Gunman fires randomly at Sunset and Vine in Hollywood

26-year-old Tyler Brehm of Carlisle, Pennsylvania had been in Los Angles, California about a month when he went on a shooting rampage. Brehm was walking in Hollywood when he began firing a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun into the air. He threatened motorists in a McDonald's parking lot and then walked to the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street. He fired several shots at a silver Mercedes-Benz, striking music executive John Atterberry in the neck and face. Atterberry died of his injuries a few days later.
Brehm stood in the middle of the intersection, firing at cars. Several drivers had their car windows shot out. The shooting ended when LAPD confronted Brehm and ordered him to drop his gun. When he pointed his weapon at an officer police fired. Brehm was pronounced dead at the scene.
Brehm was unemployed. Police said that he had no criminal record. Some speculate that a recent breakup with his girlfriend led to the shooting.

Retired police officer pleads guilty to illegal gun sales, tax charges

56-year-old Roy Alloway was a police officer for thirty-two years, including being a longtime undercover narcotics detective for the Bremerton, Washington police department. Alloway retired in May 2010. In November 2010 federal agents raided his South Kitsap home as part of a sweep of several suspects accused of illegal gun sales. Prosecutors alleged that Alloway purchased nearly 400 guns from three different licensed firearms dealers between January 2005 and November 2010 and then sold the guns at area gun shows without being properly licensed. He also failed to report the income from the sales on his tax returns.
In October 2011 Alloway pleaded guilty to unlawful dealing in firearms and filing a false income tax return, both felonies. Alloway will be sentenced in January. As part of the plea agreement he will pay all back taxes and forfeit 58 firearms taken in the raid on his home.
Because Alloway was selling the guns as an unlicensed dealer at gun shows no criminal background checks were run on the purchasers. Nor were any records of the sales kept.
"As a police officer, Alloway knew better than anyone the risks of distributing firearms without background checks or sales records," said the U.S. Attorney for Washington state. "His attempt to hide the income from this illegal activity demonstrates he knew what he was doing was wrong."

Teen goes on shooting rampage with legally owned AK-47

18-year-old David Penney of St. Cloud, Florida is an angry young man. According to police Penney left a six-page letter expressing rage at the world and himself, dressed in military fatigues, combat boots, a tactical vest for carrying multiple ammunition magazines, picked up two AK-47s, more than 100 rounds of ammunition and drove to a friend's home. He was upset over a car crash that had damaged his vehicle in September. Penney stood in the street and emptied several 30-round magazines into the home. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Police soon arrived on the scene and Penney started shooting at the officers. Both of the officers sustained injuries, one was shot in the foot, the other was hit in the face with flying glass when a round came through the windshield. But according to the St. Cloud police chief, the quick actions on the part of his officers forced Penney to retreat and ultimately, he shot himself.
Penney shot himself in the chin and was listed in critical condition at a local hospital but he is expected to survive.
Classmates said Penney was really into guns and war. A police officer who worked at Penney's school described the youth as very reserved, expect when he was discussing his fascination with firearms. In addition to the note found in his room police also found a drum magazine for an AK-47 loaded with an many an 100 rounds.
According to police, Penney owned the guns legally and has no criminal record. It is legal under federal law and Florida state law for an 18-year-old to purchase an AK-47. There is no licensing requirement, no registration requirement, nor is there a waiting period.
"On occasion, these strained young men, as far as where they are with their mental state, have the ability to purchase these guns," said the police chief.
"It could have been much much worse," he continued. "It could have been involving a neighborhood. It could have been involving a school. It could have been involving a shopping center or something way off the charts."

Man charged with shooting nine days after judge returned his guns

48-year-old Dale Collinge, of Pembroke, New Hampshire, has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of his roommate Karen Boelzner. The shooting comes just nine days after a judge returned seized guns to Collinge.
In 2006 Collinge's then wife claimed that he had threatened to shoot her, their three children, and himself. She took out a domestic violence protection order on Collinge, under which Collinge could not possess firearms. The guns were seized by the Pembroke police.
On November 4 of this year, Judge Scheffy noted that because there are not "any outstanding protective orders or qualifying domestic violence misdemeanor convictions which would prohibit the defendant from possessing a firearm" Colligne was now legally eligible to possess firearms and ruled that police should return Collinge's guns.
Colligne was convicted in 2006 for criminally threatening his then-wife but this conviction does not prohibit him from possessing a gun. For that, he would have to have been convicted of a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence.
Police would not say if the gun used in the shooting was one of the returned seized guns. Collinge is being held without bail.

