Mom charged with supplying weapons

Donkey® · 10-12-2007, 10:46 AM

Prosecutor: Mom bought assault rifle for boy - CNN.com

Originally Posted by article

Prosecutor: Mom bought assault rifle for boy

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- The mother of a 14-year-old boy accused of planning a "Columbine" type event at a high school was arrested Friday morning, county prosecutors say.

She is accused of buying a 9 mm assault rifle for her son several weeks ago at a local gun show, in violation of "straw purchase laws."

A search of the boy's home outside Philadelphia Wednesday turned up a 9 mm rifle with a laser scope and a number of air guns, police said. No ammunition was found for the rifle.

The 14-year-old, who was taken into custody Wednesday night, appeared in juvenile court Friday morning to determine whether the county can continue to hold him in detention while authorities investigate the matter.

The mother is not alleged to have helped plot any attack, Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor said Thursday night.

"I don't see any evidence that leads me to conclude that she knew that this attack was planned or anything of that nature," Castor told "Anderson Cooper 360."

But he said he thinks charges against her are justified.

"I think you have a parent who has fallen down on the job in supervising the child, perhaps indulgent on the child because she knows he has issues," he said before her arrest.

Police also found seven hand grenades, four of them operational, said Joe Lawrence, deputy chief of the Plymouth Township police. Bomb-making equipment and manuals were also found.

Police told CNN the boy's mother bought the rifle for him several weeks ago at a gun show. Lawrence said police are also investigating whether she bought him the black powder used in the grenades.

Plymouth Township police say the youth could face charges that include making terroristic threats, criminal solicitation, weapons possession, and possession and manufacturing of weapons of mass destruction.

If he's found delinquent, he could face long-term detention and counseling. The boy's father could also face criminal charges pending an investigation, police said.

In addition to the weapons, authorities found a hand-painted Nazi flag and a video about the Columbine shootings, District Attorney Bruce Castor said. Video Watch Castor explain why he is 'very upset' with the parents »

"It is my judgment that this individual considered that something to be glorified and was doing so," he said.

Two students opened fire at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, on April 20, 1999. They killed 13 people and wounded 23 others before killing themselves.

School officials said police acted on a tip from a Plymouth Whitemarsh High School student and his father. They said they believe the tip was prompted by Wednesday's shooting at a school in Cleveland, Ohio.

Police say they received the tip at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and took the youth into custody at his home around 10 p.m. He was "nonchalant" when arrested, Lawrence said.

The grenades were made with plastic casings that authorities believe the boy bought on the Internet, Lawrence said. The operational hand grenades included black powder, BBs and a fuse believed used in fireworks. The boy was making the grenades in his bedroom, Lawrence said.

Police also found 30 weapons that fire BBs and the 9 mm semiautomatic rifle with a magazine that could hold 30 rounds of ammunition.

District Attorney Bruce Castor said officials do not think others were involved.

"We have no information at this point that leads us to think this is other than an isolated individual who was trying to recruit others to help," he said.

"The boy who gave the tip was one who was trying to be recruited," he added. "He was a friend of the boy in the loosest terms."

Plymouth Whitemarsh High School officials said the boy is not a student at the school.

"This was a youth in the community who has not been enrolled in school since spring of 2006," said Dave Sherman, spokesman for the school.
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The public high school, in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, has an enrollment of 1,591 students in grades nine through 12. No classes are being canceled because of the incident, school officials said Thursday.

Plymouth Township is about 15 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

EXACTLY the type of thing I was saying in the other thread (The Cleveland shooting thread that vanished). Whether intentional or not...if your negligence allows a gun to be used in a crime or as in this case, the planning of a crime, fuck off and go to jail.

Stylerod · 10-12-2007, 10:55 AM

If she broke the law then she should be punished. Is there an age limit as far as gun ownership goes in PA? 18 maybe?

My dad has a .22 when he was 12. I had a bb gun when I was 12.

Donkey® · 10-12-2007, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by article

Deputies: Third-Grader Points Gun On School Bus
Boy Faces No Criminal Charges

POSTED: 10:36 am EDT October 12, 2007
UPDATED: 11:27 am EDT October 12, 2007

COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A third-grade student has been taken into custody after he pointed a loaded gun at other students on a school bus, sheriff's deputies said.

Deputies said the 8-year-old boy got on a Mount Healthy school bus in Springfield Township on Friday morning.

As the bus headed toward Duvall Elementary, deputies said, the boy pulled out a fully-loaded .380 caliber Beretta handgun from his backpack.

Click here to find out more!

The student pointed the handgun, which was still in a holster, at the other 12 students on the bus, deputies said.

The bus driver notified authorities, and deputies took the boy into custody when the bus stopped on Sacramento Avenue just before 9 a.m.

"It's unfortunate that an eight-year-old student is able to get their hands on a gun," Superintendent Dave Horine said in a news release. "We are thankful that no one was hurt, and that students acted in a responsible way by telling an adult. We are pleased with the appropriate actions the bus driver took to ensure student safety, as well as the quick response of law enforcement agencies."

The district notified the parents of the other children on the bus about the incident.

The student did not make any particular or direct threats to any of the other students, deputies said.

Charges are pending the outcome of an investigation into where and how the boy got the gun, but deputies said late Friday morning that the boy will face no criminal charges.

