The Gun Safety Weekly Report

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At a rally in North Carolina, the NRA's candidate for President of the United States, Donald Trump, said:

 “If [Hillary Clinton] gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people -- maybe there is, I don’t know.” [1]

This is dangerous, Don. The media quickly reported Americans' widespread shock at the idea that Trump was encouraging the assassination of a U.S. president. [2] [3] [4] Meanwhile, the NRA immediately tweeted out support for Trump's despicable comments and stood by his candidacy for president.

Make no mistake: The NRA has perpetuated similar threats of violence for years, and Trump is just the latest mouthpiece for their extremism. [5]

 We won't tolerate it. We refuse to be silenced by their intimidation. We will combat their dangerous rhetoric wherever it rears its ugly head next.

Fuel our ongoing fight to defeat Donald Trump and the dangerous NRA rhetoric he spreads.
Stop Donald Trump's Extremism and Elect Hillary Clinton
I know first-hand the violent threats that women -- particularly women in politics -- face on a daily basis. I've been targeted by gun extremists through everything from online death threats to stalking. And Trump's dangerous words feed right into these extremists' vitriol -- including their past threats that this election will be resolved at the "bullet box." [6]

But I refuse to be scared into silence. Like so many of you, I'm fighting to keep my kids safe from gun violence. And I know that if I lose my kids, I've already lost everything.

So, we will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced. And we will vote.
Responsible gun owners know the Second Amendment exists to respect our right to bear arms and protect ourselves for self-defense -- not to incite violence, especially against a president. Donald Trump should be ashamed for perverting the Second Amendment and should never use the U.S. Constitution to incite violence.

 It’s unclear whether his threat was directed at Hillary Clinton or judges she might appoint, but one thing is certain: what political leaders say matters to their followers, and his words may provide a magnet for those seeking infamy.

 It is the responsibility of all Americans to unambiguously condemn these remarks and the violence they insinuate. In our fight to make our communities safer from gun violence, we cannot stay silent.

 Make a contribution to Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC today as your way of saying you will do everything possible to stop Donald Trump from ever becoming president.

 A Donald Trump presidency would not only obstruct our work for changing our gun laws – his violent rhetoric could encourage would-be attackers to inflict harm on others.

 That's why it is up to all of us to stand together and condemn the comments Trump made yesterday. The integrity of our democracy and the decency of our nation are at stake.

 The gun lobby's defense of Trump's remarks.

 As responsible Republican donors, elected officials and organizations abandon Donald Trump’s campaign, there is one group that has actually accelerated its efforts to get him elected: The N.R.A.

Just HOURS after Trump threatened that “Second Amendment people” were the only thing that could stop Hillary Clinton from appointing judges if she’s elected, the gun lobby put $3 million on the air supporting his campaign.

What’s worse, after hearing Trump’s language that could provide inspiration for those bent on bloodshed, the NRA ad actually attacks Hillary Clinton for using Secret Service protection!

When Gabby and Mark started Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC, it was to build an effective counterweight to the gun lobby’s influence in moments like this. That’s why we must stand together to fight back:

Make a contribution to Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC as a way of saying you will do everything you can to stop Donald Trump from becoming president, and to loosen the gun lobby’s grip on Congress.

Not only has Donald Trump pledged to overturn much of the progress we’ve made over the past several years on his first day, but his violent rhetoric and belief in the discredited “good guy with a gun” approach to safety puts us all at risk.

That is why it is so important that we not only defeat Donald Trump this November, but send an unmistakable message that his fealty to the gun lobby was a big part of the reason for his loss.

 THE GUN LOBBY NEVER SAW THIS COMING!!! 

 48 hours ago, the gun lobby launched a MASSIVE $3 million ad buy -- making them one of the biggest spenders in this election.

 We couldn’t sit idly by and let the gun lobby buy even more influence in Washington. That’s why we immediately launched the Stop The Gun Lobby Fund to fight back.

 And your response has been nothing short of INCREDIBLE.

 If 350 more people chip in today it’ll be a GIGANTIC victory for us, and leave the gun lobby BLINDSIDED.

 This new ad-buy continues to confirm for all of us that the gun lobby is desperate to defeat movements like ours. And they’ll do whatever it takes.

 We’re building a movement to fight back one dollar at a time. Will you chip in to put a stop to the gun lobby? http://action.gunresponsibility.org/Stop-The-Gun-Lobby-Fund
Killed in the line of duty: Arkansas Deputy fatally shot during ambush-style attack

Police officers responding to a disturbance call on Wednesday in Sebastian County were ambushed when they were fired upon by suspect Billy Jones, reported NBC News.

