Gun Expert Lott: Let Teachers Carry Arms, Ban Gun-Free Zones to Halt Mass Shootings

Anonymous tips not necessarily anonymous. And at that time, I do not have gun to protect myself so I decided not to take risk. Finally, I don't have the name and address of that dealer so tip to cop is meaningless.
simple... a person calls 911 thru pay phone or something and says "I am reporting a person selling drugs at Lexington Ave and 50th Street. I think I see a gun or some kind of weapon."

Give you example, if I saw you and doing crime activity at same time then you decided to call using Anonymous tip, I will KNOW it is you that rat on me. Why? Your the only one that saw me doing this so who else? That is why Anonymous tip is not necessarily means 100% anonymous.
how? there are hundreds of people walking by so how would they know it's you?

oh well. living in fear in your own hometown? that's terrible. better move to somewhere else with a strong sense of community.

and you really do watch too much movies. feel free to be a bystander and do nothing when you witness a crime.
 
disposable phone if one is that paranoid.
I know what disposable phones are but a pay phone is the old land-line phone where you put money in it to make a call. That's why I was surprised that you referred to such an antique.
 
I know what disposable phones are but a pay phone is the old land-line phone where you put money in it to make a call. That's why I was surprised that you referred to such an antique.

yes I know :lol: it's still around especially at colleges or government buildings because of deaf people. it has TTY device attached

but 911 is free to call for pay phone
 
Update on bomb at my college:

The Dec. 17 email referred to information that its sender had received from a friend: A “REAL BOMB” had been placed on the Trident Technical College campus in North Charleston.

With a tenuous grasp on grammar and sentence structure, the sender was precise about the location: in the bushes near the Student Center on Rivers Avenue.

McGrath
“B is NOT dangerous withot fire,” the email said. “I’m not sure how correct this info. In any way pls call security to check and remove it.”

Police officers later found the yellow plastic bag dangling from the shrubbery. Technicians destroyed it, eliminating any danger it might have posed to the nearly empty campus.

The information, based on an incident report and a copy of the email released by the campus police, sheds light on the threat itself. But still unknown is what might have driven a North Charleston man with a limited criminal history to plant the object.

William Gregory McGrath, 35, a former Trident Tech student, remains jailed in lieu of $125,000 bail. He faces a charge of manufacturing, possessing and placing a destructive device, a felony that’s punishable with at least 25 years and up to life in prison.

Maj. Jim Brady of the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were working with federal terrorism experts to answer remaining questions.

McGrath said during a bond hearing that he didn’t know why authorities would accuse him of making a bomb. But he declined an interview with The Post and Courier and a chance to explain the statement, according to Brady.

Attempts to contact McGrath’s family members also were unsuccessful.

Suspect’s history

McGrath has been arrested at least twice in South Carolina, according to the State Law Enforcement Division, though he also said during the hearing that he had never been in trouble.

He was not convicted in either case, and a drunken driving arrest was supposed to be expunged from his criminal record. Documentation of the run-ins with the police was obtained through an S.C. Freedom of Information Act request.

But court records do show that McGrath was convicted in April 2004 of failure to pay taxes.

One afternoon in April 2007, the Mount Pleasant Police Department received two calls about McGrath’s sport utility vehicle weaving “all over the road,” according to an incident report.

An officer found McGrath’s SUV parked outside a gas station, but when he saw the police, McGrath tried to hide behind the store, the report stated.

His speech was slurred, his eyes were glossy, and he stumbled, the officer wrote. “His face was red and his shirt was repositioned on his body as if he was just in a fight,” the report stated.

McGrath failed a field-sobriety test, according to the report, and he caused a disturbance by shouting after he was handcuffed. At the police station, he refused a breath test and got into “several verbal altercations” with officers.

McGrath was arrested again about two years later, when employees at a Mount Pleasant Circuit City accused him of damaging a Sony laptop while trying to steal it.

A store worker said he heard a “snap, pop and other loud noises” while he was helping a customer, according to an incident report. He turned to find McGrath fiddling with the computer, which was hooked to a display shelf with cords.

McGrath told the employee that he was just checking out the computer’s connections, but the laptop screen broke in the process, the report stated. The damage was estimated at $765, and McGrath was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of malicious injury to personal property.

The most recent court records about McGrath indicate that he was being evicted this month from his home at the Alta Shores apartment complex on Elms Plantation Boulevard.

Email link?

It was at that apartment where authorities investigating the bomb scare found eight marijuana plants growing in a closet. In an outside storage shed, a report stated, they found traces of the fertilizer ammonium nitrate and commercial fireworks.

Those materials, authorities said, connected McGrath to the device.

Brady, the sheriff’s spokesman, said it’s still unknown whether McGrath can be linked directly to the email that lodged the threat. The message was sent through Yu2Yu.com, a website based in Russia that makes it difficult for authorities to pinpoint an email’s source.

Brady said he was unsure whether experts were able to see through the veil that the “scrubber” created.