Man arrested with gun at Orlando Airport

51-year-old David Freeman, of Lake Mary, Florida was arrested at Orlando International Airport after screeners found a loaded .380-caliber Ruger handgun in his carry-on luggage. Freeman, a law abiding citizen who has a concealed weapons permit for the gun, told authorities he forgot he had the gun in his bag. Freeman was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm in a prohibited place. His gun was confiscated.
Someone who doesn't remember that they are carrying a loaded handgun does not deserve to have a concealed weapons permit.

Michigan man receives probation for waving gun at off-duty police officer

25-year-old Kenneth Green of Saginaw, Michigan was driving his car last September when he stopped abruptly, which resulted in the car behind him beeping his horn. The car that beeped was being driven by an off-duty police officer who was trying to get into the post office and honked at Green to try and get him to move his car forward. The two exchanged words over the incident and Green "produced a black semi-automatic handgun and pointed it at the officer and waved it around his car."
On Tuesday, Green pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. The judge sentenced Green to 18 months of probation. She pointed out that Green had no criminal record, including any misdemeanors or juvenile offenses, as a reason for the probation-only sentence.

Man fires assault rifle in Arkansas courthouse

48-year-old James Palmer of Van Buren, Arkansas walked into the Crawford County courthouse Tuesday wearing a long trench coat, despite the simmering temperature. He asked to speak to Circuit Judge Gary Cottrell and when he was told the judge wasn't in he took a gun from under his coat and started firing. He wounded the judge's secretary in the leg as she was fleeing. He then fired at least 70 rounds from an assault rifle and three semi-automatic handguns as employees hid under desks and behind doors. Palmer left the courthouse and exchanged gunfire with police. He was shot and died of his injuries.
Palmer had no criminal history and had a concealed weapons permit. The motive behind the shootings was unclear, but police believe Judge Cottrell handled Palmer's divorce and child custody proceedings in 2008. "This guy came heavily armed. He came here for a mission," said Sheriff Ron Brown. "When all the pieces are put together in this case the public will see, this man came to die on the Crawford County Courthouse lawn. He was going to take as many people as he could with him."

Nevada man kills four, wounds seven others at local IHOP

Just before 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, 32-year-old Eduardo Sencion of Carson City, Nevada pulled into the parking lot of a local IHOP restaurant and opened fire with an AK-47. He shot a woman near a motorcycle. He then walked into the IHOP restaurant, went all the way to the back and started shooting at a table of Nevada National Guard troops sitting together. Five of the Guard members were shot and others at the restaurant were also wounded. Three people died at the scene, another woman died later in the hospital. Seven others were wounded. Sencion then went back outside, fired shots toward another restaurant, an H & R Block and a casino. The then turned the gun on himself and shot himself in the head. He died at the hospital.
Records show that Eduardo Sencion had no criminal record, not even a traffic ticket. Family members say Sencion was mentally troubled, but no other details were given. Police are examining the gun to determine if it was automatic or semi-automatic. Sencion used 30 round clips and reloaded at least once. Police found a handgun and another assault rifle in Sencion's van. Ralph Swagler, the owner of the other restaurant in the shopping center, said when he heard Sencion start shooting he went to grab his own weapon but decided against engaging Sencion in a gun battle. "I had my pistol; I wasn't going up against an automatic rifle," he said. "I'm sorry. I wish I would have shot him in the back now as he was going toward IHOP, but I wasn't clear on the situation. When he came at me, when somebody is pointing an automatic weapon at you - you can't believe the firepower, the kind of rounds coming out of that weapon."
Six of the seven people wounded remain hospitalized with severe injuries. Police still don't have a motive for the shooting.

