Bloomberg sues 12 gun dealers in five states

newyorkbusiness.com ^ | December 7, 2006 | David Jones

[neverdem]

The city sued 12 gun dealers in five states for allegedly selling weapons that were traced to crimes committed in New York.

The New York City Police Department has traced more than 300 confiscated guns sold by these dealers between 1994 and 2002, said Mayor Michael Bloomberg in announcing the lawsuit. The dealers are located in Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.

The lawsuit is part of the mayor's pledge to crack down on gun dealers whose weapons wind up being used to commit crimes in New York. In May, he sued 15 dealers in an effort to get illegal weapons off the streets.

Thursday's suit names Gwinnett Pawn Shop, Toccoa Pawn & Variety and Hot Shots Jewelry & Pawn in Georgia; Miller Rod & Gun in Ohio; John's Gun & Tackle Room in Pennsylvania, Coastal Pawn Shop, Dick's Pawn, Rooks Sale & Service and Trader World in South Carolina and Bob Moates Sport Shop, Franklin Rod & Gun Shop and Town & Country Pawn Shop in Virginia.

All 12 dealers named in the new suit sold a gun to a team of undercover investigators, who wore hidden cameras during a sting operation. Since May, six gun dealers have settled with New York City after they were targeted in the original suit.

Mr. Bloomberg also launched a subway ad campaign that warns riders about higher mandatory sentences for illegal gun possession. The state Legislature passed a bill raising the mandatory minimum sentence to three-and-a-half years from one year. The ads will be displayed in 2,044 subway cars, and include a photo of prison cell.

[J_Baird]

If those idiots in New York were arming law abiding citizens gun crimes would decrease. Of course those fools go after the dealers because they are scared of real criminals and catching them.

[ASH71]

Well somewhere between those dealers and the crime, is where it started. If they sold to someone I am sure they have the paperwork and can then sue them.

[italianquaker]

Our favorite republican strikes again, what a disgrace

[Mr. Mojo]

"In May, he [Bloomberg] sued 15 dealers in an effort to get illegal weapons off the streets eventually put all firearms dealers out of business."

[twonie]

Hey, Bloomberg - go after the criminials and get something done about this. Gun control: both hands on the pistol grip before firing.

[2banana]

So NYC Cops can run sting operations anywhere in the country?

[the_devils_advocate_666]

I'm sure all the NY thugs are shaking in their boots.

[RockinRight]

He's not even really a Republican.

[yobid]

Chicago's Mayor Daley tried that and lost. Go for it Mike.

[Gaffer]

Damn, Bloomy! Why don't you ask your bodyguards where they got their damn guns from?

[yobid]

Oops sorry, he sued the manufacturers not the dealers.

Too quick on the trigger.

[Steve_Seattle]

Are the gun dealers accused of violating specific gun laws, or just of selling guns that were eventually used in crimes?

[Uncle Miltie]

I'm suing Bloomberg over money I lost to a Nigerian scam artist who used data from the Bloomberg financial wires to defraud me.

[George W. Bush]

Reminds me of another liberal former-Democrat gun-grabbing mayor of New York who tried the same thing. Name of Giuliani.

[Steve_Seattle]

"So NYC Cops can run sting operations anywhere in the country?"

Yes, that does raise questions about jurisdiction. But even IF they can show that the gun dealers made inappropriate sales to their undercover agents, how does that prove they did so in the case of the weapons used in the NYC crimes? If NYC had proof of that, why would they need sting operations now?

[Sloth]

All 12 dealers named in the new suit sold a gun to a team of undercover investigators, who wore hidden cameras during a sting operation.

Am I missing the 'crime' here?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Never know just what this sawed-off moron is gonna do.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Nearly as bad as Rudy going on CSPAN and screaming worse than Dean about Florida selling legal weapons to citizens.

[neverdem]

So NYC Cops can run sting operations anywhere in the country?

IIRC, they're using private investigators.