Arrested for reporting a MWAG....

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NavyLCDR

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http://touch.courant.com/#section/2225/article/p2p-77427140/

This is in Connecticut.

GLASTONBURY — A man who became alarmed when he saw a man carrying a gun inside the TD Bank at 2461 Main St. last Thursday afternoon was himself charged with breach of peace because he shook up bank staff.

The teller and other bank staff became alarmed, activated their robbery protocol and called police, Szydlo said. Police figured out who had the gun and determined he possessed it legally. They also tracked down Gursky, interviewed him, then charged him with breach of peace.

At least this time it is the anti-gun side that is being held responsible and not the guy with the gun getting the blame for alarming people.
 
Why? Until recently, CT, like other New England states, has had a fine history of gun manufacturing and gun rights.

To be honest, I think the bank's reaction was an over reaction, same for the initial person who spotted the gun, but I also think the police action was an over reaction.
 
The person who causes police action by over-reacting to lawful activity needs to be arrested, charged, and tried ever single time. Such folks waste millions of dollars in public resources every year while at the same time causing police pressure to be used to supress lawful activity. Why do you belive that antigun, unlawful activities should be given a pass?
 
It is nice to see something tangible (and with teeth) to push back against the "If you see something, say something -- report suspicious activity!!!111!" tattletale mentality we seem to be heading toward at a gallop.
 
Seems he wasn't arrested for trying to tattle on a CCWer, it was more about HOW he did it.

Gursky, however, was concerned and tried to convey what he saw to a bank teller.

"He was trying to relay to the teller someone had a gun," Glastonbury Agent Kevin Szydlo said. Gursky was trying to write a note to the teller, and also said "gun." Gursky then completed his transaction and left the bank. He also tore up the note he was writing and threw it away.

Basically Guy A sees Guy B carrying a gun in abank. Guy A thinks Guy B is about to rob the place on the mere fact that Guy B has a gun. Guy A wants to notify bank personell of his concern. He decides the best way to do that is pass the teller a note and say "gun" then rip up the note and walk out.

Yeah I see no possible way that could be misunderstood as HIM trying to rob the place. I mean bank robbers never use threats written on a note to the teller.:rolleyes:

Not only is he a pansy, he's an idiot too.
 
There have been a few bank robberies in southern CT of late; with a tactical team boarding a commuter train in Greenwich and sweeping the cars, scaring the crap out of a lot of people just trying to get home after a long hot day in NYC...they didn't find the guy.
 
I must admit if I saw someone walking into a bank with a firearm, the hair on the back of my neck would stand up. But not enough to call police. Now if 3 or 4 went in with masks in a classic Hollywood style robbery, that would warrant a phone call. Hopefully he learned a valuable lesson.
 
Like Nickel Plated said, it's not that he raised the alarm about the MWAG...it's more the fact that he walked up to the teller, scribbling a note, and said "gun". I'm guessing he was also nervous because of the gun if he acted like this, and his nervousness probably came off as being suspicious to the teller.

Now, lets be honest, if any of us were a bank teller and a guy looked nervous and came up to you, scribbling a note, and said "Gun", wouldn't your first reaction be to press the panic button?
 
As I am in favor of open carry & do so most of the time, I go to the bank all the time with it in plain sight. No one has ever said anything about it. None of the tellers or other Bank people have ever said anything about it. I don't know if anyone has gotten upset or worried about it but no one brought it to my attention. I have also seen other people in the bank OC. I do my banking in a City that has two branches of my bank &have banked at other banks in my area before & nothing was ever said their. I do find this odd as the local PD loves to conduct tarry stops generated by MWGCs. But as for most stores, banks &restaurants nothing has been said about it.
 
What the caller did really is an awful lot like yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater.
 
When I worked armored car courrier back in college, I walked into the bank OCing all the time. Once a female bank manager asked how I would stop a robber carrying all that heavy coinage. Picked up three bags with my left hand and said simple I draw with my right hand. :)

This gentleman was definitely confused or over reacting to the mere presence of a firearm. I miss the days when banks had armed guards.
 
The person who causes police action by over-reacting to lawful activity needs to be arrested, charged, and tried ever single time. Such folks waste millions of dollars in public resources every year while at the same time causing police pressure to be used to supress lawful activity. Why do you belive that antigun, unlawful activities should be given a pass?

I think the British actually have a law on the books called "Wasting Police Time" -- and I don't care to think of how many occasions I've been on the clock wishing we had a corresponding statute on the books here . . .
 
It isn't unusual at all to see someone come in the bank in my part of the country with a handgun on their belt. In fact, one local bank didn't like it and posted on the door. There was enough lost business and uproar they took the sign down. Personally I prefer to carry concealed but I see a few folks every week with a handgun.
 
You all who have a Concealed gun should keep it Concealed. The person who let his gun be shown or seen should be in jail. The only time the gun should become visible to others is when the gun is needed to protect yourself or others. I have hand guns for hunting, target shooting, and short barreled guns. I do not have the right to alarm or scare people by mishandling firearms in public -- Do you think you have that right ???
 
Bracer, there are many folks who carry guns openly every day, or at least occasionally, and that's a PERFECTLY legal thing to do in most states.

So your "should be in jail" opinion is completely unfounded and absurd.

While you don't have a right to deliberately scare people, you can't be responsible for how alarmed others might be at the fact that you're doing something perfectly lawful and peaecable.
 
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