Man sentenced to life in prison for double-murder

53-year-old Saul Moreno was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, as well as 102 years to life in prison for the murders of 55-year-old Alan Bohnhoff and 31-year-old Jamie Sanchez. The judge in the case said he was "astonished to see a man with no previous criminal record responsible for such a senseless killing."
Moreno worked with Bohnhoff and Sanchez at a lumber yard in Vernon, California. He was passed over for a promotion in 2006 when Sanchez was promoted. Moreno felt not only that he deserved the promotion but that he was being assigned work that should have been given to Sanchez.
On the morning of May 18, 2009, Moreno showed up for work with a .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun. According to court transcripts Moreno made a comment to the effect of "things are going to change, I'm not the same man today," and then shot Bohnhooff and Sanchez to death. He was initially charged with attempted murder because he allegedly tried to shoot Bohnhoff's son but failed because his gun jammed. A judge dismissed the charge.
Moreno was heard talking about shooting Bohnhoff and his son months before the killing. Records indicate that the reason Moreno was not promoted was "he had a problem getting along with other coworkers and customers. He wasn't a people person."

Hance purchased gun from pawn shop five days before killings

51-year-old Michael Hance of Copley Township, Ohio purchased one of the two guns he used in a shooting spree, a .45-caliber handgun, at a pawn shop in Barberton, OH five days before going on a shooting rampage. Because Hance had no criminal record he easily passed the criminal background check and took immediate possession of the gun. A dispute between Hance and his longtime girlfriend, Becky Dieter, over the home where they lived apparently led to the shootings. Hance killed seven people before being shot and killed by police.
Autopsy reports show six of the seven victims died from gunshot wounds to the head. Hance's neighbor, 67-year-old Russell Johnson, died from gunshot wounds to the head and chest. He was also shot twice in the buttocks.
Russell's wife, 64-year-old Gerdie Johnson, died from a single gunshot to the head. She was shot four times.
The couple's son, 44-year-old Bryan Johnson, was killed by multiple gunshot wounds to his head. He was shot five times.
Bryan's daughter, 16-year-old Autumn Johnson, died from gunshot wounds to the chest, neck, and extremities.
Autumn's friend, 16-year-old Amelia Shambaugh, died from a single gunshot wound to the head. She was also shot in the leg. The two teenagers were killed while sitting in a car in the Johnson's driveway.
51-year-old Craig Dieter, brother of Hance's girlfriend Becky, died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
Craig's 11-year-old son Scott was reportedly hunted down by Hance. Scott died of a single gunshot to the head.
Becky Dieter was shot several times but survived. She remains in a local hospital where she is recovering from her injuries.

Man shoots and kills estranged wife and four of her family members at son's birthday party

35-year-old Tan Do was quiet during his son's birthday party at a skating rink in Grand Prairie, Texas. When his mother-in-law was preparing to leave the party Tan Do pulled out a gun and began shooting. Within minutes Tan Do had killed his estranged wife, Trini Do, 29, her sisters Michelle Ta Pham, 28 and Lynn Ta, 16, her brother Hien Ta, 21, and sister-in-law Thuy Nguyen, 25. He also wounded four more of this wife's relatives. He then killed himself.
Tan Do had no criminal record and was legally eligible to possess a gun. He did, however, have a history of domestic abuse. His wife had obtained a protection from abuse order last December, citing a pattern of physical violence and threats, including an incident last year when she said Tan Do fired shots into the ceiling after threatening to shoot her. But shortly after obtaining the order Trini Do changed her mind. She asked the court twice to dismiss the order. In March the order was withdrawn, along with the prohibition against Tan Do possessing firearms, based on Trini Do's statement that her husband had promised to change.
"I hope that I am making the right decision," Trini Do said in an affidavit.
The couples' two children, ages 10 and 3, who were both present when their father shot and killed their mother and then killed himself, are now living with Tan Do's parents.

Nevada man charged with murder after chasing, shooting at group who stole two of his solar lights

