Guns in Tornado

I'm missing something. You're saying the ATF took a FFL's guns? Or a tornado took the guns?

All of the firearms in the affected areas were swept up by tornadoes and flung right into the eager hands of the Mexican drug cartels, who will use them to kill children and little kittens.

But seriously, it's a huge mess that has impacted many lives and communities, and will continue to do so probably for years to come--take a look and tell me what you think. I'm sure there are firearms strewn about amongst countless tons of other debris, but it's just a small part of a big natural disaster.

Guns in a tornado = shoooting the breeze.

SharpsDressedMan said:

Guns in a tornado = shoooting the breeze.

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So true, and I guess that while in a tornado all guns are revolvers.

Anyway, I didn't mean to come across as rude or dismissive in my last post. It's just that the topic doesn't seem all that firearms related. I suppose that whatever happens to other personal belongings also happens to firearms. That probably means whatever is lying in or around the site of one's former home, regardless of the true owner, whoever that might be (tornadoes do tend to shuffle things around), will be salvaged if it has value and hasn't been smashed, while everything else will eventually go to the dump. And who knows, there may be some guns lying in open areas that somebody may stumble onto someday, although I don't imagine that this would be a real issue.

mc223 said:

The ATF took the guns from the FFLs tornado damaged store. I'm sure there were security issues but I guess I didn't realize the a government entity could react so quickly.

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Oh, that's what you meant. I'm not surprised since this is the ATF we're talking about here--they're hyperactive and do lots of things they shouldn't be doing. Hmmm...maybe those guns will end up in Mexico after all.

Could you post a link to the article? I am in S/E TN and I have found cancelled checks from someone in AL in my front yard today. The day after the tornados I found a spread sheet with voter information, ie names, addresses, DOB, etc. The info has gone into our shred stack. The reason I bring that up is once a structure is demolished its contents can and will end up miles and miles away. The cancelled checks? 96.4 miles from my house to that town. I do not much care for the ATF in general, but in this case I would like to get more background info.

I saw the news story about this on TV. There was a pawn shop in Tuscaloosa that sold a lot of guns that took a direct hit by that F4/F5 tornado. The only thing left of the store was a pile of rubble indistinguishable from the rest of it's neighbors. The reporter said that dozens of rifles were strewn about up and down the street. The police were there helping to secure the guns and area.

Here, I found a news story about this. The part about the pawn shop is in the last paragraph.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/28/uk-usa-weather-tuscaloosa-idUSLNE73R05Y20110428

I would think that, in a natural disaster such as this, the government's first concern should be gathering up damaged firearms from the rubble. Then, once those have been located, see if there may be some people under the rubble or something like that....




:banghead:

I suppose I might even agree that it might be a legitimate function of BATFE to secure weapons during a time of emergency like this one. (If they do in fact have a legitimate function.) I am assuming of course that they documented all of the guns they took, hopefully photographed the process, and they are cooperating with the owner and his insurance to have the guns returned or destroyed as unserviceable?

Sure, there are very real problems to solve there right now, like food, water, shelter and survivors, but at the same time, it can also be said that someone should make sure that there aren't guns lying in the open for looters to grab. It may well be beyond the ability of the store owner to secure them all.

IF this actually happened... let's not forget that. The media and gun stories are not usually a very accurate combination

I figured that local LE would take the guns into safe keeping until the owners claimed them, like lost and found property.

I figured that local LE would take the guns into safe keeping until the owners claimed them, like lost and found property.

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Like in Louisiana. Thank goodness the government is around to take such good care of us.

We could start an assistance program with guns donated to families that lost everything, including guns. I'm sure NRA could come up with a database of members that lost in the storm. We could start there. What attention THAT would get from the news. "Gun groups help PROTECT families victimized by the storms".

LOL @ "shooting the breeze."

I never really thought about the seriousness of them being thrown with
other debris.

mljdeckard said:

I suppose I might even agree that it might be a legitimate function of BATFE to secure weapons during a time of emergency like this one. (If they do in fact have a legitimate function.) I am assuming of course that they documented all of the guns they took, hopefully photographed the process, and they are cooperating with the owner and his insurance to have the guns returned or destroyed as unserviceable?

Sure, there are very real problems to solve there right now, like food, water, shelter and survivors, but at the same time, it can also be said that someone should make sure that there aren't guns lying in the open for looters to grab. It may well be beyond the ability of the store owner to secure them all.

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That was my thought as well.

I'm sure the gun shop owner has enough to deal with, without walking along looking for his inventory or digging through his store's rubble. And I'm sure they're worried that the weapons could fall into the wrong hands. It's probably better that the BATF gather up strewn/unsecured weapons than Officer Joe Smith and Officer John Smith walking along, picking them up, putting them in their cruisers to deal with later, etc.

I'm not too surprised at a quick response, doesn't the BATF have branch offices in different places?

I hope the folks affected know that there are many thoughts and prayers for them during this difficult time. I couldn't even imagine dealing with what they are - it's just utter devastation in places.

About the same thing happened after the 2007 Greensburg KS tornado, but it was FEMA, not the ATF.

ILLEGAL GUN CONFISCATIONS IN KANSAS?
In the immediate recovery after the storm, FEMA and local police not only worked to find survivors and the dead, but also any firearms in the city. As you pass by houses in Greensburg, you notice that some are spraypainted with how many weapons were recovered from the home. This is central Kansas, a region with extremely high legal gun ownership. Of the over 350 firearms confiscated by police immediately after the storm, only a third have been returned to their owners. FEMA and the police have systematically disarmed the local population, leaving the firepower squarely in control of the state.

Most of the guns were eventually returned to the rightful owners, but most were in sad condition after being rode hard and put away wet.
After which they were held for several months in storage without any care.

rc

Please correct me if I'm wrong here, because I very well may be. But, isn't part of maintaining an FFL proving that you have the ability to secure the weapons? If so, then when the building is gone, so goes the security. Now, one would hope that the BATFE is not confiscating the weapons, but instead assiting the FFL in securing them until he/she can provide proof that the requirements are met. Hope <> reality.

I am one of the most ardent 2nd supporters. But, guns are in fact, dangerous tools and need to be kept out of the wrong hands. There are plenty of people I wouldn't give a driver's license to either.

The tornado reduced the Quick Pawn shop on 15th Street to rubble no higher than 3 feet (one meter) high, studded with planks of wood and tires.

Assorted items were scattered in the wreckage including a pillow, a shirt, a Pepsi machine and a desk chair, a testament to the tornado's power to rearrange a neighbourhood.

"We mostly deal in firearms and jewellery. Our firearms were thrown into the street and the neighbourhood and were collected by the police," said owner Tim Evans, 46, adding that there was no looting. (Writing by Matthew Bigg; Editing by Pascal Fletcher and editing by Anthony Boadle)

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No mention of the ATF in this article only police helping a local business owner out.

But, isn't part of maintaining an FFL proving that you have the ability to secure the weapons?

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The Tornado came through Tuscaloosa, AL during normal business hours. Firearms would be out on display and not locked in a safe.

Souris,

Perhaps I should've been more clear. My point was that the FFL wouldn't be able to lock them up at closing time. Heaven help us if we get to the point where they gotta go to the safe every time I wanna check out a new prospective toy.

Honestly - it just landed in my yard!

Screw the guns,those are my neighbors under that rubble! Still over 400 (people not guns)missing in Tuscaloosa alone.

I heard a news story where a tornado victim was telling the reporter how the looters got all of her jewelry and guns.