In an update to this, New York has an assault weapons ban that mirrors the expired Federal ban. This article (sent by Robert) notes:

Police said the gunman, armed with an assault-type rifle that’s legal to own in New York state, entered the Best Buy store from the parking lot of the U.S. Route 9W mall shortly after 3 p.m., fired his way through the store and continued to shoot as he walked into the mall’s corridors, striking two people before running out of ammunition near center court.

So, was it a pre-ban AK like mine pictured at the link above? Not likely:

Authorities did not specify what type of weapon was used but denied reports that it was an AK-47.

I’d bet one cold beer he used an SKS, which is not covered by the NY ban nor was it covered by the expired federal ban. Any takers?

Any chance the media outlets who report this as an AK47 will retract those statements?

Update: This one could be ripe for retraction:

The shooting spree might have been prevented had Congress and President Bush re-enacted the Assault Weapons Ban that expired last September, US Senator Charles Schumer said today. The senator renewed his call to pass the law, which he drafted as a congressman and passed on the heels of LIRR incident, and which had succeeded in slashing the rate of banned assault weapons used in crime by nearly two-thirds.

When the ban expired last year, gun manufacturers were once again able to produce and sell 19 types of military-style assault weapons including TEC-9s, and AK-47s that have only one purpose – to kill human beings. Yesterday’s shooting is believed to have been promulgated by the use of a military-style assault weapon. Schumer said the type of weapon used in yesterday’s shooting would have been included under the assault weapons ban.

I’ll hold my breath. I really don’t understand why it’s such a chore for the press to figure out what gun was used by Robert Bonelli. Of course, they did the same thing with Chai Vang.

Posted in uncategorized on February 14th, 2005 by SayUncle | RSS 2.0 |