Community Guns?

[festus]

They are mainly part of the Gang culture as newbies don't have the assets and creds to be a full fledged member of a certain gang. They will be given "loaner" guns for drive by shootings and for getting their feet wet by committing whatever crimes are required for "dues".

I have spoken with a lot of ex-gang bangers while I was active duty (a few worked for me as crew chiefs). They all expressed a need to leave that culture or die trying. Many had some scary as hell stories to tell of what they did prior to joining the military. The ones without prior convictions came to the USAF and the USMC others went to the Army. All had the thousand yard stare in stressful deployment situations.

A few were just using the military to acquire some skills with weapons and tactics to take back to the streets.:icon_eek:

[cgny]

Funny this whole "community gun" thread just started. The biggest news story in my area right now is of a poor little 10 yr old girl that got hit by a stray .45 cal round and died. The 15 yr old shooter said that the gun he used was used by his whole neighborhood. They kept it under a shed in someones yard. After firing the bullet he supposedly returned it to a gargbage can in the same projects. He only fired on shot which missed the intended target, traveled two city blocks and a bunch of trees and signs along the way before striking the little girl on her porch. Check the stories out. Albany DA seeks OK to search vacant buildings for guns -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY. also http://blogs.timesunion.com/guntalk/?p=82

[MrShotShot]

Funny this whole "community gun" thread just started. The biggest news story in my area right now is of a poor little 10 yr old girl that got hit by a stray .45 cal round and died. The 15 yr old shooter said that the gun he used was used by his whole neighborhood. They kept it under a shed in someones yard. After firing the bullet he supposedly returned it to a gargbage can in the same projects. He only fired on shot which missed the intended target, traveled two city blocks and a bunch of trees and signs along the way before striking the little girl on her porch. Check the stories out. Albany DA seeks OK to search vacant buildings for guns -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY. also Timesunion.com blog -- Gun Talk » Community Guns -- timesunion.com -- Albany N.Y.

I dont' live too far from there myself and have heard of this tragedy.

I'm still not buying the "community gun" angle. Now a gun used and passed around by gang members, that's another issue entirely and completely believable. The Community Gun, however, is not.

[cgny]

yeah i can't see just pickin a random spot to stash a gun that everybody knows about and can use at will. somebody would get greedy and take it for themselves obviously. but drug dealers stashin them and their "product" places close by to grab is normal.

[toreskha]

I dont' live too far from there myself and have heard of this tragedy.

I'm still not buying the "community gun" angle. Now a gun used and passed around by gang members, that's another issue entirely and completely believable. The Community Gun, however, is not.

Well, in certain neighborhoods, "gang" and "community" might be the same thing.

I think this illustrates the fact that in really bad places, merely arming some citizens isn't going to be the whole solution. If the entire culture is thug-focused, they're not worried about a few law-abiding people who might defend themselves. The change really has to be more comprehensive than that.