Community Guns?

MrShotShot

New member
So I was traveling in Connecticut earlier this week on business and there was talk of a recent shooting in the Hartford area on the news.

The Chief of Police was being interviewed and he stated that they may never know who shot this fella and that, more than likely, the weapon used was a "community gun." He went on to explain that a "community gun" was a firearm that "someone" hides in an abandoned house (for example) and that it is available for others to come in and use to commit crimes. Sort of like a library book I guess.

Since then, I've thought about it more and more and the whole idea just seems proposterous. It seems to me that this sounds a great deal like an urban myth that is being perpetuated by anti-gun types like "cop killer bullets" and "saturday night specials".

Has anyone heard of this or, better yet, know of any proof that such a thing exists?
 

That's absurd. This is a sort of burden of proof fallacy. He's making a likely unproven accusation (that people systematically hide guns in abandoned houses for others to use in crimes) that cannot be easily disproven. Certainly, people may dispose of a gun used in a crime in an abandoned house, shrubbery, or an old car. Thus, any gun found almost anywhere (except the bottom of the river) could be called a "community gun" by law enforcement, because who's to say it's not being passed around like a $2 hooker? Well, if no one can prove it's not, then it must be, because that's the best way to scare everyone. :icon_rolleyes:
 
That's absurd. This is a sort of burden of proof fallacy. He's making a likely unproven accusation (that people systematically hide guns in abandoned houses for others to use in crimes) that cannot be easily disproven. Certainly, people may dispose of a gun used in a crime in an abandoned house, shrubbery, or an old car. Thus, any gun found almost anywhere (except the bottom of the river) could be called a "community gun" by law enforcement, because who's to say it's not being passed around like a $2 hooker? Well, if no one can prove it's not, then it must be, because that's the best way to scare everyone. :icon_rolleyes:

Bingo.

I did some searching last night when I got home and can find very little mention of these "community guns." There's this mention, one by the Boston chief, and one by the Jacksonville chief. I'm more convinced that this whole issue is a fabrication to, as you say, scare folks and/or to explain away the police department's problem when they can't seem to find a weapon that was used in a crime.

Not to mention, who in their right mind would want to use the "community gun" to rob a liquor store only to get caught and get nailed for a half dozen shootings and murders that were committed by one of your neighbors using the "community gun"?
 
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That sound like something the Brady Bunch would make up. If they didn't, they will sure enough jump on it to scare more people.
 
although I would not put it past criminals to do something so stupid, as most of them are beyond stupid themselves, can't really say I buy it. I mean how lame of a story. would not believe something so idiotic without good hard proof of it.
 
Bingo.

I did some searching last night when I got home and can find very little mention of these "community guns." There's this mention, one by the Boston chief, and one by the Jacksonville chief. I'm more convinced that this whole issue is a fabrication to, as you say, scare folks and/or to explain away the police department's problem when they can't seem to find a weapon that was used in a crime.
They've recently begun to talk more of an anti-gun game in Jacksonville. This is probably because of an utter inability to clean up a vast ghetto that comprises much of downtown, the northside, and much of the westside.

I agree that it's a less-than-ideal situation to have active criminals running around with firearms. However, that's not the root of the problem; they're not committing crimes simply because they have a gun, but because they're not law-abiding citizens in the first place. This is a complex sociological problem, and cannot be simply traced to guns, drugs, money, certain types of music or anything else people have tried to singularly link it to.
 
Good place for the sports arena,Get robbed to park and hang out. The super bowl went good with helos and door gunners flying around. Enough guns in the rest of duval con to fix down town.
 
Community guns are not that prevalent

They are mainly part of the Gang culture as newbies don't have the assets and creds to be a full fledged member of a certain gang. They will be given "loaner" guns for drive by shootings and for getting their feet wet by committing whatever crimes are required for "dues".

I have spoken with a lot of ex-gang bangers while I was active duty (a few worked for me as crew chiefs). They all expressed a need to leave that culture or die trying. Many had some scary as hell stories to tell of what they did prior to joining the military. The ones without prior convictions came to the USAF and the USMC others went to the Army. All had the thousand yard stare in stressful deployment situations.

A few were just using the military to acquire some skills with weapons and tactics to take back to the streets.:icon_eek:
 
Funny this whole "community gun" thread just started. The biggest news story in my area right now is of a poor little 10 yr old girl that got hit by a stray .45 cal round and died. The 15 yr old shooter said that the gun he used was used by his whole neighborhood. They kept it under a shed in someones yard. After firing the bullet he supposedly returned it to a gargbage can in the same projects. He only fired on shot which missed the intended target, traveled two city blocks and a bunch of trees and signs along the way before striking the little girl on her porch. Check the stories out. Link Removed. also Link Removed
 
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Funny this whole "community gun" thread just started. The biggest news story in my area right now is of a poor little 10 yr old girl that got hit by a stray .45 cal round and died. The 15 yr old shooter said that the gun he used was used by his whole neighborhood. They kept it under a shed in someones yard. After firing the bullet he supposedly returned it to a gargbage can in the same projects. He only fired on shot which missed the intended target, traveled two city blocks and a bunch of trees and signs along the way before striking the little girl on her porch. Check the stories out. Link Removed. also Link Removed

I dont' live too far from there myself and have heard of this tragedy.

I'm still not buying the "community gun" angle. Now a gun used and passed around by gang members, that's another issue entirely and completely believable. The Community Gun, however, is not.
 
yeah i can't see just pickin a random spot to stash a gun that everybody knows about and can use at will. somebody would get greedy and take it for themselves obviously. but drug dealers stashin them and their "product" places close by to grab is normal.
 
I dont' live too far from there myself and have heard of this tragedy.

I'm still not buying the "community gun" angle. Now a gun used and passed around by gang members, that's another issue entirely and completely believable. The Community Gun, however, is not.
Well, in certain neighborhoods, "gang" and "community" might be the same thing.

I think this illustrates the fact that in really bad places, merely arming some citizens isn't going to be the whole solution. If the entire culture is thug-focused, they're not worried about a few law-abiding people who might defend themselves. The change really has to be more comprehensive than that.
 

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