Posted on 03/19/2009 11:24:04 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
Police say he was "testing" the law, but one local gunowner says he was exercising his right to bear arms.
Tuesday evening, witnesses called police after a man with a gun in a holster was spotted walking in the Taco Bell restaurant on Day Drive in Parma.
Although the Taco Bell restaurant did not have any signs prohibiting weapons from being on the property, customers grew nervous.
The gunowner, Bill Carlisle, says as soon as he walked out of the restaurant, he was surrounded by police. "I came, I ate my dinner, I walked out and there the police were. The first thing they asked me was to stay where I was and put my hands on my head," says Carlisle.
Parma police captain Robert De Simone says Carlisle pulled out a tape recorder and then complied with the officers orders.
"An officer would have to be a moron to go up and talk to someone without saying put your hands away from the weapon," says De Simone. After running a background check, Carlisle's gun was returned. He was not arrested or charged.
Unless there a signs prohibiting weapons from being allowed on the property, police say according to Ohio's "open carry" law, any law-abiding citizen is allowed to carry a loaded weapon in public as long as it's not concealed.
Freep poll at link.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
I did it all the time while living in New Mexico and Arizona.
This is why Texas needs to leave the union - we still have a tradition of open carry of long arms and we’d like to keep it, thank you very much...
I would be more worried about what the food will do to me in 12 hours then what the guy with the gun could do.
I think the big deal is that the customer might have to shoot his burrrrrito before trying to eat it.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Should you be allowed to carry a holstered gun in public?
Absolutely (4358 responses) 92.9%
Not Really Sure (56 responses) 1.2%
No Way (279 responses) 5.9%
4693 total responses
(Results not scientific)
Concerned about an accidental discharge?
That would depend on the sanitation practices of the restaurant.
He has the right to open carry, and restaurant managers have their property right to check weapons (keep them, until the customer leaves) or to make him to leave the weapon elsewhere.
...same with you all keeping strangers’ weapons off of your home places, if you wish. Imagine some strange goon wearing a pistol and knocking on your door, while you’re at work.
And I reiterate that have Second Amendment rights to open carry on public properties, friends’ properties (if they wish) and our own private properties. ...that from the experience of checking pistols in night clubs for owners of those night clubs (when I was young and dumb enough to work in that kind of place).
BTW, I checked “absolutely,” even though Fox News presented the straw man in the story. :-)
Should you be allowed to carry a holstered gun in public?
*
Absolutely (4377 responses)
92.9%
*
Not Really Sure (56 responses)
1.2%
*
No Way (280 responses)
5.9%
4713 total responses
(Results not scientific)
Strangely enough, the four rules of gun safety apply here.
An officer IS a moron if he thinks someone who is about to shoot him is going to put his hands on top of his head, instead.
I'm not sure you got the joke about "accidental discharge". Late in the night after eating in a crappy restaurant. You hope you make it to the toilet in time.
But, but, but... GUNS KILL PEOPLE! I mean, he could have been enjoying his tacos but who KNOWS what carnage his pistol may have wreaked unattended!
/sarc
In NJ, the only way you can openly carry is if you posess a CCW, which we know citizens can rarely ever obtain. That is very ambiguous to say the least. That being said, if a LEO sees you openly carrying in NJ, be prepared to get a mouthful of asphalt, firearm confiscated, and a slew of charges filed against you. There is no provision for the 2nd amendment in the State Constitution, nor does there exist and amendment guaranteeing the RIGHT to hunt, fish, and bear arms. Not that anyone’s surprised.....
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