OT: Man sprays Capitol Hill with bullets ‘to see if gun still worked’

http://today.seattletimes.com/2012/01/man-fires-gun-repeatedly-just-to-see-if-it-still-worked/

A man was arrested in the Capitol Hill neighborhood last night after witnesses told police he fired several bullets toward buildings, the ground and into the air.

“After the suspect was read his rights, he was asked why he fired the gun. He told officers he wanted to see if the gun still worked,” said police spokesman Mark Jamieson.

Witnesses called 911 just after 11 p.m. to report seeing the man walking around shooting, said Jamieson. The man was spotted walking around 12th Avenue East and East Harrison and along 13th Avenue East.

“While he was walking, the suspect was randomly firing his handgun in the direction of several buildings, at the ground, and into the air. The suspect reloaded at least once and continued to fire indiscriminately, causing a significant risk to the public,” Jamieson wrote in a news release.

The 32-year-old man was arrested around 15th Avenue East and East Mercer Street, he had a .38 caliber revolver with him, police said. Officers retraced the suspect’s walking route and found that he did not do any damage to buildings or vehicles. There were no reports of injuries.

The man was booked into the King County Jail for discharge of a firearm and unlawful carrying of a firearm, both misdemeanors.

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I am curious to know exactly which laws were employed by the arresting officers when this guy was charged with "unlawful carrying of a firearm". Does anyone know a quick and easy way to get this information?

44Brent said:

I am curious to know exactly which laws were employed by the arresting officers when this guy was charged with "unlawful carrying of a firearm". Does anyone know a quick and easy way to get this information?

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He was arrested for violation of the "unlawful carrying" law.

It shall be unlawful for any person to carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.

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The courts have ruled that the statute justly "prohibits the carrying or displaying of weapons when objective circumstances would warrant alarm in a reasonable person" (State v. Spencer). Also, while "It is not unlawful for a person to responsibly walk down the street with a visible firearm, even if this action would shock some people" (State v. Casad), this gentleman was clearly not behaving responsibly.

He told officers he wanted to see if the gun still worked

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One would think this could be determined after it went "BANG".

Obviously, he was unable to determine this without sufficient volume.

(Just because it goes "BANG" 37 times, doesn't neccessarily mean it will on the 38th pull of the trigger, right?)

Gotta make sure it works. A lot. Really a lot.

Wow......just...............wow.

My guess is that further research will find he has a history of mental illness and shouldn't have been in possession of the gun in the first place.

Just an educated guess.

I wonder if this person was of mid-eastern origin, where it is totally acceptable to do as he did? You know there are other cultures that think differently than we do, and in general have different rules of acceptable conduct, as well as possible MH issues.

I'm reminded of the country western song, "Bubba Shot the Juke Box" by Mark Chesnutt.

"Reckless discharge of a gun. That's what the officers are claimin'.

"Bubba hollered out, 'Reckless, hell! I hit just where I was aimin'.


The sheriff said, "Bubba Boy, you always was a dense one."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CntSx-aytM


I wonder if we gots ourselves a Bubba in this here Capitol Hill story.

Sounds like he was testing his ammo. How else was he going to find a dud?

Citizen said:

I'm reminded of the country western song, "Bubba Shot the Juke Box" by Mark Chesnutt.

"Reckless discharge of a gun. That's what the officers are claimin'.

"Bubba hollered out, 'Reckless, hell! I hit just where I was aimin'.


The sheriff said, "Bubba Boy, you always was a dense one."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CntSx-aytM


I wonder if we gots ourselves a Bubba in this here Capitol Hill story.

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Negative. According to the report, he didn't actually hit anything, aimed for or not.

Perhaps he had several magazines and needed to ensure that they all functioned properly and didn't hang up on any specific round? If he didn't have a history of mental health issues before, he most likely will now.

44Brent said:

http://today.seattletimes.com/2012/01/man-fires-gun-repeatedly-just-to-see-if-it-still-worked/

SNIP <<< The 32-year-old man was arrested around 15th Avenue East and East Mercer Street, he had a .38 caliber revolver with him, police said. >>> SNIP

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I doubt he was testing magazines.

Sorry, I was not being serious - just a little sarcastic. I missed the revolver part of the article whenI scanned through it at 0-dark thirty.

MatieA said:

I doubt he was testing magazines.

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Oh, that answers the whole question, then. He was merely testing to see if the barrel would unscrew during repeated firing. You know, that pesky problem that creeps up every once in a while since manufacturers stopped pinning barrels some years back.

Nothing thows off your aim like the whole front sight rotating several degrees out of vertical.

Citizen said:

Oh, that answers the whole question, then. He was merely testing to see if the barrel would unscrew during repeated firing. You know, that pesky problem that creeps up every once in a while since manufacturers stopped pinning barrels some years back.

Nothing thows off your aim like the whole front sight rotating several degrees out of vertical.

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Maybe THAT'S where the whole "gangsta style" craze came from!

Metalhead47 said:

Maybe THAT'S where the whole "gangsta style" craze came from!

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Ya never know when the slide on your tupperware is gonna rotate!



(Full disclosure. I don't really have a beef with Glocks. I know lotsa people and cops carry them with no problems. They just don't fit my hand.)

Citizen said:

Oh, that answers the whole question, then. He was merely testing to see if the barrel would unscrew during repeated firing. You know, that pesky problem that creeps up every once in a while since manufacturers stopped pinning barrels some years back.

Nothing thows off your aim like the whole front sight rotating several degrees out of vertical.

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You aim revolvers??

gun testing........

Boy, it'd be great if someone were to invent a place where you could actually shoot real guns to see if they worked, and maybe even have some guy there that could fix them and then a store nearby that sells real guns and stuff, and...



Oh. Wait.





What a maroon.