Jones fatally shot Deputy Bill Cooper and injured Hackett Police Chief Darrel Spells, reported Reuters.

Former U.S. marine Cooper was shot in the neck and later died from his wounds, reported 5Newsonline. Spells received a minor injury to the neck and is said to be in good condition.

Officers used a mine-resistant ambush protected , or M.R.A.P., vehicle as a shield by parking it in front of Jones’s house, reported 4029TV. A bomb disposal unit was sent to investigate the scene, but Jones reportedly shot and disabled it.

Officers later disabled a vehicle believed to be the suspect’s getaway car before Jones surrendered himself soon after, reported 4029TV.
Florida police shooting: cop accidentally kills elderly woman during role play exercise

A Florida resident was shot and killed by a police officer during a training exercise at the police station on Tuesday night.

The victim has been identified as 73-year-old Mary Knowlton. She was one of the 35 students who attended a two-hour Citizen Police Academy course offered at the Punta Gorda police station.

According to the New York Times, Knowlton and another student were randomly chosen to participate in a role-play exercise known as ‘shoot/don’t shoot’, which aims at teaching them the decision-making process when facing lethal forces. These sessions are usually acted out with either fake or empty weapons.

Knowlton was killed in the first scenario, in which she played the victim while an officer played the “bad guy”. It is not known why the officer’s gun was loaded with live ammunition. A photographer who witnessed the incident told the News-Press in Fort Myers that the officer had hired several shots at Knowlton.
Concealed carry gun-holder shoots robber: Suspect shot in the head by permit holder

A man who tried to rob a Family Dollar store was shot in the head by a person at the store with a concealed carry permit.

The would-be robber was taken to the MetroHealth Medical Center where his condition is unknown, according to Fox 8.

Witnesses say the suspect entered the premises around 3 p.m. armed with a gun and attempted to rob the store on West 117th and Bellaire Avenue.

A customer inside the store with a concealed carry permit pulled out his own gun and told the man to drop his weapon. The suspect did not comply.

At that point, a gun battle ensued between the two men.

The suspect was then shot in the head in the parking lot. The man with the concealed carry permit was not injured.

Police are still investigating the incident.

LARRY W. SMITH/GETTY IMAGES NEWS/GETTY IMAGES
Jersey City, New Jersey: Man Killed, 2 Teens Injured in Shooting at Birthday Party, Authorities Say
The incident occurred Tuesday at the Holy Ghost Tabernacle Ministries on Communipaw Avenue, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said. The victims were not identified and no arrests have been made.

'NRA vindicated as gun owner wins first American gold medal by exercising second amendment rights'
Man with a hat and gun
Apparently, that’s the only headline—and it would need to have appeared above the fold in every newspaper and media website around the country—that would have satisfied some people. Yes, this is now a thing.

 They are out there, complaining about—get ready to facepalm—the coverage of the first person to win a gold medal at the Olympics in Rio: Virginia Thrasher, an American. The level of victimhood among a certain subset of NRA/2nd Amendment types has reached a new level of absurdity.

 A post, titled “INCONVENIENT FOR MAINSTREAM NARRATIVE: First Gold Medal goes to American in *gasp* shooting” purports to demonstrate how the media ignored the “inconvenient truth” about how our country won its first gold medal (I’m sure Al Gore is feeling the burn—note the spelling, please—right about now).

 The aforementioned post appears at a site called “Guns Save Life” (apparently the copy editor’s life wasn’t the one saved). The poster includes screenshots from CNN and Fox News (!) to complain that they didn’t identify the event in the headline of their stories—front page stories, mind you. This complaint might be a valid one, except for the fact that each headline included a photo of Ms. Thrasher holding something. What was it, you may ask? A rifle. But yes, people might have been confused and thought she won the gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics.

 Another post lamented a few people who wrote snarky tweets about gun violence in the U.S. in reaction to Ms. Thrasher’s victory. While this post from the website Independent Journal was less hysterical than the one about media coverage, that is a low bar to clear. It claims to have a million views and 106,000 Facebook shares. This really is a thing.

 I first learned about these, er, concerns from a friend who is hooked into this whole scene and complained about the media being insulting and derisive, showing their bias against guns. I replied to him with a link to the New York Times article about Ms. Thrasher. The first word in their headline? Sharpshooter.