After reading the email, which was sent to a general school account, campus police officers found the plastic bag hanging from wires attached to bushes outside the Student Center. Inside the bag, which was suspended about 3½ feet above the ground, was a small box, according to a report. Authorities said the box contained ammonium nitrate, an ignition device and nails.

Fewer than a half-dozen people were evacuated from the building. The campus was closed because of winter break, limiting any injuries or loss of life that the device could have caused.

That’s why investigators think the bomb might have been a test to determine how authorities would respond to such a threat.

The next day, another employee contacted the police to report that she had received the same email.
http://www.postandcourier.com/artic...ases-email-that-lodged-bomb-threat&source=RSS
 
Right, but I think it should be encourage, the more the better. When outlaws learn more and more people carry guns, they are less likely to strike.

Two thoughts come to mind:
1. A few years ago, I was at a gas station and noticed a gun in the backseat of a vehicle at the pump. I drove away from the station and called the police to let them know. The cops managed to stop the vehicle a few miles away. It turned out that this man had other guns in his trunk and was someone they had been looking for for some time. He was arrested on weapons and drug-related charges. If we were a community that was used to seeing people carrying guns, chances are I would not have called the police.
2. I believe that the more people carry guns, the greater the chance of them being used and the higher the number of incidents of gun-related injuries and death.
 
Two thoughts come to mind:
1. A few years ago, I was at a gas station and noticed a gun in the backseat of a vehicle at the pump. I drove away from the station and called the police to let them know. The cops managed to stop the vehicle a few miles away. It turned out that this man had other guns in his trunk and was someone they had been looking for for some time. He was arrested on weapons and drug-related charges. If we were a community that was used to seeing people carrying guns, chances are I would not have called the police.
2. I believe that the more people carry guns, the greater the chance of them being used and the higher the number of incidents of gun-related injuries and death.

but.... look at many states with gun-friendly laws especially Colorado, Arizona, and Connecticut. it showed that much much much less people are actually carrying weapon.
 
Number one to keep in mind, Canada is very strict with gun and you did the right thing by calling cops.

Second, I don't agree with you. The more people have gun the outlaws will get more nervous about using guns. That person that you saw with gun was careless outlaws. Meaning there is much more outlaws that is super careful with concealing their weapons.

I just watch a bone chilling crime-drama where a guy doing killing spree, he killed several people until he made mistake by kidnapping with intention to kill last two victims. That last two victims happen to have gun concealed which they used to shoot the ex-fugitive which result forcing him exposed to cop with blood in his chest... BUSTED and the last two victims were able to survive while the rest that don't have gun got killed. If it were not for last two victims, this scumbag would be very likely to continue killing spree.

Two thoughts come to mind:
1. A few years ago, I was at a gas station and noticed a gun in the backseat of a vehicle at the pump. I drove away from the station and called the police to let them know. The cops managed to stop the vehicle a few miles away. It turned out that this man had other guns in his trunk and was someone they had been looking for for some time. He was arrested on weapons and drug-related charges. If we were a community that was used to seeing people carrying guns, chances are I would not have called the police.
2. I believe that the more people carry guns, the greater the chance of them being used and the higher the number of incidents of gun-related injuries and death.
 
but.... look at many states with gun-friendly laws especially Colorado, Arizona, and Connecticut. it showed that much much much less people are actually carrying weapon.

Yup, I noticed that open carry is extremely rare in Alabama, despite about open carry friendly and I only saw 3 people are open carry in one year, but in other year, none of them.
 
Yup, very true!

and let's focus on the issue, shall we? not personal attack. focus focus focus.

so why don't we talk about what happened at Tucson Shooting? I mean... a Senator was shot in the head along with federal judge, politicians, and government staffs???? in middle of dozens of armed guards with police officers, state police, K9, etc.???

this proves my case - there's nothing you can do about it if there is a deranged mentally-ill person out there with ill intention to cause harm. banning gun nor arming Joe the Plumber can prevent a massacre. thankfully enough.... a massacre is rare.
 
Number one to keep in mind, Canada is very strict with gun and you did the right thing by calling cops.

Second, I don't agree with you. The more people have gun the outlaws will get more nervous about using guns. That person that you saw with gun was careless outlaws. Meaning there is much more outlaws that is super careful with concealing their weapons.

I just watch a bone chilling crime-drama where a guy doing killing spree, he killed several people until he made mistake by kidnapping with intention to kill last two victims. That last two victims happen to have gun concealed which they used to shoot the ex-fugitive which result forcing him exposed to cop with blood in his chest... BUSTED and the last two victims were able to survive while the rest that don't have gun got killed. If it were not for last two victims, this scumbag would be very likely to continue killing spree.

I don't agree with "the more people with guns..."

I believe that the less gun laws we have, the better.
 
"Number one to keep in mind, Canada is very strict with gun and you did the right thing by calling cops."