Stay tuned to News 5 and WLWT.com for the latest on this story.
Copyright 2007 by WLWT.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Another example. If I say "punish the people not locking up their guns" it gets turned around by the pro gun people with "personal responsibility...it's the boy's fault." Well people, where is the personal responsibility the gun owner should take?

Stylerod · 10-12-2007, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Donkey®

Another example. If I say "punish the people not locking up their guns" it gets turned around by the pro gun people with "personal responsibility...it's the boy's fault." Well people, where is the personal responsibility the gun owner should take?

Where are you making this stuff up from???

7960 · 10-12-2007, 01:24 PM

The laws for gun ownership are different then gun purchase

But IMO if the mother took the responsibility for buying the guy (because the kid couldn't) then the mother took responsibility for what he did with it.

I grew up with gun in my house; I hunted with my father; ammo and guns were stored in my living room, actually. I *NEVER* had access to a gun without adult supervision.

Stylerod · 10-12-2007, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

The laws for gun ownership are different then gun purchase

But IMO if the mother took the responsibility for buying the guy (because the kid couldn't) then the mother took responsibility for what he did with it.

I grew up with gun in my house; I hunted with my father; ammo and guns were stored in my living room, actually. I *NEVER* had access to a gun without adult supervision.

From the sounds of the story he didn't do anything with it. But again, maybe it's illegal in that state for someone of a certain age to have access to a gun?

Donkey® · 10-12-2007, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

From the sounds of the story he didn't do anything with it. But again, maybe it's illegal in that state for someone of a certain age to have access to a gun?

Most states have laws regarding possession and transportation of a firearm. (by minors)

Stylerod · 10-12-2007, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by Donkey®

Most states have laws regarding possession and transportation of a firearm. (by minors)

What is it in PA though? I tried to do a search and really didn't see anything. I did see where a minor could not have a handgun, but not a rifle.

But if they are bringing up charges against the mom there must be a law that was broken (I would guess).

Donkey® · 10-12-2007, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

What is it in PA though? I tried to do a search and really didn't see anything. I did see where a minor could not have a handgun, but not a rifle.

But if they are bringing up charges against the mom there must be a law that was broken (I would guess).

Cossey was charged Friday with unlawful transfer of a fiream, possession of a firearm by a minor, corruption of a minor, endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of reckless endangerment.

RMNIXON · 10-12-2007, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Where are you making this stuff up from???

Providing a minor kid with a criminal history with guns = not locking up your guns when you have responsible kids who are not planning the next columbine?

Talk about projecting a disfuctional family on everybody else so we can intrude on the rights and liberties of all people and assign less personal responsibility to anyone in particular.

Welcome to the future the progressives bring....................

RMNIXON · 10-12-2007, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Donkey®

Cossey was charged Friday with unlawful transfer of a fiream, possession of a firearm by a minor, corruption of a minor, endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of reckless endangerment.

kinggovernor · 10-13-2007, 08:22 PM

anyone else humored by the "9mm assault rifle"

hsmith · 10-13-2007, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

anyone else humored by the "9mm assault rifle"

i lolled

Linzyhop · 10-15-2007, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Donkey®

Most states have laws regarding possession and transportation of a firearm. (by minors)

Growing up in Maryland, I went to Banner Elementary School in Frederick. I remember when I was in 6th grade, (so I was 11 years old, in 1991 I think), there were two brothers that had gone hunting together. One was in 8th grade, Brett, and his younger brother was in my grade, BJ.

Brett accidentally killed his younger brother while hunting. no charges were ever brought up but I remember what happened in the school and everything with grief counseling. It was legal for the kids to handle the guns, and that was then.......

7960 · 10-15-2007, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

It was legal for the kids to handle the guns, and that was then.......

Of course it's legal for kids to handle guns.

Even now, kids in the town where my parents live (way way northern maine) walk to school with guns during hunting season, hoping to come across a deer or partridge on the way. If they get one they call home and have their parents come get it. If they don't get anything they check their rifle at the front office and pick it up at the end of the day so they can hunt on the way home.

Stylerod · 10-15-2007, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

Of course it's legal for kids to handle guns.

Even now, kids in the town where my parents live (way way northern maine) walk to school with guns during hunting season, hoping to come across a deer or partridge on the way. If they get one they call home and have their parents come get it. If they don't get anything they check their rifle at the front office and pick it up at the end of the day so they can hunt on the way home.

Get the fuck out! Are you kidding?????? You must be kidding.

7960 · 10-15-2007, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Get the fuck out! Are you kidding?????? You must be kidding.

No, I'm not kidding.

post #2
http://www.sierratimes.com/cgi-bin/i...m=14&topic=932

I shouldn't have said "even now" when I said they check their rifle in the office. I know they did when I was there 6 years ago but I can't be 100% sure now if they still do. I do know for a fact that they hunt on the way to school, and I also know they keep guns in their cars in the parking lot.

I'll see if I can find the official policy.

7960 · 10-15-2007, 11:56 AM

I was curious so I called my dad. He said they don't allow kids to bring rifles into school any more, but most kids meet a friend in a field next to the school and put the guns in cars there and either leave it there or drive the rest of the way to school.

Stylerod · 10-15-2007, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

I was curious so I called my dad. He said they don't allow kids to bring rifles into school any more, but most kids meet a friend in a field next to the school and put the guns in cars there and either leave it there or drive the rest of the way to school.

Ok. Well that makes sense. I think every school in the country has a "No weapons on campus" policy now.