@
windinhishair Wow that’s terrible and terrifying to experience I’m so sorry.
Personally I don’t understand why people don’t lock their firearms at least a trigger lock if not a gun safe.
I was always taught that it’s more likely that my gun would be used against me than me needing it to neutralize a threat. So better to be locked and unused than easily accessible (Every situation is definitely different but statistically speaking) .
Plenty of uneducated gun owners have their weapons stollen too they end up in the hands of people that don’t want to purchase legally. I’m so sorry that you had to deal with such a frightening experience. I don’t remember how old I was when I actually knew where my dads guns were but he was very clear about their danger from as far back as I can remember. Now that we have another generation around that has never ever seen a real gun we lock and hide every one. I don’t have children but I know my sister and her husband have asked people if they have child proofed their guns when visiting new houses. Just a fact of life now. Growing up my parents taught us to never touch a gun. But I know that there are just more around today.
(The guns in my childhood home were actually well hidden though we knew where they were and I never felt slightly interested in examining them or sharing their existence with friends)
Many of my friends used to ask my dad about if he’s ever used his gun against anyone and in 33 years he had to once. He’s a retired police captain who In the past 2 years (almost 20 years after he’s retired from law enforcement) has come close to being shot twice once at a high school football game and once in his own neighborhood. I can’t explain how hard it was for my family to watch the security camera video from a neighbors house when 3 previously convicted criminals tried to steal his vehicle in a crime of opportunity. They failed and while running off to their getaway vehicle, unsuccessful in figuring out how to put his vehicle into drive (as well as being high on meth) one of them thought it was a good idea to use a .223 AR-15 ghost gun to fire 2 shots at him after he chased their get away vehicle and threw a rock in attempt to mark it so it would be easier for police to spot. The shots went over his head and the heads of 3 neighbors that tried to help (one neighbor was successful in getting video of the event)
The shots went through a wall and lodged in the water heater of a house owned by a retired sheriffs deputy. Thankfully no one was injured. 3 hours later all 3 were apprehended and the ghost gun was recovered from a dumpster when the shooter took off running from the car stop and tried to hide in an apartment buildings garage. He was actually supposed to be sentenced for previous crimes and been in prison but was released by a judge for unknown reasons. But is now a felon in prison for several charges for several years. The other two were sentenced as accomplices. And got less time.
My dad grew up in a very pro gun family and around people that assume being in law enforcement means being pro gun but I know he’s not pro gun for most people. It always surprised me that most police officers aren’t more verbal about being for gun reform.
I believe you can be a responsible gun owner and not be in support of assault rifles. I just can’t imagine a situation where you need a 30 round magazine and I find the arguments for needing an AR-15 to be paranoid at best.
Still I’m not wise enough to know or foolish enough to believe that this gun problem will be solved in my lifetime. I really hope that I am wrong for the sake of the next generations.