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AP Sources: 1 rampage gun purchased legally By LARA JAKES and DEVLIN BARRETT (AP) – 20 minutes ago WASHINGTON — A 5.7-millimeter pistol used in the Fort Hood shooting was purchased legally by suspect Nidal Hasan at a Texas gun shop, law enforcement officials said Friday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case. Records indicate Hasan bought the FN 5.7 at store called "Guns Galore" in Killeen, Texas, well before the attack that left 13 people dead, one of the officials said. The pistol has been dubbed a "cop killer" by...

The Violence Policy Center has a long record of cooking data to try to build a national case against civilian ownership of firearms. They’ve failed, of course; more Americans own guns today than ever, while the idea of a link between crime and the demonstrably law-abiding armed citizen is almost too specious for modern physics to measure. Gun control is a third rail like few others in American politics. Which doesn’t mean they won’t try; the VPC - the very definition of an astroturf group - has masters with deep pockets to obey. And so they keep cranking out the...

Bigotry assumes many forms, hides behind many facades, but always it is the same; the social demonization of entire groups, classes or races of people in an effort to make them appear inferior and detrimental by their very existence. In the wake of a nasty multiple shooting at a Pittsburgh, PA-area fitness club by a not-so-clearly psychotic man identified as George Sodini, America’s gun prohibitionists – led by the Violence Policy Center and Freedom States Alliance – are clamoring for restrictions or repeal of concealed carry statutes. In the case against legally-armed citizens, the VPC has even manufactured an innuendo-riddled...

Earlier in July, the Violence Policy Center’s Josh Sugarmann – writing on the Huffington Post website – made what had to be one of the more bone-headed attempts in recent memory to drive a wedge between people in the firearms community when he critiqued remarks written by Jan Libourel, editor of Gun World magazine. Libourel is an extraordinarily bright guy, well-read in every sense, and – as is common among gun writers – unabashedly opinionated. As a recognized firearms authority, he’s supposed to be opinionated. That’s his job, and he is very good at it. Gun owners enjoy those opinions,...

There was a single case in the VPC report from Minnesota. The VPC, apparently relying solely upon a Star Tribune article, reported the incident as: "Iheme, who had a concealed handgun permit, was found guilty of second degree murder." But actual court records which would have been easily researchable, reveal that Mr. Iheme did not have a permit.

he VPC's latest attack on the fundamental right of self-defense comes in the form of a poorly concocted “study” claiming to illustrate the evils of concealed carry permits. I use the word “study” loosely in order to not offend the sensibilities of any true statistician who might be reading this article. Let's discuss the flaws one at a time.

Remember CANDIDATE Barack Obama? The guy who “wasn’t going to take away our guns”? Well, guess what? Less than 100 days into his administration, he’s never met a gun he didn’t hate. A week ago, Obama went to Mexico, whined about the United States, and bemoaned (before the whole world) the fact that he didn’t have the political power to take away our semi-automatics. Nevertheless, that didn’t keep him from pushing additional restrictions on American gun owners. It’s called the Inter-American Convention Against Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials. To be sure, this...

The previous article examined how Violence Policy Center (VPC) had to downsize in recent years in order to survive, due to significant decreases in “direct public support.” Because VPC has no public membership revenues, the term “direct public support” is misleading. Two people perform most of VPC’s public outreach: Executive Director Josh Sugarman and Legislative Director Kristen Rand. Between 2003 and 2007, as revenues decreased 49.9%, both Sugarman’s and Rand’s salaries increased 5.9%. But because revenues decreased, these two top earners––each of whom earned $132,894 in salary and $3,987 in benefits in 2007––went from 15.5% of total revenue in 2003...

In order to justify their political agenda, gun control organizations often claim that “most Americans” support various restrictive laws. For example, Mayors Against Illegal Guns published a report last year stating: Nearly 60 percent of Americans favor stricter gun laws. A majority of Americans, 59 percent, believe that the laws covering the sale of guns should be made more strict than they are currently. This is very similar to the 56 percent of Americans who said so in a January 2007 poll conducted for Mayors Against Illegal Guns. A third of the public, 33 percent, think that gun laws should...