36-year-old Gregory Wallin-Reed, of Reno, Nevada, is facing eight felony counts, including murder, after he admitted to firing on a group of men during a car chase. According to reports, Wallin-Reed began to chase the six men, ages 19 and 20, after he found them outside his residence. The men fled in a car and Wallin-Reed followed them in a pickup truck. The men said Wallin-Reed was firing a gun while closely pursuing their car. One of the men reportedly removed his white t-shirt and waved it in an attempt to make Wallin-Reed stop shooting.
After being chased for about seven miles, the men turned down a side road and while trying to escape Wallin-Reed opened fired with an AR-15 assault rifle, striking the driver, 20-year-old Rory McGuire, in the head. McGuire later died of his injuries. Two other passengers in the car sustained gunshot wounds to their lower legs.
After the incident, Wallin-Reed returned home and called the police, saying that the men had stolen two solar lights from his property and that the men in the fleeing car had fired a shot at him. However, police have found no evidence that any of the men in the car were armed.
"If that was the scenario, the charges that have been filed in this case would have been entirely different," said the District Attorney. "But that scenario is not something that I have seen from the evidence."
Wallin-Reed has no prior criminal record and is reported to be a former Army Ranger. He was armed with a .380 handgun and an AR-15 assault rifle. Because the shooting occurred in California, where assault rifles are banned, he has also been charged with illegal possession of an assault weapon.
A sign at the end of Wallin-Reed's driveway reads:
WARNING
YOU ARE ENTERING THE R.O.C.
This is a restricted area. Only Red Blooded Patriotic Christian Americans Are Authorized For Access Upon Approval And Verification Of Credentials By The Commanding Authority
The Use Of Deadly Force Is Authorized For Use On Those Found In Non-Compliance With Above

Massachusetts man arrested for OUI had loaded gun in car

When 53-year-old Lorenzo Pimentel of Framingham, Massachusetts went to the Ashland Police station to pick up his son who had been detained, police noticed his breath smelled of booze. Pimentel failed several roadside sobriety tests and was arrested for OUI. When police searched his car they found a loaded 9mm Beretta handgun under the driver's seat. Pimentel has a valid license to carry a gun but under Massachusetts law concealed weapons permit holders can only carry a loaded gun in a car if the gun is under their direct control. Pimentel was also charged with carrying a gun while intoxicated and improper storage of a gun.
His lawyer asked that Pimentel be relased without bail, saying her client had no criminal record and has a steady job. Pimentel was released without bail but is prohibited from possessing a gun while the case is pending.

Man who shot and killed three police officers sentenced to death

On April 4, 2009, 24-year-old Richard Poplawski of Pittsburgh, PA met police officers who were responding to a complaint at his doorway. He was wearing a bulletproof vest when he shot and killed two police officers and gunned down a third who later came to their aid. Poplawski surrendered after a four-hour gun battle.
Polawski had told his friends he was concerned that his guns were going to be seized during the Obama administration. His mother told police her son had been stockpiling guns and ammunition "because he believed that as a result of economic collapse, the police were no longer able to protect society."
Poplawski was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder. During the penalty phase of the trial Poplawski's attorney argued that he should not be sentenced to death because he had no previous criminal history and he had been raised in a dysfunctional home.
The jury rejected the argument and sentenced Poplawski to death.

California man shoots and kills two before turning the gun on himself

54-year-old Napoleon Caliguiran, of San Jose, California, shot and killed his wife, 25-year-old Cyndy Caliguiran and her friend, 26-year-old Kyle Williams as the two sat in a car in a parking garage on the campus of San Jose State University. Caliguiran then turned the gun on himself. All three died of their injuries.
Cyndy and Kyle were both honor students who were about to graduate with accounting degrees from SJSU. They were both members of Beta Alpha Psi, an honors organization for accounting students.
Police haven't determined a motive for the shooting but did say that the couple has no known history of domestic violence and that Caliguiran had no known criminal record.
According to Caliguiran's former brother-in-law, "I dropped my jaw and felt sick to my stomach. I cannot even believe he could pick up a gun and shoot somebody. This guy is not a monster. He's a nice guy."

Long Island Man Charged with Killing Four People

33-year-old David Laffer of Medford, NY is an Army vet with no criminal record and a valid permit from New York state to possess a .45-caliber handgun. Laffer and his wife, Melinda Brady have been arrested and charged in connection with Sunday's execution-style murders at a Long Island pharmacy that left four people dead. Laffer was charged with first-degree murder and resisting arrest. Brady was charged with third-degree robbery and obstructing governmental administration. She allegedly drove the getaway car.
During the holdup four people were shot at close range without apparent provocation. Killed were pharmacist Raymond Ferguson, 45, store clerk Jennifer Mejia, 17, and two customers, Bryon Sheffield, 71, and Jamie Taccetta, 33. The killer left with a backpack full of prescription pain medication.
A neighbor described Laffer as "a great kid. I don't know what happened. You couldn't ask for better neighbors. I just can't believe it. I cannot say anything better about the family."
A teammate from Laffer's floor hockey league said, "He was a good guy, quiet, not somebody you would expect to do what they say he did. Probably everybody's telling you the same thing."

