Posted on 01/18/2005 10:22:23 AM PST by neverdem
London police say the easily accessible weapons are coming out of pockets in the heat of the moment.
The easy accessibility of knives on the street makes them deadly when emotions run high, London police said following a rash of weekend knifings. "Walking downtown with a pocket knife or some other type of knife . . . is not necessarily a criminal offence," London police Chief Murray Faulkner said yesterday.
"But when emotions erupt, people know they have this weapon in their pocket and they're quick to use it."
Latest police statistics show weapons offences, which aren't broken down by type, are on the rise, up 13 per cent last year over 2003.
That may be because society is more violent, Faulkner said.
"If you grow up bombarded by violence, it will have an impact," he said, referring to TV, movies and video games.
Four people were hurt in three separate knifing attacks over the weekend.
The most serious was about 3 a.m. Sunday, when a fight broke out in the parking lot behind Club Phoenix at Richmond Street and Queens Avenue.
A London man, 23, was in critical but stable condition yesterday with five stab wounds to his chest and arm.
A second city man, also 23, was in serious but stable condition.
Fernando Barrera, 20, of London, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault.
About midnight Sunday, a Toronto man, 27, was arrested in Club Phoenix after a Waterloo man, 23, received a shoulder cut when he was stabbed with a broken bottle.
He was treated and released from hospital.
About the same time, a 17-year-old Londoner was stabbed when teenagers tried to crash a house party on Trellis Crescent in Westmount. He was in serious but stable condition yesterday. A 19-year-old man is charged.
Const. Jeff Arbing said it's not uncommon to find a weapon such as a pocket knife on someone being arrested.
While not illegal, they often become deadly weapons when emotions run high.
Almost monthly, police investigate a stabbing.
"It's a very disturbing trend that is putting public and officer safety in jeopardy," said Arbing.
Knives may be the weapon of choice because crimes involving a firearm come with a minimum sentence judges must impose, he said.
For example, if a person is convicted of robbing a variety store at gunpoint, they get at least one year in jail for using the firearm on top of the sentence for the robbery.
But if the robber used a knife in the same circumstances, there is no minimum sentence for the weapon.
LONDON STABBINGS
- Laura Wilson, 23, was stabbed to death Jan. 9. Her ex-boyfriend has been charged with first-degree murder.
- Two employees of Jack's were escorting a man from the club Nov. 16 when he pulled a knife and stabbed them. Corey Shankar, 20, is charged with several offences, including aggravated assault.
- Bill Smith, 37, died after he was stabbed outside his Clarence Street apartment Nov. 16. Darwin Woodruff, 19, has been charged with second-degree murder.
- Matthew Cook, 22, was stabbed to death June 20 outside the Duchess of Kent Royal Canadian Legion branch during a stag-and-doe dance. Rowhan Lloyd Mitchell, 29, of Strathroy, is charged with manslaughter.
should be "that would make me violent" .
Apparently the very thought of care bears makes me stupid.
If they made this article into a musical, would it be called 'Ante Maim'?
I have an arsenal in my kitchen drawer...
Blueberries.
Yeah. Ban the knives. From now on NO STEAK!!! Just hamburger and fish and chips for you!!!
I think that was banned about 5 years back.
I find it hard to believe that the British are really as stupid as the people writing these articles think they are.
I'm stunned. Thought things were bad across the pond. Looks like Canada is in for even worse times.
Dummmmm, Dahhhhhhh, Dummmm!!!!
Also Sprach Zarathustra; R. Strauss
Do as I do in situations where I'm unable to be conventionally armed (like in school while teaching). I just keep a newspaper nearby! Part of my job as a social studies teacher is to be on top of current events. Here's how it goes:
* Take a section of newspaper and roll it up like you were going to swat a fly. Then bend it double and hold it in your fist. It should allow your fingers to close all the way around it. Where the crease appears there will be a number of small points or knobs. That is the striking surface. You'll find that the paper is now a sturdy club capable of literally splitting skulls.
Years ago my car got picked to be turned inside-out during a trip to visit Canadian relatives. I've made countless visits across our northern border and this was the first time my "number" has ever come up.
The official scrutinized my Benchmade Mini-AFCK pretty closely and even opened and closed it a half-dozen times before handing it back to me. Maybe having my grandmother along convinced her of my genuine, kind, and peaceful nature. It seems like there would be MUCH more important things to worry about than harmless 3.00" pocket knives...
~ Blue Jays ~
I wouldn't. But for those of us (99% of the population) who are NOT retired LEOs--thank you for your service--this is a very useful technique to be discreetly armed while in the Blue states.
One of the originators of Aikido in this country a little old man (I can't spell his name) was once walking thru central park when he was set upon by a gang. He had a rolled up newspaper under his arm. In about thirty seconds he'd left them all unconscious and bloody as he strolled away, dumping the now blood soaked paper in a trashcan. There were like eight of them. Sounds like a movie? Ask any Aikido master of the story, anywhere in the country. I think the old guys name was something like Oharu.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.