So, a guy gets arrested for possession of a firearm in a Planned Parenthood parking lot.
Except, he was wearing the sidearm in a holster, clearly visible. He has a permit for the gun. In fact, he has a concealed carry permit. And he wasn't near the building, he was in the parking lot.
I'm good on the whole "It's private property, you can't have a gun here without permission." He should have been asked to leave. TOLD to leave, in fact, and arrested if he resisted or made any threats.
But he was just straight up arrested.
And then there's this bizarre story that he was looking for a woman, a woman for whom he has neither phone number nor address. And he "forgot" the name of the web site they communicate on. AND he has met the woman for coffee. He just has no idea how to get in touch with her.
The evidence that he was up to no good? He had MAPS in his car, ammunition, and binoculars. The foul fiend! Wait...I have those things in MY car. That must mean I am up to no good, right? (What it means is that it's hunting season, here in NC)
The coolest part? He is a Minnesota state legislator. Really. He was going to chair a key committee, but not now.
Man, those armed rednecks up north freak me out. Thank goodness I live here in good ol' civlized Dixie.
(nod to @LauraLeslie)
4 comments:
This story doesn't smell right. By the way no charges were filed and he got his gun back. The "people's republic of Minnesota" is a lot weird.
It looks like the CBS link changed its characterization from 'arrested' to 'detained'.
"News" often leaves me with more questions than answers. Journalists seem particularly numb-skulled on any story involving guns. Pat Kessler (from byline of linked story) reports an Important Person "arrested" by it doesn't occur to him to inquire what the charge was. Instead, we get "lawmaker is trying to explain...". As a person he has nothing to explain until someone points to specific evidence of a particular crime. His constituents may or may not want explanation -- that's a different story.
On the reported facts, Mr. Hackbarth has a good case for a false arrest suit and more. ... and why would the story fail to even speculate about that?
A couple notes from someone in the area. The Planned Parenthood where he parked is regularly picketed, there are always volunteer escorts to help people get past the picketers and often uniformed police officers as well. A year or so ago someone tried driving his truck into the building. So it's not particularly surprising that the police came down hard and fast on someone snooping around the area carrying a gun.
On the other hand, the building doesn't exactly have a neon sign out front, it's just a brick building at the beginning of one of those trendy neighborhoods with a couple blocks of restaurants and shops. If it's after hours and they don't know the neighborhood, I can understand someone parking there. There isn't a whole lot of parking available.
The local newspaper did much better covering the story:
http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/110276274.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3iUHc3E7_ec7PaP3iUiacyKUnciaec8O7EyUr
And http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/110518619.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUvDEhiaE3miUsZ
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