Man Killed at Carlisle State Game Land Rifle Range..

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

You cant be too careful these days, can you say BUG?

Can't hurt to have one, but a CCW piece probably isn't going to save you in this circumstance. If you're turned around, walking 75+ yards downrange to grab your target at the 100, 200, etc. line and some psycho loads up an AR on the bench, that J frame ain't going to save you.

 

[NoAlibi]

Sadly, it’s likely that we are going to see more firearms thefts at ranges in the future. Just like upping your chances of catching fish by going to the lake instead of angling in your bathtub, thieves will be heading to where the action is too.

After successful thefts of firearms from ranges the criminal community will be learning this course at Jailhouse University.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi NoAlibi,



This had crossed my mind also.


When at the Range, I park and my Folding Table and Arms are right by the Car.


I only have a couple things out at a time, and when going to check Targets, I have who-ever is Next, Loaded and in my Belt 'Mexican' style...usually this is Cap & Ball, but sometimes Metallic Cartridge.


This is a gated, outdoor, Members-only Range, only Members have Gate Lock combination...etc, but still...I do not elect to be complaiscent or unprepared if anyone up to no good happens to show up.


I used to just find nice places to Shoot out in the Desert.


But, by the mid 1990s, that was getting way too scary, far as unambigiously weird or sketchy people showing up.


Not good...

 

[Double Naught Spy]

As ever, the known presence of guns does not necessarily dissuade crime.

 

[Travis McGee]

Great thread. Very eye-opening. All ranges vary in their layout, rules etc., and what works one place won't work at others, but this thread should really make us ponder the possible threats and our options.

 

[benEzra]

When I used to shoot at completely empty public ranges (No one else there, no RO), I would take my rifle with me down range to change targets/etc. I'd heard rumors of people in the woods who would wait till you were 100yards downrange, and then run out, grab your gun, and run off.

I know thieves attempted this at the range I used to be a member of in northwest Florida. They drove up to the firing line and attempted to steal someone's guns while he was downrange. Fortunately, I believe all but one gun was locked in his vehicle, and the other gun was apparently with him downrange, because they didn't get anything. They tried briefly to open his vehicle, then fled.

Whenever I was shooting at that range alone, I'd always take a rifle downrange with at least a magazine in, and sometimes cocked and locked. But the thought did cross my mind that if someone were in the bushes with a deer rifle, that'd be a pretty bad situation.

 

[Rexster]

Platt and Matix obtained not only some of their weapons, but vehicles as well, by murdering people who were out shooting along the Tamiami Trail. These were the bad guys who shot it out with FBI agents near Miami in 1986.

 

[12131]

The coroner has been called to the scene of a shooting accident at the Pennsylvania Game Commission rifle range..........

........Freed said the victim was shot "multiple times."

How is this an "accident"?

 

[Glock19Fan]

Somewhat on the subject, there is a video on youtube of a mother murdering her son at a public indoor shooting range. Just look up woman kills son.

This is very sad, and I know its going to be a mess gathering evidence with all the brass, projectiles, ect left behind at shooting ranges.

I pray they can catch the guilty.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Platt and Matix obtained not only some of their weapons, but vehicles as well, by murdering people who were out shooting along the Tamiami Trail. These were the bad guys who shot it out with FBI agents near Miami in 1986.

Nope. They murdered only one person, Emelio Briel. They shot and left for dead Jose Collazo.

 

[armoredman]

The indoor range I worked at had a death, but it was a suicide, not homicde. We kept that snub, Ruger SP101 IIRC, on the rental shelf, gained some notoriety.
I only go shooting early morning weekday, and if I have to go 200 yards to change targets, the rifle goes with me. I can't afford to replace them. I also don't take more than 1 rifle with me, no firearms left on the bench.
I have only heard of theft at the range once, never saw it. A man left his 22 rifle at the range I worked at, and it was turned in by another shooter. He came back for it the next day.
As for shooting in the desert, I have heard unconfirmed reports that the cartels have said they will take out any armed person in the desrts where they operate, which is all around me. When I was a wee lad, we used to shoot at wildcat ranges all the time, but not now, until we get the border under control.

