No dog to shoot?

 

[KilgoreTrout]

You guys are all over playing this, that thing looks EXACTLY like a short rifle.

not sure if serious.....

 

[ChevyGuy91]

not sure if serious.....

<- hardly ever serious.

 

[MisterHappy]

So why did they go through his bag and frisk him exactly?

Isn't there some sort of theory about not letting a good crisis go to waste?

Imaginie if he'd had a pocket knife.....

 

[Admin]

not sure if serious.....

Would he ever call an object that is clearly 30+ inches long a short rifle?

 

[bigjim]

 

[M1911]

Read the boston.com article down to the last sentence:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2011/04/burlington_mall.html?p1=News_links

The Burlington Mall was used as the setting for the Kevin James comedy movie "Paul Blart: Mall Cop."

Sounds like someone over at the Globe thinks was a bit over the top as well.

 

[Blitz1]

+

=

 

[davemata]

I've got a bunch of anti-gun folks on my FB friend's list... since you never let a good crisis go to waste, I've been pissing them all off over this ridiculousness.

#1 argument on their side: What if it was a gun?!

Are you kidding me? Glad we don't have to worry ourselves with identifying basic shapes and little ugly things like innocent until proven guilty.

 

[MichaelJR]

In the eyes of SWAT/Staties:

Criminals:

Crack dealers with machine guns:

Future Aspirations for the force:

 

[davemata]

Future Aspirations for the force:

Even back then Hugo Boss suits looked damn good.

 

[MichaelJR]

Even back then Hugo Boss suits looked damn good.

Nothing says classy like some fine wool and a mean goosestep.

 

[terraformer]

So why did they go through his bag and frisk him exactly?

Same here. This is a VERY BAD precedent. Carrying a firearm (even a rifle) is a presumptively LEGAL activity in MA. He showed them the umbrella. Done. If he had an LTC this kid would be F'd big time. Because they would assume he had an ACTUAL rifle and that would be it. This complete and utter waste of time, resources and energy was the problem. Not the gun he may or may not have had.

Also, to everyone here. Never call the cops and admit to them you may be the one they may want to question. Call a lawyer and let the lawyer determine the best course going forward.

 

[flintoid]

Also, to everyone here. Never call the cops and admit to them you may be the one they may want to question. Call a lawyer and let the lawyer determine the best course going forward.

if that dude was carrying, you're right... he would have been f'd big time.

 

[terraformer]

State Police spokesman David Procopio said the umbrella did look like a rifle when it was protruding from the man's backpack.

He praised the 911 callers for "being perceptive and vigilant and we are grateful for their call."

These IDIOTS are reinforcing this paranoia! The state police and/or a town PD is going to be sued for a MONSTER civil rights lawsuit if they EVER arrest someone on the basis of one of these calls.

 

[TBalls]

the idiots who called this in need to be publicly flogged

It would be nice, but it's just wishful thinking....

State Police spokesman David Procopio said the umbrella did look like a rifle when it was protruding from the man's backpack.

He praised the 911 callers for "being perceptive and vigilant and we are grateful for their call."

ETA: D'oh! You just beat me to the punch!

 

[Blitz1]

These IDIOTS are reinforcing this paranoia! The state police and/or a town PD is going to be sued for a MONSTER civil rights lawsuit if they EVER arrest someone on the basis of one of these calls.

You should contact that kid and bring a lawsuit.

 

[terraformer]

You should contact that kid and bring a lawsuit.

He wasn't arrested. And he likely consented to the search. No, someone will have to get their reputation damaged by being arrested for actually carrying a legal gun before the required civil rights criteria are met. But believe me, this is something that once the RTC is affirmed by SCOTUS, will be brought any and all times it happens.

 

[whatluck]

Our tax dollars at work.

I'm surprised nobody in the security office recognized the umbrella as a novelty item. The mall cops should have been able to take care of this.

 

[Emoto]

Everyone knows that this film was shot at the Burlington Mall, right? Oops, beaten to the punch.

 

[M1911]

Everyone knows that this film was shot at the Burlington Mall, right?

even the Globe knows that: http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...lington-Mall?p=1852819&viewfull=1#post1852819

 

[davemata]

Our tax dollars at work.

I'm surprised nobody in the security office recognized the umbrella as a novelty item. The mall cops should have been able to take care of this.

It wouldn't surprise me if the mall cops had one or two and were just bored, and wanted to see what would happen.