Posted on 03/20/2010 11:45:22 AM PDT by ThisLittleLightofMine
A man who was seen in a Vancouver supermarket with a handgun visible in a holster — prompting a call to 911 on Friday — was ticketed and released with a court date, police said.
Shortly after 4 p.m., officers were sent to the Albertsons store at 5000 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., said Sgt. Greg Raquer with the Vancouver Police Department.
When officers approached the man who wore the gun he was cooperative. The loaded gun’s holster had two ammo magazines attached to it, said Officer Ilia Botvinnik.
Officers explained the law to the man, gave him a ticket for alleged unlawful carrying of a weapon and released him.
Under the law, Raquer said, a person can be ticketed if his display of a gun alarms people.
“I guess you could liken it to people yelling ‘Fire!’ in a movie theater,” Raquer said. “People get alarmed.”
He added, “Most responsible people don’t display their firearm in public.”
Had the man worn a coat, no one would have noticed the gun, Raquer said.
In that event, however, the gun would have been considered concealed, which is illegal unless the person had a concealed weapons permit, Botvinnik said.
The man in Albertsons did have a concealed weapons permit, although it doesn’t apply to open carrying, Botvinnik said.
Raquer declined to release the man’s name, saying the police report hadn’t been completed.
Vancouver police have had several such calls recently.
The state law that applies to the Albertsons case is RCW 9.41.270, Botvinnik said.
That law says: “It shall be unlawful for any person to carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.”
The text of the entire law, including exceptions such as carrying a firearm in your own home or place of business, can be read at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.41.270
John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton@columbian.com.
Next time you post a story that takesplace in an ambiguous location remember that it is easier to do that, than to have to keep answering other posters who are confused about where the story took place.
Or, a parenthetical (Washington) in the title also works wonders.
It’s true and it’s for your own protection as well when you think of it.
When you walk into a 7-11 you don’t want someone to see your weapon, give you the once over to assess you as a possible threat.
It's true. In some states you can get a license to carry but cannot carry openly due to possible social disturbance.
It's one thing if you're in a white shirt and khakis. But what if you've a roofer working in the hot sun or a mechanic looking grubby walking into 7-11? You don't want to be inconvenienced by some asshole getting scared because you have a gun and you don't look right.
“When you walk into a 7-11 you don’t want someone to see your weapon, give you the once over to assess you as a possible threat.”
And why not? It would likely prevent a crime:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2467006/posts
I have carried openly and concealed for twenty years, more openly for the last decade, and never had the problem that you are suggesting.
Open carry gives you deterrence, concealed carry gives you the element of surprise once you have been chosen as a victim. They both have advantages and disadvantages.
Here’s the audio of my own 911 call from a few years back:
http://www.aidoann.com/manchester.mp3
If you wanted to know what this sort of thing usually sounds like.
There are a couple of states where a CCW is easy to get but if you want to carry openly you have to pay extra. And then there's the opposite, there are states where you have to pay extra to carry concealed.
The sheer number of different state license laws is proof that gun laws are primarily revenue sources.
truly unwashed masses dont look right...get a life...
i havnt OCd much in the past [need a good rig], but have seen a few over the years...never once has there been any commotion surroundin them, no matter what they ‘looked like’... besides maybe the interest in what model their piece was...
Worth listening to the 911 call. I have been contacted by police while open carrying twice, and once while concealed carrying (special circumstances in AZ before we changed the law). They all turned out well with the officers recognizing my right to carry, and I turned all of them into a good educational experience for the officers.
major waste of resources, not to mention the risk in their travel to swoop down on a 'bg' in the childrens section of a bookstore...
I posted the article the way I intended to post it. Please do not feel obliged to correct me or my posts at this time or in the future. Thank you. Also please do not post to me in the future any comments.
WA state, VT, Maine.
They’re all Canada.
Especially considering that I was never in the children's section.
Got me there....yes pretty much like Canada.
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