Attorney General Eric Holder is using the drug violence in Mexico to "confuse and mislead" Americans in an attempt to reinstate the expired federal assault weapons ban, gun advocates say. Get ready for a gunfight. Holder revealed his intention to reinstate the ban last month while announcing more than 700 arrests in connection with a crackdown on Mexican drug cartels operating in the United States. "As President Obama indicated during the campaign, there are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to re-institute the ban on the sale of assault weapons,"...

I wrote recently about the forcible citizen disarmament lobby's desire to ban .50 caliber rifles. In that piece, I pointed out that if such a ban were ever implemented, the gun prohibitionists would soon discover that a sniper limited to a .499 caliber rifle would not be seriously hampered by the loss of 1/1000th of an inch of bullet diameter, leading, no doubt, to calls for the banning of that caliber as well. Of course, a .498 caliber rifle would not really be noticeably less capable . . . etc. The disarmament lobby considers it bad form for gun rights...

Food pantries in Iowa have been given approval to resume serving venison to the needy,” read the National Shooting Sports Foundation press release. “Earlier, anti-hunting entities had convinced state officials the meat was tainted by lead. Similar scare campaigns in North Dakota and Minnesota resulted in venison for the homeless being discarded.” How serious was the “problem”? “10 samples of ground venison from a food pantry were tested by the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory,” NSSF writes. “[E]ight had no detectable amounts and two had only trace amounts.” For this, a laudable program was halted, and the most unfortunate among...

Statement of National Gun Violence Prevention Organizations in Wake of Northern Illinois University Shooting Washington, DC--Following yesterday’s mass shooting at Northern Illinois University which left six dead, including the shooter, and 16 wounded, America’s leading national gun violence prevention organizations, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and the Violence Policy Center, issued the following joint statement: “Our sympathies go to all those affected by this terrible tragedy. America is in a gun crisis. Yesterday’s shooting at Northern Illinois University was the sixth mass shooting in less than two weeks. On college campuses,...

I wouldn't have believed it. In fact, I didn't believe it. So, I went to the ATF myself to check it out. It's true, Josh Sugarmann, Executive Director of the Violence Policy Center, formerly with the National Center to Ban Handguns, holds a federal license for gun dealing. I saw this first on Dave Hardy's site, Arms & The Law, which is always well worth reading. While I trust Dave implicitly, Dave didn't list a source and I didn't want to find myself chasing an Internet legend. So, off to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms did I go....

Did you know that Josh Sugarmann, of the Violence Policy Center, has a Federal Firearms License? And that the business address is that of The Violence Policy Center? You do now. Also, given the ATF’s recent crack down on FFLs, I wonder when the VPC’s last inspection was? And how many transfers they’ve done. If none, then that could mean they’re not a business and, per ATF, that is bad. If they have, they’re hypocrites. Said FFL exempts them from the DC handgun ban, as well.

Outrage of the Week! Friday, January 11, 2008 This week's outrage comes courtesy of columnist Bernd Debusmann of Reuters News Service, and an article he recently penned. This story, masquerading as a legitimate news article, might as well be an anti-gun organization's press release. Debusmann premises his piece on the argument that the American gun culture is "fading slowly," that gun ownership is declining, that support for stricter gun controls has been growing steadily, and that those in favor of stricter gun control laws represent a majority of the public. The source for this information is, not surprisingly, Josh Sugarmann...

Henry Riekert's column cites the Violence Policy Center as a "well respected, non-profit, gun control advocacy group" -- true, if citing selective statistics and ignoring data that do not support yours is respectable. One of the group's stated goals is a nationwide ban on the private possession of handguns. That isn't gun control; it's gun elimination. The figure Riekert cites -- 5,314 arrests of Texas concealed-carry licensees -- sounds incriminating until you look behind the raw numbers. Total arrests spread over the period selected (Jan. 1, 1996, to Aug. 31, 2001) averages 1,138 a year. That includes arrests for all...

To Violence Policy Center Action Network Members: ALITO NEWS-- As you know, in 1996 Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito issued a minority opinion arguing for repeal of the 1986 federal ban on the transfer and possession of new machine guns by civilians. As part of its public education efforts, this week the Violence Policy Center released a new, short, web-based video illustrating the firepower of machine guns. You can view the video at http://www.vpc.org/alito-video.htm. Please forward this e-mail to as many people as you can to show them the devastating effects of these banned guns. Please call your Senators at...

Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito’s Views Could Imperil Most Federal Gun, Ammo, and Explosives Laws, New Violence Policy Center Backgrounder Shows Washington, DC--The Violence Policy Center (VPC) today released a backgrounder on Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito. Key aspects of the document include: Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito voted to strike down the 1986 federal machine gun ban in the case U.S. v. Rybar, [103 F.3d 273 (3d Cir. 1996)]. Judge Alito was the lone dissenter in the decision upholding the conviction of a gun dealer who sold illegal machine guns at a Pennsylvania gun show. Application of...

Violence Policy Center Urges Washington Redskins to Withdraw From Shooting Fundraiser With National Rifle Association as NRA Lobbies on Capitol Hill to Overturn D.C.'s Gun Laws Redskins/NRA Event Announced Same Month That NRA's Magazine Attacks D.C. Mayor Williams and Police Chief Ramsey WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The Violence Policy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based national non-profit organization working to reduce gun death and injury, today sent Washington Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder a letter urging him to "end all participation" by the Washington Redskins in a planned shooting event with the National Rifle Association on October 25, 2005, to...

VPC Recommendations for Securing Firearms and Ammunition During Disasters As another potentially devastating hurricane barrels toward the U.S., the VPC offers a series of recommendations to ensure that large inventories of guns and ammunition held by local Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders are secure in order to prevent the gun violence that marred rescue and recovery efforts in New Orleans in the wake of Katrina. "Emergency officials who prepared Louisiana's plan for responding to a major hurricane never guessed that one of their duties would be to protect aid workers from gunmen, one of the state's senior disaster officials said...

U.S. HOUSE BANS GUN POSSESSION BY SEX OFFENDERS Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 15:10:51 -0500 Dear Violence Policy Center Action Network Member: Today members of the U.S. House approved on a voice vote an amendment offered by Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) to prohibit gun possession by individuals convicted of misdemeanor sex offenses against minors. The Nadler amendment is necessary to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous, known sex offenders. Although current federal law prohibits the transfer to, or possession by, a person convicted of a felony sex offense, it is legal under federal law for persons convicted of...

Dear Violence Policy Center Action Network Member: Last Friday, by a vote of 65 to 31, the U.S. Senate passed S. 397, a bill shielding the gun industry from certain types of civil litigation. Click here to see the Reuters story on the vote which cites the VPC: http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2005-07-29T234038Z_01_N29544354_RTRIDST_0_POLITICS-CONGRESS-GUNS-DC.XML Thank you to everyone who called and e-mailed their Senators to urge them to vote against this bill. To see how your Senators voted, click here: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00219 The bill will now move to the U.S. House of Representative--which has passed similar legislation in the past--for action. Following Senate passage Friday, the...

Dear Violence Policy Center Action Network Member: The U.S. Senate will vote TODAY on legislation to shield the gun industry from some civil liability (S. 397). This would make the firearms industry, which is already exempt from federal health and safety regulation, the most protected consumer product manufacturer in America. Please call your Senators TODAY and urge them to vote YES on the Reed Substitute to S. 397! (Background information on the Reed substitute is below.) Call your Senators through the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, or look up your Senators' contact information here: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm THANK YOU! *** BACKGROUND SUPPORT...

Columbus, Ohio, Assault Weapons Ban Greater Tragedy to NRA Than Columbine Massacre, NRA's Wayne LaPierre Reveals Washington, DC—Following today's announcement by National Rifle Association (NRA) Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre that in reaction to Columbus, Ohio's recent City Council vote to ban assault weapons the NRA would move its 2007 annual meeting, the Violence Policy Center released the following statement from Executive Director Josh Sugarmann: "Today's announcement confirms that to the National Rifle Association, the Columbus, Ohio, assault weapons ban is a far greater tragedy than the Columbine assault weapons massacre. For those who had any doubt, it is clear...

Heads up.

