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."