Windsor Street is usually quiet but late Saturday evening it was swarming with investigators from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office.
"There was nine cop cars and four unmarked... And so we were a little concerned," said Chrissie Gillett.
"There were detectives, people in uniform everywhere," said Loma Broussard.
Detectives say they received an anonymous tip about possible illegal weapons inside a home on Windsor Street. "We found several weapons, approximately 55-60 weapons and we're unable to determine if any are illegal at this point," said Sgt. Robert Manuel.
Investigators say all of the weapons were found locked safely in a vault inside a shed behind the home. While 80 percent of them were rifles, several guns brought out have nearby neighbors concerned.
"Some of them have really long barrels and some of them look like they have the large magazines that would be automatic weapons. They wouldn't be just for hunting... So that's scary," said Gillett.
"That's scary, that's really scary. My husband hunts, but I mean we're talking -- lots of guns -- that's scary because somebody could go off. You don't know what they would do," said Broussard.
All of the guns were tagged, inventoried and taken to the sheriff's office where investigators will run serial numbers on all the weapons. At this point, investigators say no one is under arrest or wanted in connection with a crime.
Apparently, an anonymous tip is sufficient to have all of your Constitutionally protected firearms confiscated to see if they are illegal. In watching the video, I saw old bolt action rifles. Those are not illegal to own. If they are, I guess I need to be charged with a crime.
These weapons were all stored safely in a vault of some sort. The victim's neighbors are obviously indoctrinated into the liberal, gun hating paradigm. I love the totally frickin' ignorant quote, "Some of them have really long barrels and some of them look like they have the large magazines that would be automatic weapons." News crews obviously found the biggest rube they could find and interviewed her.
Is there something wrong with owning 55 or so firearms? The last I knew, it was legal to collect them. If that is wrong, then I am on my way to being very wrong.
Just because someone gives an anonymous tip, someone can have all of their firearms (personal property) confiscated by the government. Every single firearm could be legally owned, but they want to take them all from the owner to make that determination. They want to run serial numbers, but in the meantime, the owner is being deprived of his property. There is NO evidence that a crime has been committed. Nobody is under arrest. Yet, these overzealous cops think that they have the right to confiscate personal property for no apparent reason.
This, by the way, is one reason why I have a HUGE problem with the way alleged drug busts are taking place on I-95. There is the assumption that because an individual is carrying a large sum of money that it must have been gained as a result of illegal activities. The money is then confiscated. I understand that it is very possible that the money was gotten by dubious means. However, if there is a lack of proof as in absence of drugs and just a large sum of cash, then it is entirely unethical to confiscate the money and it never be returned. No drug organization is going to risk complaining, attempting to collect, much less sue to get its money back, so the law enforcement agencies get to take it. Then, instead of it being turned over to the school district, as is state law, the local sheriff (in particular) turns it over to the FBI, who has no business in the matter. The FBI holds on to it and acts as a laundering outfit. They keep a percentage as a handling fee then turn the money over to the local law enforcement agency, which is legal. It is a short circuit of state law on the part of the law enforcement community to pad their budget rather than schools. But I digress.
We are not supposed to be living in a police state. The last I knew, the 4th and 2nd Amendments were still in place. That, apparently, does not mean much any more. If I was the one who had all of my weapons confiscated, I would be pestering the LEO to return them ASAP. If they failed to return a single one in the same condition in which it was taken, then I would sue their butts. I would also consider suing the neighbors for their participation and encouragement of law enforcement to take my property. I would also work to find out who the anonymous tipster was and sue them, too. This is just plain wrong.
If any of the weapons in question are found to be stolen, then fine. However, the manner in which they were gathered should taint the evidentiary support of their possession.
I guarantee that this guy is going to get hosed by the very people meant to protect his rights.
No comments:
Post a Comment