Registered Gun Dealer to Plead Insanity in Fatal Bar Shooting

63-year-old Frank Hvizdak of Glenbeulah, Wisconsin plans to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect in the shooting death of Jason TenPas. Hvizdak, who has no prior criminal record, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide for allegedly firing four shots into TenPas during an argument at a bar in Sheboygan Falls. Witnesses say that Hvizdak and TenPas got into an argument. TenPas stood up and made a sweeping motion with his hand as if to push something away. At that point Hvizdak pulled out a small silver handgun and fired three times. TenPas fell to the floor and Hvizdak then fired a fourth shot into TenPas' head as he lay on the ground.
At the time of the shooting Hvizdak was a licensed federal firearms dealer. The trial is set for September.

Man indited for shooting 12-year-old boy calls it a "tragic accident"

56-year-old Michael Bishop said he was awakened from a deep sleep thinking someone was breaking into his house. So he grabbed his shotgun and stepped out onto his porch and just before 9 pm fired a shot at a group of young boys who were running away. 12-year-old Jacob Eberle was struck in the back.
Police said the boys were playing a game known as "Ding-Dong-Ditch", ringing doorbells and then running away, when the shooting occurred. Bishop's attorney told the court, "I don't believe Mr. Bishop intended to hurt anyone," and added, "He's going through a very difficult time right now, as is the boy's family." He also noted that Bishop was a law abiding citizen with no criminal record "We're talking about a man in his mid-50s who has never even had a speeding ticket in his entire life. And...this snapshot he's been arrested and charged with attempted murder."
But Jacob's uncle sees things differently. "This wasn't an accidental firing at Jacob," he told reporters, "We believe he was aimed at under the circumstances. The medical evaluation shows he has 92 pellets in his back alone and the shotgun was loaded with 200 pellets."
Bishop has been indited on charges of first-degree assault, first-degree wanton endangerment and tampering with physical evidence.

Quiet husband shoots wife as kids watch, then turns gun on himself

32-year-old Nathaniel Gordon of Winslow, Maine shot and killed his wife Sarah as their two children, an 8-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter watched. Neighbors said they never heard of saw any hint of trouble at the Gordon's home. And police report that while some family members said the Gordons argued often no paperwork was found indicating a divorce or separation and they had never been called to the home for a domestic violence dispute.
Nathaniel was a law abiding citizen with no criminal history. He was a warrant officer with the Maine Army National Guard and had served a tour of duty in Iraq. But a cousin said she noticed a change in Nathaniel when he returned from Iraq. "He went to war, and came back, and he was a little different, a little standoffish."
After shooting and killing his wife, Nathaniel lead police on a car chase that ended when spike mats were laid down that deflated at least one of the car's tires. Nathaniel then fired at least two shots inside his car before shooting and killing himself. The moving car struck the guardrail along the median where it came to a stop.

Lawmaker faces gun charges

State representative Frederick Wintle, from Garland, Maine was arrested after allegedly pointing a handgun at a man at point-blank range in a Dunkin' Donuts parking lot in Waterville, Maine. The 58-year-old Republican legislator is charged with felony criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.
Police reports indicate that Wintle approached a man in the parking lot and starting talking about an infant who had recently died and how he was looking for the mother's drug dealer. Wintle then pulled a .22-caliber handgun out of his pants and pointed it at the man. "I did not engage him in any way," said the victim, "All I knew was there was a loaded gun pointed at me from a couple feet away, pointed right at my midsection."
Wintle is a law abiding citizen with no criminal record. Since this incident occurred Wintle has been barred from entering the State House and ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Maine man facing gun charges