Violence Policy Center Launches Web Site to Aid Citywide Effort to Stop Congressional Repeal of DC Handgun Ban Web Site Asks “If The U.S. Capitol Can be Handgun Free, Why Can’t DC?” Washington, DC--The Violence Policy Center (VPC) today launched a new web site to aid citywide efforts to stop Congressional repeal of the Washington, DC, handgun ban and other District gun laws. The web site–http://www.handgunfreedc.org–contains background information on efforts to repeal the District’s landmark law, information on the ban’s effectiveness, and a downloadable placard to be displayed in the windows of homes and businesses that reads, ”Keep the DC...

Dear Violence Policy Center Action Network Member: This Sunday at 7:00 PM Eastern time, NBC News' Dateline is scheduled to run a story on the threat posed by 50 caliber sniper rifles. The VPC worked closely with Dateline on the piece. Also, yesterday by a vote of 278 to 149 the U.S. House of Representatives defeated Representative Jim Moran's (D-VA) amendment to ban the export of 50 caliber sniper rifles. Thank you to everyone who called their Member of Congress this week in support of the Moran amendment. To see how your Representative voted, click here: http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-house-rollcall-super-rifles,0,3424527.story While disappointed in...

Violence Policy Center Hails New York State Assembly's Passage of 50 Caliber Sniper Rifle Ban Washington, DC—The Violence Policy Center (VPC) today applauded the New York State Assembly for voting last night to ban 50 caliber sniper rifles. The measure must now go to the New York State Senate. The legislative effort was spearheaded by New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV), the state's leading gun violence prevention organization. The VPC has long advocated for a ban on the sale and possession of 50 caliber sniper rifles and was the first organization in the country to alert the American public to...

Big Rifle A Terrorist Tool? May 29, 2005 California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger decided there’s a weapon that’s too dangerous to be in the hands of private citizens. This year, a new law went into effect in California banning that weapon. It’s the .50-caliber rifle, the Rolls Royce of sniper rifles. It’s a big gun, a favorite of armies around the world, and it’s still available in 49 states in this country to anyone over 18 with a clean record. It is, without a doubt, the most powerful weapon you can buy. And, as Correspondent Ed Bradley first reported last...

In the never-ending battle to destroy our constitution, more “big lie” propaganda is being dumped on our elected officials. The rhetoric given forth by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) so easily deceived the legislators of California resulting in the banning of fifty caliber rifles because they are powerful and their bullets punch holes when they strike. Even single shot .50 cal rifles were banned. It’s hard to believe we live in such a dark time that someone has actually banned a single shot rifle. But as you will see, this is the cleverest of all gun bans, and the end...

Dear Fellow Citizens In the never-ending battle to destroy our constitution, more "big lie" propaganda is being dumped on our elected officials. The rhetoric given forth by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) so easily deceived the legislators of California, resulting in the banning of fifty caliber rifles because they are powerful and their bullets punch holes when they strike. Even single shot .50 cal rifles were banned. It's hard to believe we live in such a dark time that someone has actually banned a single shot rifle. But as you will see, this is the cleverest of all gun bans,...

Minnesota School Massacre Latest Example of the Human Toll of America's Love Affair with Guns Shooter's Willingness to Commit Suicide Demonstrates Futility of Deterrence, Restricting Access to Firearms is the Only Way to Prevent Future Tragedies Washington, D.C.—Yesterday's mass shooting at a Minnesota high school in which a lone shooter killed nine and wounded more than a dozen before taking his own life was the worst school shooting since the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School, where two students killed 13 and wounded another 23 before taking their own lives. In the wake of this most recent shooting, Kristen Rand,...

Bill Summary - A03371 A03371 Summary: Rpld S265.00 sub 22 (e) sub (iv) & (v), amd SS265,00, 265.20 & 400.05, Pen L Adds semiautomatic rifles, shotguns or pistols or a replica or a duplicate thereof manufactured on October 1, 1993 and semiautomatic rifles, shotguns or semiautomatic pistols lawfully possessed prior to September 14, 1994 to the definition of assault weapon; provides for the superintendent of the division of state police to accept surrendered assault weapons; declares such assault weapons surrendered a nuisance. A03371 Actions: 02/02/2005 referred to codes A03371 Votes: A03371 Memo: TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the...

