Kodiaz
member
That they say they can't prove were used to commit a crime. This would be funny if it wasn't true.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pbpgunshots09feb09,0,7389849.story
Dec. 31 gunfire stumps police
Legislation would stiffen penalties
By Erika Slife
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted February 9 2006
Delray Beach · Police are no closer to figuring out who fired bullets into the air on New Year's Eve, which resulted in injuries to two people at the city's annual First Night celebration, according to a recent report by Police Chief Joseph Schroeder.
Meanwhile, state lawmakers are drafting legislation that would change the penalty for discharging a firearm in public from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, an initiative pushed by Delray Beach police after the incident.
Although police have seized weapons and offered a $6,000 reward for tips leading to an arrest, the likelihood of solving the crime is small given the obstacles officers face, Schroeder said. A bullet can travel miles from where it was fired and critical evidence, such as the bullets or weapons used, has not been recovered.
"It's very complicated," Schroeder said.
Police never found the bullet that struck Larry Cerullo, who was standing near the 100-foot Christmas tree in Old School Square. The bullet hit him in the head but didn't penetrate the skull. Likewise, doctors did not remove the bullet that struck Heather Leitch in the sternum. Leitch was struck sitting outside Cabana El Rey.
Schroeder also stated in his report that police are developing plans to begin a campaign to further spread the word about dangers associated with celebratory gunfire.
Since opening the investigation, police have seized two Mac 90 rifles, one shotgun and one .308-caliber rifle from Southwest 11th Avenue and a 9 mm Glock handgun from the 500 block of Southwest Fifth Avenue. Police don't know if the weapons were used in the shootings because they don't have the bullets to match them.
"There's no telling that those weapons had anything to do with this. There's nothing to tie those to people getting hit," Schroeder said. "The best evidence would be to find the bullets and we never found the bullets."
Also hindering police efforts in similar cases is the ability to make an immediate arrest after the shooting.
Under state law, firing a weapon in public is a misdemeanor.
If it were a felony, officers could make an arrest on the spot even without witnessing the crime.
Lawmakers are considering drafting a bill to change the penalty, according to state officials. Rep. Dick Kravitz, R-Jacksonville, Chairman of the House Criminal Justice Committee, is seeking the approval of House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, to move forward with writing a bill.
"I think it's important because for someone to shoot a gun [in the air] puts everybody's lives at risk," said Rep. Anne Gannon, D-Delray Beach, who is backing the proposal.
"This would give [officers] more latitude to investigate and arrest the person who did it."
However, NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer said adequate laws are already in place to punish criminals.
"We have laws that prevent law enforcement from acting too quickly," she said. "If the individual is a danger to himself or others, they don't need a warrant to arrest him. There are plenty of laws in place when you may and may not arrest with or without a warrant. They need to quit running to the legislature for a new law any time something is inconvenient."
I contacted the reporter just to ask her some questions. Really nice lady she moved here from Ill.
So why are they "seizing weapons" that they admit they can't prove were used to fire the New Year's eve shots?
Isn't this a violation of a person's civil rights?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pbpgunshots09feb09,0,7389849.story
Dec. 31 gunfire stumps police
Legislation would stiffen penalties
By Erika Slife
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted February 9 2006
Delray Beach · Police are no closer to figuring out who fired bullets into the air on New Year's Eve, which resulted in injuries to two people at the city's annual First Night celebration, according to a recent report by Police Chief Joseph Schroeder.
Meanwhile, state lawmakers are drafting legislation that would change the penalty for discharging a firearm in public from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, an initiative pushed by Delray Beach police after the incident.
Although police have seized weapons and offered a $6,000 reward for tips leading to an arrest, the likelihood of solving the crime is small given the obstacles officers face, Schroeder said. A bullet can travel miles from where it was fired and critical evidence, such as the bullets or weapons used, has not been recovered.
"It's very complicated," Schroeder said.
Police never found the bullet that struck Larry Cerullo, who was standing near the 100-foot Christmas tree in Old School Square. The bullet hit him in the head but didn't penetrate the skull. Likewise, doctors did not remove the bullet that struck Heather Leitch in the sternum. Leitch was struck sitting outside Cabana El Rey.
Schroeder also stated in his report that police are developing plans to begin a campaign to further spread the word about dangers associated with celebratory gunfire.
Since opening the investigation, police have seized two Mac 90 rifles, one shotgun and one .308-caliber rifle from Southwest 11th Avenue and a 9 mm Glock handgun from the 500 block of Southwest Fifth Avenue. Police don't know if the weapons were used in the shootings because they don't have the bullets to match them.
"There's no telling that those weapons had anything to do with this. There's nothing to tie those to people getting hit," Schroeder said. "The best evidence would be to find the bullets and we never found the bullets."
Also hindering police efforts in similar cases is the ability to make an immediate arrest after the shooting.
Under state law, firing a weapon in public is a misdemeanor.
If it were a felony, officers could make an arrest on the spot even without witnessing the crime.
Lawmakers are considering drafting a bill to change the penalty, according to state officials. Rep. Dick Kravitz, R-Jacksonville, Chairman of the House Criminal Justice Committee, is seeking the approval of House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, to move forward with writing a bill.
"I think it's important because for someone to shoot a gun [in the air] puts everybody's lives at risk," said Rep. Anne Gannon, D-Delray Beach, who is backing the proposal.
"This would give [officers] more latitude to investigate and arrest the person who did it."
However, NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer said adequate laws are already in place to punish criminals.
"We have laws that prevent law enforcement from acting too quickly," she said. "If the individual is a danger to himself or others, they don't need a warrant to arrest him. There are plenty of laws in place when you may and may not arrest with or without a warrant. They need to quit running to the legislature for a new law any time something is inconvenient."
I contacted the reporter just to ask her some questions. Really nice lady she moved here from Ill.
So why are they "seizing weapons" that they admit they can't prove were used to fire the New Year's eve shots?
Isn't this a violation of a person's civil rights?
We were released, but I STILL had to pay for the tow and impound fees.
