Man with assault rifle prompts flurry of police calls in Portland - "The guy is walking around in broad daylight on Christmas Eve. I think what he did was irrational and irresponsible," Police Chief Michael Sauschuck said Monday night. "It was not the right time to send that type of message.""He didn't violate any laws, but it also doesn't make it right," Sauschuck said.
The rifle that the man was carrying is equipped with a "high capacity magazine," capable of holding as many as 30 rounds, Sauschuck said.
Since the officers could not legally inspect the weapon, they had no way of knowing whether it was loaded, he said.
Sauschuck said the man never mentioned Newtown in his conversation with the officers, but, "I don't think the timing of this was an accident."
The shootings in Connecticut have renewed the nationwide debate over gun control and gun owners' rights.
Sauschuck said the man -- described as being in his 20s -- is believed to have recorded his encounter with officers.
Open-carry gun advocates have been known to post videos of their encounters with police on YouTube.
Even the president of the Maine Open Carry Association said the man's stroll through Portland was misguided.
Shane Belanger, a college student who said he is disbanding the association, said, "We do not agree with the open carry of rifles or shotguns or long guns of any type. ...
"How are you going to be able to help anyone if you have a rifle slung over your shoulder?"
Belanger, whose group organized an event in 2010 that led to a gathering of open-carry advocates on Back Cove, said he believes that a trained open-carry handgun owner is the best defense against someone who tries to commit violence.
"Yes, it's your right to carry, but you are not accomplishing anything (with a rifle) as opposed to carrying a properly holstered handgun," he said Monday night from Arizona, where he moved recently.
Belanger said he has no idea who the man with the assault rifle is.
"If I had known, I would have told him not to do it," Belanger said.
Tom Franklin, president of Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence, said Monday's spectacle was an attempt by gun advocates to "normalize" the use of guns in society.
In addition to "scaring the daylights out of people," the incident reflects poorly on Maine, Franklin said.
"It's confrontational and nothing more than an attempt to elevate the status of guns in our society," Franklin said. "If I were a gun owner, I'd be embarrassed by an event like this."
Sauschuck said he was puzzled by the incident.
"This gentleman was trying to send a message that guns are not scary," the chief said.
"But if that's the message, then it's obviously the wrong kind of message to be sending at this time."
There’s this thing called common sense that the majority of gun owners possess. It should tell most people that carrying an assault rifle out in the open like that will most likely result in the laws being changed so it’s not the smartest thing to do. It might be a liberal trying to push the limits to draw attention from the press to do exactly that. Need more info on the guy and his background before drawing conclusions.
***The man was found to be carrying an AR15 style assault rifle with a high capacity magazine,****
SMOKESCREEN!
has always been about handguns. Assault rifles was just a decoy to try and get their anti-gun foot in the door.
Once they get a ban on AWs then they will use the same reasons to go after handguns.
John Kennedy killed with a 5 shot bolt action rifle.
Bobby Kennedy killed with a .22 Iver Johnson Cadet revolver.
George Wallace wounded with a 5 shot Charter Arms .38spl.
Gerald Ford attacked with a 7 shot 1911 semi auto.
Edmond OK post office with two National Guard 7 shot 1911 pistols.
Ronald Reagan and Jim Brady shot with an RG-14 .22 pistol.
Ronald Gene Simmons killed his family and neighbors...H&R .22 revolver and a Ruger .22 revolver. Aslo used a strangling cord and two hammers.
What do they all have in common? NONE over 9 rounds, yet after each one came a cry of panic to ban them.
>> ... [open carry] ... is accompanied with the responsibility to employ sensible behavior ...
Duh! Not a lot of common sense displayed by this “Lookie me; I gotta gun” exhibitionist. Personally, I believe the better approach is “Sorry, Mr. Slimeball, that’s not gonna happen today.” accompanied with a well practiced draw from concealed.
“While I fundamentally support the right to openly carry firearms, that right is accompanied with the responsibility to employ sensible behavior during the exercise of the open-carry right.”
Who defines “sensible”? Our government of course.
Better for this guy to carry his gun openly with a sign that reads: “Gay and armed!”
Then, no one would balk at it for being “in your face.”
Bookmarking.
Class of ‘59, High School Rifle Team. If you had a place to practice, you could carry your rifle and ammunition home even if you rode the school busses. Try that today in Ithaca, NY and see what happens.
On the other hand, the other day at lunch there was a group of 16 guys and each one was packing a 1911 on the hip. No one called the police or otherwise acted stupidly. Yea, Arizona.
“Openly carrying an AR-15 or equivalent rifle, or any long-gun for that matter, in a heavily populated municipal area is inherently threatening to most everyone, whether they themselves are gun owners or not,”
That’s the problem of the people feeling threatened, not the rest of us citizens. Cops who are allowed to dress in black, wearing masks, and kicking in doors without announcing themselves, are inherently threatening to me, so will the Chief of Police use his department’s resources to assuage my fears as well?
"...is inherently threatening to most everyone..."
That perception wouldn't exist if it wasn't for decades of liberal bed-wetting on every aspect of the RKBA issue.
A right not exercised is more easily removed.