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Downtown sniper alert
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Thursday, March 23, 2006 | Mike Wereschagin

Posted on 03/24/2006 12:04:47 PM PST by Supernatural

A worker at a Downtown steam plant who brought a pellet rifle to work to shoot pigeons was mistaken for a sniper Wednesday afternoon, prompting police to shut down part of the city for about two hours.

Richard Wills, of Dawson, Fayette County, a maintenance worker in the Pittsburgh Allegheny County Thermal building, brought the weapon to work to chase pigeons away from broken windows on the building's roof, said PACT President Robert Fazio. Someone apparently spotted him - and his rifle - when he stepped out onto the roof for a few seconds, Fazio said.

At least three witnesses called police, claiming they saw a sniper atop a Penn Avenue building, sparking a two-hour shutdown of several city blocks and a brief manhunt by the city Police Bureau's most heavily armed officers. Police arrived on the scene shortly after 1 p.m., stunning lunchtime crowds as they set up a command center in Fifth Avenue Place and blocked off parts of Penn Avenue, Stanwix Street, Liberty Avenue and highway ramps into the Golden Triangle.

A police officer standing guard outside the door of a Penn Avenue restaurant gave bar manager Carie Wakinekona a terse and troubling answer when she asked him about the massive police presence. "Guy with a rifle," he said. The news traveled fast.

For rest of article: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/search/s_435980.html

(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: 2a; 2ndamendment; airgun; airguns; airrifle; bang; banglist; bb; bbgun; donutwatch; firearm; gun; pelletgun; pelletguns; pest; pests; pigeon; pigeons; pittsburgh; rifle; rkba; secondamendment; swat; varmint; varmints
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To: Supernatural
All over a guy with an air rifle.


61 posted on 03/24/2006 4:24:31 PM PST by mugs99 (Don't take life too seriously, you won't get out alive.)
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To: planekT

Perfect poem!

We should e-mail it to the Mayor of Pittsburgh and the Chief of Police. LOL!


62 posted on 03/24/2006 4:24:41 PM PST by Supernatural (Ea wull staun ma groon, Staun ma groon al nae be afraid)
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To: Supernatural

Well be my guest. I officially declare that little ditty public domain!


63 posted on 03/24/2006 4:28:26 PM PST by planekT (<- http://www.wadejacoby.com/pedro/ ->)
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To: planekT

I'll see if I can find their e-mail addresses on the web...


64 posted on 03/24/2006 4:36:51 PM PST by Supernatural (Ea wull staun ma groon, Staun ma groon al nae be afraid)
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To: Supernatural

www.morefirepowerthensense.com


65 posted on 03/24/2006 4:40:00 PM PST by planekT (<- http://www.wadejacoby.com/pedro/ ->)
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To: planekT

How true!


66 posted on 03/24/2006 4:41:22 PM PST by Supernatural (Ea wull staun ma groon, Staun ma groon al nae be afraid)
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To: Supernatural

Yea, it's true. These clowns get all this stuff and they suddently forget that about 99 times out of 100, they'll never need it.

This case is a classic example where ONE officer with a gun and a badge would have been quite sufficient.


67 posted on 03/24/2006 4:54:00 PM PST by planekT (<- http://www.wadejacoby.com/pedro/ ->)
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To: Supernatural
All over a guy with an air rifle.

Oh the Horror. Oh the Humanity.

At least it wasn't a Super Soaker!

68 posted on 03/24/2006 6:39:52 PM PST by El Gato
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To: El Gato

Heck, they would have had to call out the National Guard and the tanks.

You're a funny guy, Gato. LOL


69 posted on 03/24/2006 7:17:10 PM PST by Supernatural
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To: planekT
Rather too logical for a moon-bat. Especially as I find it hard to believe that the receptionist/security guard at the front desk did not ask some pointed questions about the gun.
70 posted on 03/24/2006 7:21:11 PM PST by Fraxinus (Warning: Opinion may be less useful than it appears)
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To: Fraxinus

This guy sounds like he was the designated pigeon shooter to me.

Did anybody from the company call in? I doubt it. No need to.


71 posted on 03/24/2006 7:41:22 PM PST by planekT (<- http://www.wadejacoby.com/pedro/ ->)
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To: Fraxinus
Hi Fraxinus-

The pellet gun was probably in a soft case when he brought it to work. Some cases are pretty plain.

~ Blue Jays ~

72 posted on 03/24/2006 7:43:17 PM PST by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
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To: absolootezer0
what's a bullet proof vest gonna do against any semblance of a decent sniper. head shot anyone? that and whats a vest gonna do against a high powered rifle?

It made "Da Mayor" feel better. It's all about feelings and perception. Facts be blasted.

73 posted on 03/24/2006 7:43:33 PM PST by El Gato
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To: Blue Jays
Now that police and the media know it's a dang pellet gun, they could similarly tone down their rhetoric. Let's be truthful here, it is essentially a toy used to plink empty soda cans or possibly to get rid of pests. Depending on the distance, it might not even be capable of permanently hurting the pigeons.

I had the bottom of the line Daisy when I was a kid. A spring operated BB gun. Same basic design as the Red Ryder, but cheaper. I could put a BB through one wall of a steel beer can from 5 or 10 yards. My cousin had a "pump", but steel spring operated, which would put one through both sides of that steel can. (Not the aluminum cans we have today, steel). All you have to do is keep 'em properly oiled

A mere BB gun can and will kill pigeon from close range. A good pellet gun is murder on 'em.

74 posted on 03/24/2006 7:52:04 PM PST by El Gato
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To: Fraxinus
I have heard that peregrines also think pigeons are tasty.

I've known people who think they are tasty.

My Dad used to raise show pigeons. He'd take his culls to the needy old folks, who were darn happy to get 'em. Way better than cat food, or horse meat even.

75 posted on 03/24/2006 7:55:01 PM PST by El Gato
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To: Blue Jays
I realize that Willis didnt likely have one of these, but this might make a neat toy for you to put on your wish list to Santa...

Quackenbush Air Guns: High power airguns suitable for hunting

76 posted on 03/24/2006 10:37:11 PM PST by gnarledmaw (I traded freedom for security and all I got were these damned shackles.)
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To: planekT

Singing at the top of your lungs again, huh?


77 posted on 03/24/2006 10:49:54 PM PST by B4Ranch (What has an alimentary canal, a big appetite at one end & no sense of responsibility at the other.)
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To: gnarledmaw
Hi gnarledmaw-

Holy smokes, that is impressive. My intention is to smack feral cats in the butt and convince them hunting pretty songbirds on my property isn't worth the sharp pain in the rump. Something tells me that those air rifles pictured above are going to have a fairly significant auditory report...which might get my suburban neighbors all worked into a froth! Very cool.

~ Blue Jays ~

78 posted on 03/25/2006 11:48:38 AM PST by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
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To: B4Ranch

hehe!


79 posted on 03/25/2006 1:09:23 PM PST by planekT (<- http://www.wadejacoby.com/pedro/ ->)
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To: NJ Freeper
Move ahead 5-10 years when I was in high school one of the "new" neighbors (a.k.a. city slicker transplant) in the neighborhood saw me and some friends with a bb gun and she called the cops.

Same sort of thing is happening in New York State, as the cancer (aka, New York City) has started to spread outward into the countryside. :-(

80 posted on 03/25/2006 2:52:54 PM PST by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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