Iowa Senators Introduce State Assault Weapons Ban 2/25/2005 Press Release Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence 4403 1st Ave SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 http://www.ipgv.org State assault weapons ban would fill the void created when Congress failed to renew the federal assault weapons ban last September Cedar Rapids, IA - Legislation has been introduced in the Iowa Senate that would prohibit the possession of military-style, semiautomatic assault weapons in Iowa. The bipartisan bill (Senate File 207) is co-sponsored by Senators Connolly (D-Dubuque), Dvorsky (D-Coralville), Lundby (R-Marion), and Tinsman (R-Davenport). Lead sponsor of the bill Mike Connolly said, "Military-style, semiautomatic...

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger decided there’s a weapon that’s too dangerous to be in the hands of private citizens. This past week, a new law went into effect in California banning that weapon. It’s the .50-caliber rifle, the Rolls Royce of sniper rifles. It’s a big gun, a favorite of armies around the world, and it’s still available in 49 states in this country to anyone over 18 with a clean record. It is, without a doubt, the most powerful weapon you can buy. And, as Correspondent Ed Bradley reports, it's powerful enough to kill a man or pierce armor...

Wisconsin Hunter Murders Show Need For Effective Assault Weapons Ban—Armed Hunters No Match For SKS Assault RiflePresident Has Power to Fully Ban Import of All Foreign-Made Assault Rifles Such as SKSs And AK-47s Washington, DC—SKS assault rifles like the one reported to have been used to murder five hunters and wound three others in Wisconsin over the weekend are a primary threat to police, the Violence Policy Center (VPC) reported today. So far in 2004, at least six law enforcement officers have been slain by SKSs. In the wake of the shooting, the VPC called on President George W. Bush...

More Than 50 Members of Entertainment Community Sign Letter Calling on President Bush, U.S. Congress, to Strengthen and Renew Federal Assault Weapons Ban Signatories Include Kevin Bacon, Patricia Heaton, Dustin Hoffman, Helen Hunt, Scarlett Johansson, Christine Lahti, William H. Macy, Robert Redford, Rob Reiner, Brooke Shields, and Barbra Streisand Ban Set to Expire on September 13, 2004 Ad Highlighting Letter Runs in Capitol Hill's Roll Call Newspaper Washington, DC—More than 50 members of the entertainment community—including Kevin Bacon, Patricia Heaton, Dustin Hoffman, Helen Hunt, Scarlett Johansson, Christine Lahti, William H. Macy, Robert Redford, Rob Reiner, Brooke Shields, Barbra Streisand, and...

Violence Policy Center considers itself the most effective anti-gun organization in Washington, D.C. ''Recognizing the VPC's groundbreaking research and unique expertise, VPC staff are frequently quoted by national news media and relied upon by policymakers.'' Thus they are self-proclaimed experts in the research that leads the fight in civilian disarmament. (1) In American Roulette, Violence Policy Center takes a look at murder-suicides in the U.S. (2) Using passages like the following, they seek to use emotional appeal to validate their message: ''MAINE: In February, Harold 'Bones' Gray, 68, shot and killed his wife, Christina Gray, 24, and her sister, Vicki...

50 Caliber Handgun Threatens Police Lives, VPC Study Warns 6/3/2004 Press Release Violence Policy Center 1140 19th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 www.vpc.org Violence Policy Center Warns Nation's Law Enforcement Officers of New Handgun Threat to Police Body Armor New VPC Study, Vest Buster: The .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum -- The Gun Industry's Latest Challenge to Law Enforcement Body Armor, Documents That the 'Most Powerful Handgun in the World' Has Armor-Penetrating Power That Can Pierce the Highest Level of Bullet-Resistant Patrol Vests Washington, DC - The Violence Policy Center (VPC) today released a new study, Vest Buster: The .500...

Renewing the assault weapons ban ill-conceived An organization called the Million Mom March held a rally in Washington on Mother's Day to urge a renewal of the 1994 assault weapons ban. If you must know, the turnout was about 997,500 short. But the advocates are not easily discouraged. Afterward, they launched a vehicle called the Big Pink Rig on a "Halt the Assault Tour." The bus will crisscross the nation between now and September, when the ban is scheduled to expire. The 1994 law was a monument to President Bill Clinton's distinctive political genius--which generally involved tiny symbolic changes that...