 

[FullClip]

Scary the way things are turning, and makes me glad that I don't have to frequent public ranges. When I'm at the local gravel pit I always carry my rifle (and pistol) down range with me when I'm changing targets. So far, haven't had any problems with no-good types out there yet, but it would be easy for somebody with a pick-up or 4-wheeler to swoop in and grab the goods if I was a couple or few hundred yards away from an un-guarded bench.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I only go shooting early morning weekday, and if I have to go 200 yards to change targets, the rifle goes with me. I can't afford to replace them. I also don't take more than 1 rifle with me, no firearms left on the bench.

Smart. I had to laugh one day about 9 years ago when I was at my public range. A neighboring town's SWAT officers had taken over two ranges, the "combat" range and the rifle range. No admittance or viewing of things going on in the combat range. Fine, so I thought I would go watch the snipers shoot and see how good they really are. So 4 guys were down at the targets 200 yards away and on the benches were three of their "sniper" rifles with all the bells and whistles you would expect.

How crazy is that? I looked at the guys pasting their targets and I looked back at my car that was less than 20 yards distant. I could have been the "owner" of three very nice rifles, not to mention spotting scopes, electronic hearing protection, what looked to be night vision gear (in the case for the rifle) and a bunch of other goodies. I certainly could have made it out with one or two items clandestinely and left before the guys ever walked back and noticed a given item was gone.

Even worse, I could have used their own weapons and ammo against them as it was all right there, unattended. Scary.

I make this point about the police doing this because of the irony of leaving such valuables in easy access to strangers close to the parking lot. However, other shooters did this as well. Only rarely did I ever see a shooter take his rifle with him when he walked down to paste his targets.

 

[Airman193SOS]

UPDATE: The rifle range, not unexpectedly, is closed. What is unexpected, but shouldn't have been, is that the pistol range is also closed. They are close but not connected, and yet they have taken down the target backboards.

I don't expect that they will be reopening these ranges. They had them closed for nearly a year for "remediation", then again for 3 months for the same, and now this. I think they've been looking for a reason to close these ranges, and now they have it. More's the pity. Now I have to either join a gun club and spend money I don't really have or drive down south of Dillsburg to the next nearest range.

That sucks, more than you can ever know. It was a nice range where in my experience everybody was friendly and considerate when they got there, and it was quite frequently empty so it was a nice quiet place to blow off some steam.

 

[Sam1911]

That sucks, more than you can ever know.

That does suck, but take heart in that we're flooded with so many good private clubs that it's a bit of a buyer's market. Most of these places want only $50-$80 a year or so for pretty unlimited access -- but a somewhat greater standard of behavior and safety than what the public ranges harbor.

 

[nerfsrule2]

'Prime suspect' in custody in Enola man's shooting death, Cumberland County DA says
Published: Friday, July 30, 2010, 6:09 PM Updated: Saturday, July 31, 2010, 5:01 PM
The Patriot-News The Patriot-News


A 'prime suspect' is in custody tonight in the shooting death of Enola lawyer Todd Getgen, Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed announced at a press conference this evening. The suspect has not yet faced charges, but could as early as tonight, Freed said.

Investigators had "great success" with a search warrant this morning, Freed said, finding three stolen weapons from Midway Self Storage facility in South Middleton Township. One of the weapons was the custom-built AR-15 rifle with a .308-caliber silencer stolen from Getgen, and another was stolen in a May 21 incident at the State Game Lands rifle range.

Authorities believe the third firearm recovered could be the weapon used to kill Getgen, Freed said.

A Special Emergency Response Team was called to enter the suspect's home because authorities had reason to believe the suspect had advanced knowledge of weapons and explosives, Freed said.

Authorities were searching sites in Hampden and Lower Allen townships and in Perry County for additional evidence this evening, Freed said. The suspect in custody works in Lower Allen Township,

 

[nerfsrule2]

Prison guard accused of killing
Saturday, July 31, 2010
BY JOE ELIAS
%%par%%[email protected]

A guard at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill will be charged in the fatal shooting of Enola lawyer Todd Getgen last week at a North Middleton Twp. rifle range, authorities said.

Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said Raymond Franklin Peake, 64, of Hampden Twp., will be charged with homicide, robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy in Getgen's death on July 21. A second man, Thomas Franklin Tuso, 34, of Duncannon, also a guard at the prison, will be charged with theft and conspiracy to receive stolen property, Freed said.

At a news conference Friday evening, Freed said police found the rifle Getgen had with him at the range, as well as the weapon believed to be used in the killing and a third gun stolen from the range in May. Freed said police recovered the weapons from the Midway Self Storage facility along Route 34 in South Middleton Twp.
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A Special Emergency Response Team was called to enter Peake's home because authorities had reason to believe he had advanced knowledge of weapons and explosives, Freed said.

Authorities were searching sites in Hampden Twp. and Duncannon for additional evidence Friday night, Freed said.

Freed said that interviews with people who frequented the Pennsylvania Game Commission rifle range off Route 944, where Getgen was killed, led to a description of Peake. Investigators followed Peake this week and saw him rent the storage unit at Midway.

They also followed him to Dick's Sporting Goods along the Carlisle Pike in Hampden Twp., where Peake bought a gun cabinet for the rental unit.

They then followed Peake to Duncannon, where Tuso lives. They saw Peake walk into Tuso's home with an empty black bag and then leave with what appeared to be a heavy bag. They followed Peake back to the storage facility, where he placed the guns, authorities said.

Police obtained search warrants and confronted Peake and Tuso at the prison in Lower Allen Twp. on Friday.

Freed said he believes Getgen's death and the theft of his gun are related. He said he believes Tuso's only connection is storing the guns for Peake.

 

[nerfsrule2]

2 guards arrested in Pa. gun range shooting death
The Associated Press
Posted: 07/31/2010 10:44:06 AM EDT

HARRISBURG, Pa.—Authorities in central Pennsylvania say two state prison guards are facing charges in the shooting death of a man at a gun range last week.

Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed says a 64-year-old man is being charged with homicide, robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy in the death of 42-year-old Todd Getgen of Enola. He told reporters Friday night that a 34-year-old man will be charged with theft and conspiracy to receive stolen property.

Freed says both suspects are guards at State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill.

Getgen's body was found Wednesday at the Pennsylvania Game Commission rifle range in North Middleton Township. Freed says the rifle the victim had at the range was found in a storage facility along with the weapon believed to have been used in the killing and a third gun stolen from the range in May.

 

[longdayjake]

If that really is the guy then here's hoping he gets the maximum. And by maximum I mean burn in hell.

 

[AK103K]

Putting them into the general population at Camp Hill would be a good start.

 

[dec41971]

Criminals with badges and guns! Who knew? This just gives me pause. Who can we trust anymore?

 

[Dnaltrop]

Last week a gentleman tried to get in behind me at the range when I used my card to unlock. It's an unmonitored, indoor range with Keycard access only.

I paused in the entry hall. Smiled my friendliest smille with my hands on my hips, and asked his Name, and if he could just wave his keycard next to the reader so that I knew he was a member too.

It turned out well with the person leaving quickly with New member info (a bit twitchy though), but I'd rather offend a member of my range who's been there decades by asking them to verify they are members, than let a random someone in behind my back with plugs and cups in.

I would expect any member of the range to challenge me if they'd never seen me before and I tried to follow them in on their use of the Keycard as well. Many Apartment thefts occur because of someone else's security hole.

Always keep a Second, loaded firearm on your person if the range does not forbid Holstered weapons. Nothing dissuades trouble like being visibly ready for it.

Also, probably the best reason to shoot with both eyes open. Situational awareness.

 

[Oyeboten]

The Outdoor Range I am a member of...one always wears a large Yellow Membership Card, on a cord, around one's neck.

Anyone without one, would get questioned and evicted, even IF they are a Member.

You have to be wearing the Card.


Fine with me.