In December, 2010 Michael DeMaria's, 43 of Parkman, Maine, wife obtained a restraining order against her husband after the two had an argument and a relative told her DeMaria had threatened to kill her and their son. DeMaria was ordered to turn over his firearms to police.
DeMaria agreed to show police where his guns were and consented to a search of his home. During the search police seized a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, four loaded handguns, thousands of rounds of ammunition, miscellaneous gun barrels, an improvised explosive device resembling an M-80, eight "grenade Fuzes," and a training hand grenade housing. DeMaria told police he had sold his other guns, including his AR-15s, but had no receipts nor names of the people he sold the guns to.
In a subsequent search of the house police discovered two guns in wall safes hidden in a bathroom. DeMaria was arrested for violation of the protection from abuse order and for failure to turn over the firearms.
Relatives told police DeMaria was obsessed with training to fight against the government, that he would rather die than give up his guns, and that he carried a gun on him at all times and even slept with a gun. It was also reported to police that DeMaria said he had buried "go bags" in strategic locations on his property containing firearms, food, and other equipment he might need to fight the government if they came to get him.
Until his arrest for violating the protection from abuse order, DeMaria had no criminal history.
DeMaria was arrested again on Tuesday when he went to attend a divorce hearing in Dover-Foxcroft District Court. The FBI supervisor said DeMaria was arrested based on a court-authorized warrant but decline to elaborate. Prosecutors have asked that DeMaria be held without bail because he poses a danger to the community and is a flight risk, among other reasons.

Man charged with reckless discharge over iPad sale gone bad

30-year-old Jesse Jay Cherrier of Cottage Grove, Minnesota had listed four iPads for sale on the Internet. He met a man who wanted to buy one of the iPads in the parking lot of a gas station around 11 o'clock at night in West St. Paul. The man took the iPad and ran away without paying for it. Cherrier chased him, but couldn't catch him so got into his SUV and tried to catch the man, shooting a gun in his direction.
Cherrier is a law abiding citizen and has a concealed weapons permit for the gun. He has been arrested and charged with reckless discharge of a firearm in a city. He was released after posting $5,000 bail.

Coroner confirms all three young children died from a single gunshot to the head

31-year-old Alan Atwater of Oak Harbor, Ohio called 911 telling them, "There's been a terrible accident at my house. My wife and three children are dead. Gunshot wound, and I'm getting ready to kill myself right now." Before hanging up, Atwater admitted that he was the one who had shot the four people. The police arrived minutes later, but Atwater had already turned a gun on himself.
Atwater, a law abiding citizen, with no criminal history shot his 30-year-old wife, Dawn and their three children, Ashley, age 4, Isaac, age 2, and Brady, age 1, once each in the head. Their bodies, along with that of Atwater, were found in the upstairs bedroom. Autopsies confirm that both a shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle were used.
"I can't believe this happened," said Atwater's grandmother, "We don't know what went on. He said they had marital problems, but we all have marital problems."

Man sentenced to three months in jail for snow rage incident

26-year-old Eddie Lee Simmons "snapped" when he looked out his Bensalem, Pennsylvania window last January and saw a snowblower operator burying his car under a pile of snow. Simmons, a law abiding citizen who had excelled at college and had no criminal record, had just moved from North Carolina and parked his car late the night before in a tow-away zone, making snow removal difficult. When he saw his car being covered with snow, he grabbed a handgun, ran outside and pointed it at the snowblower operator saying, "Somebody had better move this snow, or somebody's going to get shot."
Simmons recently pleaded guilty to eight misdemeanors, including simple assault, terroristic threats, possession of an instrument of crime and carrying a firearm without a license. He told the judge he was "very embarrassed and ashamed."

Highly intoxicated man arrested after firing shots at State Police

47-year-old Mark Markarian, of Somerset Township, Michigan, is in custody after a standoff with State Police. Police were called to Markarian's home on a report of a suicidal subject. Markarian fired three shots from inside the house and threatened to shoot any police who came near. During the standoff that followed Markarian fired three more shots before the Michigan State Police Emergency Support Team was able to convince him to come out of his house.
Police described Markarian as "highly intoxicated." He was taken into custody and charged with felonious assault, reckless discharge of firearm and possession of firearm while intoxicated. Because Markarian is a law abiding citizen with no prior criminal record bail was set at $5,000 with 10 percent allowed.
Police seized several firearms, ammunition and a knife from Markarian's home.

NRA member arrested for loaded handgun on school property

According to J.J. Burns of King City, California, "All of them [NRA members] have a guiding principle of being law-abiding citizens and believe our constitution is the law of the land. NRA members obey all the laws that regulate the use and ownership of guns; criminals don't."