Although we have stricter gun laws, we do not have a gun culture like the US either. We also do not have a high number of gun-related deaths per capita. I think they all work together. There is not one single answer to the problem, that's for sure.

I think mental health issues are also a factor but it strikes me odd that many who say, "Guns aren't the problem, the people are.", are the same people who are against universal healthcare (which is a valuable gateway to help for mental health issues). Seems rather ironic to me. (and when I say 'people', I mean people in general, not necessarily members on this forum)
 
I don't know what to make of this:

Citizens group criticizes decision to add police to North Charleston elementary schools, organizes community meeting

Diette Courrégé Casey
Posted: Thursday, January 3, 2013 12:21 a.m.
UPDATED: Thursday, January 3, 2013 12:22 a.m.

Some Lowcountry residents are criticizing the decision to add police officers to North Charleston elementary schools, but the city’s mayor said he won’t apologize for taking action to keep students safe.

Citizens United for Public Schools, an umbrella group that includes the Charleston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Lowcountry Justice Commission, among others, said Wednesday that it was a “hasty, ill-advised and possibly injurious” initiative to add officers to the city’s 21 public elementary schools.

Grace Beahm/staff North Charleton police officer Charles Green parks his cruiser outside as he serves as the Security Resource Officer at Chicora Elementary School in North Charleston Wednesday.

What they said

“While the safety of our children is an ongoing concern for all responsible citizens, the city of North Charleston’s unilateral decision is not the answer. If school safety is to be equitably and fairly achieved, then the school district should consult with all area law enforcement agencies and those in the community and review security policies and procedures that the school district already has in place.”

--Dot Scott, president of the Charleston NAACP and spokeswoman for Citizens United for Public Schools

“As mayor of North Charleston, my number one job is to ensure the safety our citizens, and I will not be apologetic for doing so. ... We have placed police officers in all of our schools so students can focus solely on learning and to give parents peace of mind that their children will be in a safe environment while away from their care.”

--North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey

They also have organized a community meeting to discuss the best way to protect all of the county’s 80 schools.

CUPS supporters cited a number of potential issues associated with the increased police presence, such as officers rather than educators enforcing discipline.

“An increased police presence may aggravate the situation in some schools and make our schools look and operate more like detention facilities than like places of learning,” said Dot Scott, president of the Charleston NAACP, who gave a statement on behalf of CUPS.

CUPS specifically took issue with North Charleston police, citing a history of racial profiling and a past of “violent and abusive behavior.”

“The chance of parents being ‘profiled’ simply for going to their children’s schools is frighteningly possible,” Scott said.

North Charleston Police Chief Jon Zumalt was out of the office Wednesday, and spokesman Spencer Pryor deferred comment to North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey.

Summey also was out of the office but released a statement saying police were in schools so students can focus on learning and so parents will know their children are in a safe environment.

He said he would not be dissuaded by the voices of a few, nor would he risk students’ safety.

“Finger-pointing and name-calling never solves problems, and it is a sad day when we are criticized for taking action to protect the most vulnerable among us, our young children,” he said. “How could we live with ourselves if a child was harmed and nothing was done to try to prevent it?”

Summey proposed the $2 million plan to hire and equip police officers for the city’s public elementary schools. He did so in response to the Dec. 14 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., where 20 children and six adults were killed. City Council approved that plan.

Another issue raised by CUPS is that of authority and whether North Charleston can add officers to district schools without the county school board’s consent.

The school board approved in September contracts with each local police agency that describe how many school resource officers would be provided, where they would be placed, and the duties of those officers and the district. That hasn’t happened for the latest addition of North Charleston officers.

School Board Chairwoman Cindy Bohn Coats said the previous contracts required the district to supplement part of the officers’ costs, but these additional North Charleston officers were being covered 100 percent by the city.

She is trying to find answers regarding the district’s and board’s role when funding isn’t an issue.

“Those are the first and most valid questions that need to be addressed,” she said.

The issue of school resource officers has been discussed at length by the board more than once during the past year. At least one school board member, Elizabeth Moffly, said she doesn’t think schools need police officers. Others, such as Chris Collins, have taken issue with the way police handle incidents in schools.

Many educators say officers are critical to creating a safe school climate. Superintendent Nancy McGinley hasn’t taken a position on officers in elementary schools, and she declined an interview request Wednesday from The Post and Courier.

She released a brief statement saying school resource officers were present for public safety and protection, and principals remain in charge of discipline and building supervision.

“Having a police officer on a school campus is an additional deterrent to violent crime,” she said.

Chicora School of Communications Principal Brian Agnew said his school previously shared a school resource officer with Military Magnet Academy, but an officer has been on his school’s campus full time since the Connecticut shootings.

The resource officer provides extra protection, such as repeatedly checking interior and exterior doors to ensure they are secure, he said. The officer hasn’t interfered with the way Agnew handles discipline or safety but rather enhances safety, he said.

“It provides a really good role model for our kids, and a good way for the police to become friendly with neighborhood folks,” Agnew said.
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