Posted on 03/20/2013 12:01:12 PM PDT by Mozilla
When certified firearms instructor Shawn Moore posted a photo of his 11 year-old son on Facebook the last thing he expected was a SWAT style raid on his home. The picture showed his son, a licensed hunter, holding his new birthday gift, a .22 caliber rifle.
While Moore’s son proudly displaying his semi-automatic personal defense rifle was completely legal, an anonymous tipster contacted New Jersey’s Department of Children and Family Services and declared that the Moore family was neglecting and abusing their child, an unfounded accusation that led to the mobilization of local police who were apparently not at all concerned with the unconstitutionality of their actions which violated numerous protections of the Moore family including their right to bear arms, their right to be secure in their homes, their right to speak freely, and their right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
Of critical importance is that the police who raided the Moore home never even saw the photo.
“It was all hear say. Just a phone call saying someone saw a pic of a child holding a gun,” reports Moore.
Shawn Moore recounted the incident at the Delaware Open Carry forums:
The fight has officially been brought to my front door.
Last night I was out with a buddy of mine. I got a text from my wife that the cops and DYFS [Division of Youth and Family Services] are at the house and they wanna check out my guns and needed me to open my safe.
I’m instantly on my way. I get in contact with [attorney] Evan Nappen on the way. I explain the situation.
I walk in my house and hand the phone to the first cop I see. Then direct all of them outside. DYFS got a call because of a pic of my son holding a gun.
They wanted to look around and check all my guns out, make sure they were all registered.
Obviously that didn’t go well because I refused.
I had Nappen on speaker phone the entire time so they had to deal with both of us. They kept trying to pressure me to open my safe. They had no warrant, no charges, nothing.
I didn’t budge.
I was told I was being “unreasonable” and that I was acting suspicious because I wouldn’t open my safe. Told me they were gonna get a search warrant. Told em go ahead.
Nappen (my lawyer) asked me for the DYFS workers name. She wouldn’t give it. I asked for credentials and she wouldn’t show them. I tried to take a pic of her and she turned around real fast and walked away.
After a while of them threatening to take my kids, get warrants and intimidation they left. Empty handed and seeing nothing.
People it can happen that fast.
This is unnecessary also IMO:
“his semi-automatic personal defense rifle”
Not sure children have certain constitutional rights regardless. [although if someone can show me I’m wrong about that...]
I can’t remember the last time I saw a cop without a bulletproof vest, unless it’s at some sort of a news conference.
is there no law anymore?...
Actually, that IS the liberal revulsion when it comes to firearms.
How dare you think that you would possibly resist what we think is best for you?
I was involved in a corporate case where Customs and DHS seized some of my colleagues computers, cell phones, etc... upon returning to the USA from a business trip.
There was absolutely nothing incriminating on them, but regardless, the high-priced corporate attorney (a former DOJ prosecutor) told us: "you will get all kinds of pressure, you have nothing to hide, and you want to be a 'good citizen.' NO! you have no idea what asinine things these people are up to. TELL THEM TO GET A WARRANT! If it is really so important, make them go before a judge and explain why. In a fishing-expedition like this, I guarantee you they won't even bother to try."
My wife knows no agent of the gov’t crosses the threshold of our home.
They talk to our Heritage defense lawyer on the phone, from the front step.
Still the call to authorities by some punk was unwarranted and the police wouldn’t leave easily. It took the lawyer on the phone and for the father to stand up to them for them to leave. They wanted to seize the guns. Threatened to take the child away. I wouldn’t say that was a friendly visit.
Since we’re allowed to confront our accusers this guy should have his lawyer file a petition or something to find out who it was.
there is no "facing your accuser" anymore...
any disgruntled person can cause havoc and doesn't even need to leave their name....
I think its entirely wrong and illegal...
This drain-circling country is sounding more like Ceausescu’s Romania every day...
Plate carriers are for "assault teams."
I agree it isn’t entirely clear, but it looks to me like it was the DYFS worker engaging in the threats, etc.
Never read anything in the Constitution that said it applied to persons over the age of ??? - either it applies to all or it applies to none.
Not where I’m from.
I’ll bet those same “officials” wouldn’t venture into knee grow land in the ‘hoods of Camden or Newark to harass gangbangers who post pics of THEIR kids with guns. No... they come to quiet, safe suburbs to persecute and threaten quiet, safe targets.
While Moore’s son proudly displaying his semi-automatic personal defense rifle was completely legal, an anonymous tipster contacted New Jersey’s Department of Children and Family Services and declared that the Moore family was neglecting and abusing their child, an unfounded accusation that led to the mobilization of local police who were apparently not at all concerned with the unconstitutionality of their actions which violated numerous protections of the Moore family including their right to bear arms, their right to be secure in their homes, their right to speak freely, and their right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
Yet one more reason to NOT be on FaceBook
Also, "anonymous tipsters" should not be used by government agencies as an excuse to show up with armed police. I'd like to see the "tipster"s anonymity removed in cases where the tip turns out to be completely bogus.
The militarization of our Police Force has been an unmitigated disaster.
They were hoping for the quiet, safe arrest of some middle-class suburban dad who had a magazine or ammo which violated one of the many New Jersey bed-wetting laws and regulations.
Well then I pity you.
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