NRA members like 47-year-old Christian Zaccagni of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Zaccagni is a student at Luzerne County Community College. On Monday he gave a Power Point presentation in one of his classes urging students to lobby against gun control and to join the NRA. On Tuesday, Zaccagni was arrested and charged with possessing a weapon on school property and with carrying a concealed weapon without a license.
An anatomy teacher had called campus security after Zaccagni displayed erratic behavior in the classroom. The teacher was alarmed when Zaccagni was using a scalpel to make gestures to his throat. Campus security discovered a loaded handgun in Zaccagni's coat pocket. And even though Zaccagni claimed he has been around firearms for most of his life he admitted he did not have a permit to carry the weapon.
"The permit application is sitting on my China cabinet at home," Zaccagni said. He told reporters he "forgot" he had the loaded gun in his pocket. "I'm very sorry. I'm going to get expelled," he said.

Man who began bank robbing spree in December becoming increasingly aggressive

35-year-old Marat Mikhaylich is not the most sophisticated thief. Mikhaylich, a Ukrainian immigrant with not prior criminal record, began robbing banks at gunpoint in December. He's left his fingerprints all over notes he's given to tellers, which has allowed the FBI-NYPD to identify him.
In December he robbed four banks in Astoria and Long Island City, two in Brooklyn, and one on Staten Island. Last Sunday he held up not one, but two tellers at a bank in Borough Park because he wasn't satisfied with the amount of cash he got from the first teller. And Wednesday he robbed a bank in Queens.
Police are concerned that he is becoming increasingly aggressive. Adding to the concern is the fact that Mikhaylich uses a gun when committing these robberies. The FBI is offering a "significant" reward for tips that lead to his capture.

Mother shoots her two children because they were "mouthy and talked back"

50-year-old Julie Powers Schenecker has been charged with the brutal shooting deaths of her two children. Schenecker alleged shot her children because they were "mouthy and talked back."

According to police reports Schenecker bought a .38-caliber revolver five days before the murders. She allegedly shot her 13-year-old son, Beau, twice in the head on the way to soccer practice for "talking back." She then allegedly drove to their home and shot her 16-year-old daughter, Carlyx, in the face as she sat in front of her computer studying.
Friends and neighbors were shocked by the murders. According to police records, Schenecker was a law abiding citizen with no criminal history. In November she was in a traffic accident in which she was cited for careless driving.
Schenecker's husband is a U.S. Army intelligence officer and was on assignment in the Middle East at the time of the shootings.
The Florida mother was hospitalized after the shootings but has since been released from the hospital and returned to jail.

Jared Loughner - Too Crazy for College But Not Too Crazy To Buy A Gun

22-year-old Jared Loughner has been arrested and charged with five federal criminal counts, two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder, in the Tucson, Arizona shooting that wounded Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.

Loughner lives at home with his parents. A review of his criminal record shows only a few, minor infractions. He was arrested in 2007 for possessing drug paraphenalia, a case that was later dismissed, he was cited for running a stop sign, and in 2008 had a "local, non-criminal charge" that was also later dismissed.

His time at Pima Community College tells a different story. In 2010 he had multiple run-ins with the campus police after causing disruptions in the classroom and the library. He responded by posting a YouTube video declaring that the college was illegal under the U.S. Constitution. Ultimately, the college suspended him and said he couldn't come back until he got a mental-health clearance and proved he wasn't a danger to himself and others.

On November 30th, Loughner walked into the Sportsman's Warehouse in Tucson and legally purchased a Glock 19 semiautomatic handgun. Because Loughner had no criminal record and had never been committed against his will to a mental institution had no problem passing the instant background check. Arizona is one of three states that has no permitting requirements for carrying a concealed weapon, he could, therefore, legally carry the gun into the Safeway parking lot on Saturday.

Loughner loaded the Glock with an extended magazine that is capable of holding up to 33 rounds of ammunition. These high-capacity magazines had been banned before Congress allowed the federal assault weapons ban to expire in 2004.

He opened fire on a gathering of people who had come to greet Congresswoman Giffords. In a matter of seconds Loughner killed six people and injured 13 more. He shot the Congresswoman once in the head, "through and through." The bullet went through her brain "from back to front."

Loughner emptied the extended magazine into the crowd. As he went to reload his gun a middle-aged woman grappled the ammunition away from him and two men jumped on him and wrestled him down.

Lawmakers are rethinking security practices in the aftermath of the shooting. What they should be rethinking is the easy access to guns that pervades this country. What kind of system is this where Loughner was found too crazy to attend college but not too crazy to buy a gun?