 It’s hard not to laugh at this kind of stuff. But what it demonstrates is the degree to which many people live in an absolute echo chamber where lies are so deeply ingrained that they become truth. Of course the media downplayed that this victory was won by someone shooting a gun, because the media hates guns and gun rights. You know that it’s true if everyone you interact with repeats it often enough. You don’t bother checking for yourself, because you already know the answer. And this isn’t just something we see from the right on the issue of guns. Of course Romney won Ohio, it’s a sure thing according to what everyone you know has been saying for weeks.

 I don’t know if there is anything that can be done to bring people out of this cult of ignorance, a world in which the NRA—which has won just about every legislative battle it has fought at the federal level—is the victim, and the deck is just stacked against gun owners. Nevertheless, we must fight to make sure—in the words of Arthur Weasley (or, if you prefer, William Shakespeare)—Truth will out.

Gun dealers have the authority -- and responsibility -- to make sure they're not selling to dangerous people. That's why many major retailers including Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods refuse to sell guns to people with incomplete background checks.

 But Gander Mountain and Sportsman's Warehouse haven't made their background check policies clear. I just sent an email to these companies asking if they have a common-sense "No check, no sale" policy.

 Go to this page to learn more and send a message too: http://act.everytown.org/go/2437?aktmid=tm669268.RTrPD1&t=3&source=conf
Police shoot unarmed teen in back: Chicago police release Paul O’Neal shooting videos

Chicago authorities have released several videos of an unarmed teen being shot and killed by police.

Police shot 18-year-old Paul O’Neal in the back on July 28 after he fled from a stolen car and then ran behind a house.

Chicago officials released nine video clips last Friday.

According to police, Chicago officers attempted to stop O’Neal around 7:30 p.m. on July 28 while he was driving in a stolen Jaguar convertible.

O’Neal hit two Chicago police vehicles while in the car, and two officers fired at him while he was in the car, police said.

He then fled from the Jaguar, and a third officer chased him behind a house and fatally shot him, according to police.

Officials said O’Neal died from a single gunshot wound to the back.

Video footage shows officers opening fire on the Jaguar as it drives towards and away from them. 

Here’s the truth: when gun violence prevention is on the ballot, we win. And if the recent conventions are any guide, Republicans know it, and Democrats know it as well.

During Donald Trump’s convention, the gun lobby was given one six-minute speaking slot outside of the prime hours, sandwiched between an unpopular senator and a golfer turned “Celebrity Apprentice” star.

During the Democratic convention, speaker after speaker on almost every night — including Gabby and Mark — shared powerful testimony about the need to close loopholes in our laws that will make our communities safer from gun violence.
As a recent headline in the New York Times put it, many see gun violence prevention as a winning election issue. And if we can pair the national calls for change with the resources to get our message out, we’ll be unstoppable this November.

 Make a contribution to Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC to help Gabby and Mark take advantage of this moment and elect a president and a Congress who will put our communities’ interests ahead of the gun lobby’s.

For many decades, lawmakers have been more afraid of the money and influence the gun lobby has wielded to protect dangerous loopholes in our laws than the people with the power to vote them out of office.

This year, that is changing. And if we, the Vocal Majority, can make legislators who have stood with the gun lobby pay a price for that relationship, not only are we going to flip seats, but we’re going to change behavior.

That is how we make change. That is how we will pass stronger gun laws. And that is why your contribution is so important.

1. "Donald Trump Suggests ‘Second Amendment People’ Could Act Against Hillary Clinton," Nick Corasaniti and Maggie Haberman. The New York Times, August 9 2016.
2. "Donald Trump says ‘Second Amendment people’ may be the only check on Clinton judicial appointments," Philip Bump. The Washington Post, August 9 2016.
3. "Donald Trump: Maybe "Second Amendment people" have a way to stop Hillary Clinton's judges," Andrew Prokop. Vox, August 9 2016.
4. "Trump in trouble over '2nd Amendment' remark," Louis Nelson. Politico, August 9 2016.
5. "Trump’s Violent Claim About The Second Amendment And Hillary Clinton Echoes What The NRA Has Said For Years," Timothy Johnson. Media Matters, August 9 2016.
6. "‘The Bullet Box’ Is an Option If the Ballot Box Fails, Says Gun-Rights Advocate," Ed Kilgore. New York Magazine, June 1 2016. 

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