Man Driving Around With Loaded Assault Rifle And Body Armor Deemed 'Not Immediate Threat'

a reply to: peter vlar
Ah thanks for the info on the weapons. So that may well be part of the charges?

And exactly. Over the top. Unless there's more to the story. And there well could be. They didn't mention if he was former military or not or maybe a PMC or assassin or anything else. They just determined he was not an "immediate" threat. And the arrest stuff? Guess we might never know what happens there.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
Maybe especially the authorities. They do the lip service about it, but...

a reply to: BrianFlanders
Yep. could be a lot of things for sure. And that fanning of the flames thing to me is a potentially very dangerous thing too, albeit hard to prove, something being categorized by some as stochastic terrorism, which was a new one on me.

I just had one more thought and then I gotta sleep.

Given the things happening around the country and the world...people pretty much wearing the same type of gear this guy was found driving around with, what would a normal person's first, gut reaction to seeing something like this be?

"Shooter!"

"Gun!"

"Run, hide, fight."

We have drills at work, at schools (even with kids as young as 4-5). That's sad. We are being conditioned.

And so then, psychologically, how do we react to a person dressed this way who may or may not be intending us harm?

The other side of that coin is that we all get used to armored armed guards/police/military with big guns everywhere, which we also decry as another thing we have an issue with...the militarization of the country and that concerns us too.


Also, posted this in another thread...it's worth a look, I think.

The math of mass shootings

124 shooters
All but three of the mass shooters were male, the vast majority were age 20 to 49, and many showed previous signs of mental illness. More than half — 71 of them — died at or near the scene of the shooting, often by killing themselves.

There's some pretty interesting stuff there.

50 years
794 victims
242 guns
124 shooters
41 states and the District

Plus statistics when you hover over the people, guns, places and an explanation of the database discrepancies.

Someone spent a lot of time on this.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

I'm going to actually be honest here. If it was a white guy, asian guy or black guy I would think it was a cop (if they were clean cut). Otherwise I would jump to threat. Then taking everything into account I would just think douchebag. I've called the cops before when I saw someone flashing around a concealed pistol. Keep it concealed or don't, the morons that like to wear crappy concealment to show off just aggravate me.

This is actually probably slightly less racist than it sounds, I've just never seen an Indian or Arab cop. I also associate cops with being clean cut.

It would make me uncomfortable to be around someone with an AR casually slung over their shoulder unless I was at a gun range or something similar.

a reply to: Domo1
I get that.

Actually had it happen to me not long ago, and I think I even posted about it here. Was getting gas and a guy on a crotch rocket with and AR/AK (I can't tell) whipped into the station, jumped off the bike, and beelined it right for me. Lemme tell you, my heart jumped and I was considering a dive under the car.

Turns out he was with a veterans organization and doing it to take a stand about what happened in Chattanooga. Tense times. And I think people need to listen and understand why others are reacting the way they do...no matter what perspective you're coming at this from. There are valid concerns all around.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

There are valid concerns all around.

It's really hard for me to remember that at times. The vast majority of us just want what's best for everyone, most people that disagree with you aren't being malicious.

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Man if they think they have paperwork to do now in officer involved shooting, just wait until the citizens get more and more into the act. Could be fun times.

The citizens are already in it every day, of every week, of every month, of every year. You dont often hear of it because many citizens commit a justifiable shooting every day in self defense. Just pick any day and do a google search through local affiliates. You will see plenty of daily shootings, more than you can spend your free time on. For every one #ed up shooting you may hear abut in a week, dozens of justified incidents of self defense are documented the same time frame. I hope we dont come to an agreement that it would be better if they would all have been victims.

Here's what I don't get: its only the first and second amendment rights that are ever considered "too much".

The only concern I see here is his fake ID's. Beyond that....whats the problem? Why should someone have to explain the why's and how's behind their exercising of a basic right?

I suppose the line between reasonable and not so reasonable would be right under the bottom line, as in whether those sums and totals are red or black.

Another retard that allows the police to search his car during a simple traffic stop huh ?.

The only things I have issues with in this story are the fact he supposedly had a fake government I.D. and he was dumb enough to get tricked into allowing the cops to search his car.

Nothing wrong with having a good set of tools around.

Where the line supposedly is, is the guys' business, not any of mine or yours.

The only immediate concern I see here is the issue of the fake ID and the possibility that some of the firearms might have been illegal under state law. Otherwise, if the police have investigated and deemed him not to pose a threat, then aside from suspicion, we don't have any further evidence to counter the conclusion of the police. Suspicion does not equate to guilt.

a reply to: vor78

No conspiratorially related thoughts? I find it pretty odd that someone not in law enforcement would be driving around with not one but two or three or four items that go to impersonation or potential thereof.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

Again, we can speculate all day long, but all we know is a few paragraphs in an article that makes it look pretty bad. It looks shady, yes. I can't say for a fact, though, that it is, and given that the police say there was no immediate threat, I really can't make a substantive argument against that conclusion.

My bet is that he is in fantasy land. He is a "personal trainer" living in a gated community. Maybe personal trainers make enough money to live in gated communities on Long Island or maybe he is something else; a live in "companion" or some such.
My guess is that he is a wannabe like the folks that join "militias" and play cowboys and Indians with loaded guns in the woods. The AR with the Federal tag on the front hand guard is definitely a fantasy piece. I suspect that the suppressor is a fake as he would have to have expended time and money [and provided personal info to ATF] to own a real one. It is unlikely that he is a paid assassin with legally owned weapons and that the police are aware of his background. What ever possessed him to wander around NY with the weapons and the fake ID's? The fake ID's should be enough to put him away for a while and the legally purchased but illegally carried [and configured] weapons will really fix him. I wonder if the Feds will prosecute him as he had fake Fed ID's.

In any case, he will soon be personally training his new buddies in prison.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

That is like saying, "I find it hard to believe that someone would post all those videos of their opinions if they weren't trying to incite a riot".

The exercising of a right should need no explanation, and should draw no suspicion. If it should, then by me refusing to have my car searched I have exhibited probable cause.

A right needs no reason, and the exercising thereof should not be suspicious.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: ~Lucidity

That is like saying, "I find it hard to believe that someone would post all those videos of their opinions if they weren't trying to incite a riot".

The exercising of a right should need no explanation, and should draw no suspicion. If it should, then by me refusing to have my car searched I have exhibited probable cause.

A right needs no reason, and the exercising thereof should not be suspicious.

What right is that? The right to impersonate a federal officer?

Maybe it was his Halloween costume. Yeah...that must be it.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

as was said by me (and the person you responded to): the only issue is that he is reported to have had fake ID's.

The purpose of them, or whether they actually ARE fake IDs and not something an overzealous cop is misconstruing, is unknown to me at this time.

The guns, however....not my concern. How he chooses to exercise his rights are his business.

ETA: the sarcasm is unbecoming you.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

And my response that you responded to was about the fake IDs, fake labels, fake vest lettering.

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

And my response that you responded to was about the fake IDs, fake labels, fake vest lettering.

well...all i can say is reading comprehension isn't my strong suit this early on a Sunday morning.

Off to brew a cup of coffee and see if i can muster up a better mea culpa for you.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

No worries. Believe it or not it even happens too 100% me. Ha.

The faked IDs and other fake Fed labeled items tells me this guy was up to no good. Feds or any law enforcement take issue with these fakes let me tell you. The same as those stolen glory a-holes offend combat vets. This guy is in the shiz I assure you. He is on a watch list for life guaranteed. He will be felony charged in the end so no more firearms for him legally for certain. I have not found a booking photo in my search so far, anyone?