Had Enough Yet? 5/10/2004 Commentary by Tom Diaz It's an All-American story. Nebraska University soccer star Jenna Cooper throws a barbecue in her home to celebrate the season's end. Two men argue over stolen shot glasses. One whips out a handgun. Jenna Cooper, 21-years old, on the cusp of life -- talented and loved by her team, her family, and her friends -- is gone, taken by a stray bullet fired in anger. The Lincoln, Nebraska chief of police remarked that Jenna Cooper happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. With all due respect, chief, sir,...

Herb Block Foundation Supports VPC 3/19/2004 The Washington, D.C., based Violence Policy Center recently received $25,000 from the Herb Block Foundation, established by the late Washington Post political cartoonist. The grant was earmarked for educational efforts to strengthen the federal assault-weapons ban. The award was made under the foundation's civil-liberties program area.

Lying With Pictures Starring: The Violence Policy Center (VPC) in their soul-touching, truth-twisting "tribute"...Officer Down! I was perusing the Violence Policy Center website recently, and it came to my attention that the very same folks who touted the 1994 "Assault Weapons" ban as "essential" to reduce gun crime, now claim that it is the fault of the MANUFACTURERS that the guns they sought to ban, based upon cosmetics and "evil looking features" are still on the market, minus the "evil features" they said were so dangerous, like flash suppressors, folding shoulder stocks, and bayonet lugs. I guess I could see...

NRA Members' Councils of California Please Distribute Widely To All Gun Owners/Groups ----------------------------------- NRA MEMBERS' COUNCILS OF CALIFORNIA09/21/2003 ----------------------------------- Refinery Expert Disputes .50 Caliber Rifle Threat The Violence Policy Center (VPC) has assembled inaccurate statistics and false "facts" regarding the threat to Homeland Security posed by .50 caliber rifles. Their efforts failed to convince California state lawmakers this year, and their much touted .50 caliber state-wide ban was defeated, stalled in committee. Recently, VPC has presented their fake studies to those California counties with the greatest proliferation of oil refineries, Los Angeles and Contra Costa, claiming snipers equipped with...

What the communist cease fire fail to inform you is that the NRA has a great program called "Eddie Eagle" which teaches kids not to handle guns. They do not want children to know about safe gun handling,that would put them out of biz! They would rather have un informed snoops calling the cops because you have a shotgun and your children know how to use it

THE NRA V. NATIONAL SECURITYEasy Shot by Eli Kintisch Post date: 01.15.03 Issue date: 01.20.03 Recently I visited Potomac Arms, a gun shop on the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia. Making my way past the samurai swords and shotguns, I found the 17-inch Anzio Ironworks .50-caliber "take-down" rifle--named because it can be disassembled in less than 25 seconds--on display. Another brand of .50-caliber, an ArmaLite, was available in the back, a clerk told me. Buying either gun would not be difficult: Under the Brady Bill, I'd need to show identification, after which my name would be run through a computer...

<p>WASHINGTON — A Second Amendment group is filing a lawsuit demanding that the nation's capital ease up its gun laws, which are considered the most restrictive in the nation.</p> <p>The CATO Institute, a public policy research group that bases its work on libertarian principles, is crafting a legal challenge to Washington, D.C.'s law, claiming that all Americans have the right to defend themselves.</p>

An underground "sniper subculture" is brewing in the United States thanks to the aggressive marketing of so-called sniper rifles by gun manufacturers and lax gun-control regulations, according to a gun-control advocacy group. The Violence Policy Center held a press briefing on the purported sniper subculture Thursday, only hours after police apprehended two suspects with alleged connections to the deaths of 10 people in the Washington, D.C., area. The group claims it warned of such an episode more than three years ago in its "One Shot, One Kill" report. Tom Diaz, the group's senior policy analyst, warned that more incidents, similar...

©2002 Law.comPage printed from: http://www.law.com Back to Article How the Gun Debate Died Jim OliphantLegal Times10-22-2002 As the serial sniper continued last week to slice a bloody swath along the rim of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, Josh Sugarmann shared the same sense of horror and sadness familiar to anyone shocked by the slayings. But it was tinged with something else: a feeling of profound disappointment, of a moment surrendered in time. "The history of gun control is a series of lost opportunities," laments Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Policy Center, a Washington-based firearms policy group. The Violence...