Police trade-in questioned (AP)

[ACP]

Interesting news story, with possible repercussions.

By SCOTT CHARTON
Associated Press Writer
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Bob Holden said Thursday that the state highway patrol should reconsider its practice of trading in used guns for resale following reports that one of the guns was used to kill four people in a factory shooting.
Holden, who vetoed a measure Thursday that would allow people to carry concealed weapons, said when he learned Jonathon Russell, 25, had used a semiautomatic pistol from the highway patrol in Tuesday’s shooting, “it caused problems for me, that’s all I’ll say.â€
Russell killed himself, and his motive remained unclear Thursday as relatives ruled out possibilities such as love interests or gambling problems.
In a statement released Thursday, Russell’s mother, Nina M. Tichelkamp, said her son wanted to be a police officer and purchased the .40-caliber Glock to use at the Missouri Sheriff’s Training Academy. Mick Covington, the academy training director, confirmed that Russell had asked for information about applying.
The highway patrol traded about 1,400 of its semiautomatic pistols starting last November through a suburban Kansas City wholesaler for about the same number of Glocks, upgraded with attachable flashlights.
One of those used pistols — stamped with the patrol’s emblem and the agency initials “MSHP†— was resold to Russell.
On Tuesday, Russell punched his time card at the Modine Manufacturing Co. plant, walked to his work station and started firing. After killing four people and wounding five, Russell drove from the plant to the downtown police station, where he fired at two officers who confronted him, Jefferson City police Capt. Jim Johnsen said.
Johnsen said one of the officers fired back, and Russell started to run off, then stopped and killed himself.
Asked about the patrol’s resales of handguns during a news conference in St. Louis, Holden replied: “I think we ought to look at changing that.â€
“We will look at the rules and how that’s happening and see what is more appropriate,†Holden said.
The patrol, like many law enforcement agencies, considers it cost-efficient to barter its old firearms in deals for new weapons, said Capt. Chris Ricks, spokesman at headquarters in Jefferson City, noting that the weapons cost about $400 each.
“It’s just not effective financial management for an agency our size to melt down 1,000 guns and then go out and pay somebody half a million dollars for 1,000 new guns.â€
In her statement Thursday, Tichelkamp insisted her son was not a bad person until something made him snap before the shooting spree.
“He wasn’t mentally ill, he wasn’t a monster, he wasn’t an in-debt gambler,†she said. “He was a strong believer in right and wrong, and this was out of character for him.â€
Russell, or “Jon Jon†as relatives called him, lived with his mother and brother at a trailer park in Holts Summit, a few miles from Jefferson City. Relatives said he was very close with his family, and cried recently when the family dog died.
Modine officials said Russell was on work-related probation for absenteeism, but Russell’s family disputed that.
“We simply do’t know why he did what he did, and we may never know,†said Roger Hetrick, a Modine spokesman.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Holden, who vetoed a measure Thursday that would allow people to carry concealed weapons, said when he learned Jonathon Russell, 25, had used a semiautomatic pistol from the highway patrol in Tuesday’s shooting, “it caused problems for me, that’s all I’ll say.â€

Not to mention the people he murdered, who are prevented by law from defending their lives in Missouri.

 

[ACP]

Excellent observation.

 

[4v50 Gary]

People just don't snap. They fume and let others know. It's whether anyone ever bothers to notice and if they do, to talk about it to someone of responsibility.

 

[nemesis]

The average person doesn't need a high powered "police gun" for duck hunting. Putting assault pistols like that on the street is just going to lead to more crime.

 

[ACP]

Nemesis, I assume you are joking. Are you? If not, how about expounding about how you believe a 10-shot semiautomatic pistol whose caliber and merits have been debated long and hard here and on other boards somehow qualifies as a "high powered.. assault pistol."

 

[J Miller]

The average person doesn't need a high powered "police gun" for duck hunting. Putting assault pistols like that on the street is just going to lead to more crime.

Sounds like tongue in cheek to me.

 

[Politically Incorrect]

Holden, who vetoed a measure Thursday that would allow people to carry concealed weapons, said when he learned Jonathon Russell, 25, had used a semiautomatic pistol from the highway patrol in Tuesday’s shooting, “it caused problems for me, that’s all I’ll say.â€

And NOT allowing people to carry concealed weapons stopped Jonathon Russell in what way?

Oh yeah, it didn't stop him, it prevented others from protecting themselves.

 

[S_O_Laban]

Great!!... Bob "The Rob" Holden lends his priceless logic to selling used guns.... the same guy moaning and complaining about budget shortfalls for the last 3weeks... The only thing worse than the runoff from a Missouri hog farm is that brown wet liquid pouring from the mouth of a current "one term" Gov. You do the math

 

[S_O_Laban]

Wow after that last post I feeeellll Greeaatt!!

 

[Old Fuff]

Ol' "Bob the Rob" apparently wants to pay full price for new MSHP guns without any trade-in's at a time when they can't fund necessary services like schools. I'ts always fun to see a liberal governor in a state that's almost broke find more and better ways to waste money. In the near future many important services are going to be cut back in ways that will raise the voters' ire. Although they are at a numerical disadvantage if the gun owners get organized they well end up getting the governor.