Playing Into The Hands Of The Anti's

[tt11758]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110302/NEWS10/103020357/1001/

An Iowa man has been charged in Buchanan County for allegedly brandishing a gun during a bar fight. Law enforcement officials believe it's the first arrest connected with looser restrictions on carrying handguns while drinking alcohol.

A number of sheriffs predicted problems with the state's new "shall issue" gun law, partly because it prevents them from barring gun owners from drinking while carrying a gun.

Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Wolfgram said Tuesday that a man with a permit to carry a weapon carried his gun concealed in his clothing to Phat Albert's tavern in Brandon shortly after 10 p.m. on Feb. 19.

The gun owner, R.J. Warner, 50, of Mount Vernon, got into a fight, pulled his weapon and used it to threaten several people, the sheriff said.

Warner was charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon, a felony.

Linn County's sheriff, who issued Warner's permit, has seized both his permit to carry and his permit to purchase weapons.

"I thought it would be a bigger city that would have the first problems after January 1, but instead it's a town of less than 300 people," Wolfgram said.

Several sheriffs said Tuesday that this was the first arrest they were aware of under the new law, which took effect Jan. 1. The law removed sheriffs' discretion to deny a carry permit for any reason; instead, they can deny one only under a limited set of circumstances.

Under the previous law, sheriffs could place restrictions on carry permits, such as no carrying in a church or government building, or no carrying while drinking alcohol. But permits issued after Jan. 1 are valid statewide and can't be restricted by any sheriff.

Duane Hildebrandt, the sheriff in Bremer County and a leader of the state's sheriffs association, said: "I pointed out that alcohol and weapons don't necessarily make a good mix, and this was a primary concern of the new legislation."

Hildebrandt added: "I don't think it's fair to believe this law was going to lead to the Wild Wild West. I didn't subscribe to that philosophy. But I do have concerns - and any credible person would have concerns - with guns in bars."

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal on Tuesday dismissed speculation that the Buchanan County arrest might be a side effect of the new shall-issue law.

"You're not allowed to carry a gun while you're drunk," he said. "That was in the law already and that continues to be illegal."

A gun owner with a permit to carry could have walked into the same bar and done the same thing to get himself arrested under the old law, Gronstal said.

Warner and the others involved in the incident left the bar before deputies arrived, Wolfgram said.

"The guy probably didn't have any intention of pulling the gun, but he knew that under the new law he could carry it into a bar, and he drank too much and his common sense went out the window," Wolfgram said. "Luckily, nobody was hurt."

It took a week to find Warner and make the arrest on Thursday, the sheriff said. He sent out a news release about the case Tuesday.

Wolfgram said he thinks state lawmakers should consider this incident as they're making changes this session to the shall-issue law. A bill advancing in the Iowa Senate would correct what some see as problems with the law.

"To me it would be something for (lawmakers) to look at and see if some of those things that were changed were a good idea or not," Wolfgram said.

Sheriffs have also said they're concerned that the new law doesn't require appropriate training.

Gronstal said the new law was meant to standardize the way sheriffs issue permits in all 99 counties.

"I appreciate their rhetorical points about wanting some additional training or some set of things, but the fact is uniformity makes sense," he said.

I hope this asshat gets prosecuted to the fullest extent.  He has given all of us a black eye.

[jaybet]

FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!!!  One knucklehead in a bar in a small town shows his piece and they want to change the law just like that? The guy is a jerk, he has been arrested and hopefully prosecuted, and that should be the end of it.

[tombogan03884]

Some details missing from the story.
For example, was he actually drinking ? What happened with the "several people" allegedly threatened, were any of them charged with anything ?
 Was it a situation where he was not justified in drawing his weapon ?
Or was it a Sheriff with an agenda shafting a good guy ?
It amuses me that so many of you damn the MSM as socialist propaganda organs then turn around and accept as gospel every half informed story they print.
That's the kind of stuff that got Obummer elected.

[tt11758]

Some details missing from the story.
For example, was he actually drinking ? What happened with the "several people" allegedly threatened, were any of them charged with anything ?
 Was it a situation where he was not justified in drawing his weapon ?
Or was it a Sheriff with an agenda shafting a good guy ?
It amuses me that so many of you damn the MSM as socialist propaganda organs then turn around and accept as gospel every half informed story they print.
That's the kind of stuff that got Obummer elected.

You make a valid point, and I fell into the trap.

[MikeBjerum]

I go along with the president on this one.  As I was reading it I don't see that he was drinking alcohol, what his blood alcohol level was, who started the fight - it sounds like more than one on one but no facts, or if he was in danger of serious injury or death.

Regardless it is not a good situation for anyone, but it may be a situation that is exactly why we are allowed to carry guns.

[Sponsor]

[JC5123]

I go along with the president on this one.  As I was reading it I don't see that he was drinking alcohol, what his blood alcohol level was, who started the fight - it sounds like more than one on one but no facts, or if he was in danger of serious injury or death.

Regardless it is not a good situation for anyone, but it may be a situation that is exactly why we are allowed to carry guns.

That has been my biggest gripe with the CCW laws in Wyoming. All the places that you are not allowed to carry are the very places you usually wish you could. (Government buildings, Schools, Bars) It seems like these are the places most people run into trouble.

[twyacht]

I agree with TomB, my "red flags" went up on what was "left out" of the story. 5 on 1? MB talked about the slippery slope of what constitutes a threat when outnumbered.

If he was sober.
If he was an assh**
If he asked for it

Or was he justified.