18 year old arrested on weapons charges

[Grenadier]

An interesting read. They detained him because he was wearing body armor, and eventually got him busted from having irritant spray in his car.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/oct/17/lakeland-student-charged-armed-trespassing/?news-breaking

LAKELAND - Shawn Keiffer Newberry bought his first Kalashnikov-style semiautomatic rifles from Vets Army Navy surplus on consecutive January days this year, shortly after he turned 18.

Newberry paid for the $575 and $555 rifles with a wad of cash. That seemed odd to the store's owner, Michael Dunn, but other than that, Newberry seemed little different from anyone else with an interest in collecting the iconic weapon. It was completely legal.

It was Oct. 3 before Newberry's behavior, and a small arsenal he'd collected by that time, truly hit a nerve. That's when he walked into a Lakeland charter school where he recently had enrolled - wearing body armor, authorities say.

Even as Newberry sits in Polk County Jail, with his bail set at $605,000, uncertainty remains. What, if anything, did Newberry plan to do with the weapons he accumulated? How did the pizza deliveryman pay for them? Was anyone else involved?

Interesting situation... On one hand, some people were getting pretty nervous about his collection. On the other hand, this kid hasn't done anything wrong (except for possession of the spray), and until he's judged guilty, he's still clear.

 

[jks9199]

An interesting read. They detained him because he was wearing body armor, and eventually got him busted from having irritant spray in his car.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/oct/17/lakeland-student-charged-armed-trespassing/?news-breaking



Interesting situation... On one hand, some people were getting pretty nervous about his collection. On the other hand, this kid hasn't done anything wrong (except for possession of the spray), and until he's judged guilty, he's still clear.

It is interesting. Individually, nothing he did (other than take the ClearOut to the school) is illegal, nor is it individually overwhelmingly suspicious. Taken as a whole, there are some concerns. Why'd this kid feel a need to equip himself with more arms and armor than most cops typically have? What did he intend to do with it? Why'd he need three AK-47s? But he doesn't seem to have purchased any handguns, which are much more concealable. A kid who sounds very similar to this one killed two Fairfax County Police officers on May 08, 2007; an arsenal was found at his home, and the parents have since been charged with other serious offenses.

The kid definitely merited some investigation. But it worries me when we start investigating folks for simply buying guns and armor. We've got to be very careful, and strike the right middle ground. However, it's also important to realize that right now, we only know what was in the press. There very possibly could be more information known to the police.

 

[bydand]

However, it's also important to realize that right now, we only know what was in the press. There very possibly could be more information known to the police.

We all know how honest and forthright our press usually is when it comes to matters of firearms:bs1:.

It will be interesting to follow as the whole story unfolds. I also think there has to be more information we are not privy to at this point.