Tougher gun laws needed outside NJ

northjersey.com ^ | September 13, 2007 | CAROLYN SALAZAR

[Coleus]

 
 Three of every four guns recovered from crime scenes in New Jersey last year were purchased from surrounding states with looser gun laws, according to a recent study by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Surrounding states must strength their gun laws to match New Jersey’s if violent crime in the Garden State is going to be reduced, a group of county prosecutors said Thursday. To drive home their point, prosecutors from several counties stood with members of an anti-gun violence coalition next to the Phillipsburg Free Bridge on the Delaware River, across from Easton, Pa. “The majority of states outside of New Jersey don’t have the type of restrictions we have,” said Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli, who participated in the news conference. “It’s startling how many violent crimes are committed [with] guns that people bought outside the state.”

Three of every four guns recovered from crime scenes in New Jersey last year were purchased from surrounding states with looser gun laws, according to a recent study by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Of those, the vast majority were bought in Pennsylvania, the bureau reported. Second on the list was Virginia, followed by Florida. Using that data, members of Ceasefire NJ hope to put pressure on state officials in those states to toughen their gun laws.

“You can’t achieve change unless the public becomes aware of the problem,” said Bryan Miller, the group’s executive director. “This was our opportunity to make people who live on both sides of the Delaware River aware of what’s going on.” “That is something that we have to stop,” he said. In Bergen County, close to 80 percent of firearms confiscated by police were purchased outside the state, including the one used in the murder of Fair Lawn Police Officer Mary Ann Collura in April 2003. Collura, 43, was helping a Clifton police officer chase an armed suspect when the gunman shot and killed her on the lawn of a Fair Lawn church. He was killed in a shootout with police several days later near Tampa, Fla.

Gun buyers in New Jersey must first obtain either a handgun permit or firearms identification card and must as provide references from two “reputable” citizens. Unlike in most other states, the police chief from the buyer’s town of residence must approve the application, which includes a background check and mental health examination. The process includes a two-week waiting period. Laws in Pennsylvania and some other states require much less paperwork and allow buyers to purchase guns within minutes.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg began targeting gun shops in Pennsylvania last year by suing stores that sold guns used in crimes. Two shops were dropped from the suit after agreeing to have their employees trained to avoid so-called straw purchases, in which a purported buyer fills out the paperwork for a gun being bought by a friend or relative — often a felon who is legally barred from doing so. Molinelli joined Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow, president of the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey, as well as prosecutors and assistants from Hudson, Warren, Essex, Sussex, Mercer and Monmouth counties at Thursday’s Ceasefire NJ news conference. They displayed some high-powered weaponry seized in New Jersey that was bought out of state.

[tdewey10]

Glad I left NJ.

[Regulator]

See, it's everyone else's fault. It's all those terrible States around us. We're just poor little victims of their evil, vicious cultures and lack of laws.

See we gots laws. Lotsa laws! Laws for dis, laws for dat...but nobody is followin' dem, cuz of all dose evil, terrible people in all dose udder states...yeah, Vinny, dat's it... we isn't guilty, dey did it to us...dey made us criminals! It's not our fault we robs and rapes...it's deirs!

If only theyda been nicer to us when we wuz young...all deir fault!

Now hands up mister and hand over dat wallet...you owes us!

[tx_eggman]

“It’s startling how many violent crimes are committed [with] guns that people criminals bought outside the state obtained illegally.”

There, fixed it

[NapkinUser]

The liberal mind:

State passes tough gun control laws and gun crime declines, it's proof anti-gun laws work.

State passes tough gun control laws and gun crime stays about the same or even increases, it's the states that don't have tough gun control laws fault!

Genius!

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Jersey, gravity draws sewage downhill.

Blameshifting rascals!

[crazyshrink]

Borrowed from another Freeper with apologies for forgetting his handle:

Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not.” ~ Thomas Jefferson
(This is why Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton want gun control so badly!)
FIREARMS REFRESHER COURSE
1. An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
3. Colt: The original point and click interface.
4. Gun control is not about guns; it’s about control.
5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
7. Free men do not ask permission to bear arms.
8. If you don’t know your rights, you don’t have any.
9. Those who trade liberty for security have neither.
10. The United States Constitution (c)1791. All Rights Reserved.
11. What part of “shall not be infringed” do you not understand?
12. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.
13. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
14. Guns only have two enemies; rust and politicians.
15. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
16. You don’t shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
17. 911: Government sponsored Dial-a-Prayer.
18. Assault is a behavior, not a device.
19. Criminals love gun control; it makes their jobs safer.
20. If guns cause crime then matches cause arson.
21. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.
22. You have only the rights you are willing to fight for.
23. Enforce the gun control laws we ALREADY have; don’t make more.
24. When you remove the people’s right to bear arms, you create slaves.
25. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.

[BRK]

If they want to get rid of crime, you have to get rid of the criminals by arresting them and putting them in jail. I really think my crazy plan will work.

[Toadman]

bookmark

[Fresh Wind]

Why don’t they just make crime illegal? Won’t that solve the problem?

[ought-six]

Typical liberals. Coddling the criminals and cracking down on legal businesses.

[from occupied ga]

Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

25. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.

Our masters don't want a repeat of the repeal of tyranny. Soviet Russia fell, and the socialist Stalin wannabes in Washington are aware that corrupt tyrannies can't necessarily survive.

14. Guns only have two enemies; rust and politicians.

and police

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

If they want to get rid of crime, you have to get rid of the criminals by arresting them and putting them in jail. I really think my crazy plan will work.

It's only crazy because more Democrat jobs are created by keeping criminals alive and at large--than by the executions required by those ancient stone tablets.

C/S - great list in 7

[stevio]

I truly despise that state.

[ctdonath2]

What percentage of those were stolen? Maybe it’s not so much that they were purchased out-of-state, as it is other states allow upstanding citizens to own them without hassle - making a larger pool to steal from.

[Cacique]

btt

[jmc813]

In Bergen County, close to 80 percent of firearms confiscated by police were purchased outside the state, including the one used in the murder of Fair Lawn Police Officer Mary Ann Collura in April 2003.

My father is a retired police officer from that area and attended this brave woman's funeral. The fact that they would use this tragedy to advance their cause nauseates me. I'll be switching from The Record to the Star Ledger. The Record's Jets coverage sucks this year anyway.

[Resolute Conservative]

I have not figured out why someone who has been arrested for carry a weapon in the last 10-20 years ( and I know someone out there has ) has not filed suit to protect their 2d amendment rights and had that challenge reach SCOTUS.

[NewJerseyJoe]

Gotta fix this one:

Tougher Restored gun laws rights needed outinside NJ

Done.

[NewJerseyJoe]

> I'll be switching from The Record to the Star Ledger.

You'll be disappointed -- the Star-Ledger is merely The Record with a better wardrobe.