Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
A man who was carrying an air rifle in an Ohio Wal-Mart told the police officers that fatally shot him that the gun was "not real," according to a family member.
John Crawford was shot by police Tuesday evening at a Beavercreek store. The Ohio attorney general's office announced Thursday that he was merely carrying a brand of air rifle that Wal-Mart sells.
Another shopper, 37-year-old Angela Williams, collapsed and died as she scrambled to get away after police fired at Crawford.
The shooting occurred after police responded to 911 calls about a man carrying a rifle. In one of those calls, which was released by police, a Wal-Mart shopper told emergency dispatchers that it looked like the man - later identified as Crawford - was trying to load the rifle and that he had pointed it at two children.
via Cops Kill Man In Wal-Mart Carrying An Air Rifle | The Daily Caller.
http://dailycaller.com/2014/08/07/cops-kill-man-in-wal-mart-carrying-an-air-rifle-that-he-might-have-planned-to-buy/
Some are saying this is a case of SWATing and I was not in communion with the idea till I heard the partially released 911 call. Either the caller is too stupid to be afraid or …. I don't know what to tell you but there is something not quite right somewhere.
I expect this one to be swept under the rug with a hearty apology and a cash settlement.
UPDATE: From WHIO about the 911 call.
One 911 call released by Beavercreek police was from Ronald Ritchie of Riverside, who was inside Walmart. He told dispatchers at 8:21 p.m. Tuesday that he saw a man "walking around with a gun in the store."
Ritchie, an ex-Marine, said the man was pointing a black rifle at people near the pet section and that "he's loading it right now." Later, he said, "He looked like he was trying to load it, I don't know." He then added, "He just pointed it at two children."
I found a video review of the air rifle in question (Crosman MK-177) and much to my surprise, the magazine part of the rifle is decorative and cannot be removed. It uses some small black pellet holder/magazine that gets loaded in a totally different fashion than your regular semi auto rifle.