Five years ago today, my family's life was shattered

[Omaha Steve]

Last edited Sun Feb 12, 2012, 11:09 PM - Edit history (1)

EDIT: Just to be clear, this is not an OP by me. This was an email from The Brady Gun Law Defense Fund. My family is not involved in this tragic event.

http://www.bradynetwork.org/site/MessageViewer/?em_id=46161.0&dlv_id=57101&pgwrap=n



A teenager armed with a gun he never should have had opened fire in a crowded Salt Lake City shopping mall. He shot me and killed five people, including my beautiful 15-year-old daughter, Kirsten.

After the shooting, I found out that the shooter was too young to legally buy his gun, but a pawn shop sold it to him anyway. The shop is still in business — and even kept the profit it made off this gun sale.

But with the help of the Brady Center's Legal Action Project, we are holding that pawn shop accountable in court. The shop fought us all the way to the Utah Supreme Court, but the Brady Center's attorneys helped me get my day in court, and we're set for trial this year.

Please help the Brady Center fight corrupt gun manufacturers and dealers.

TAKE ACTION at link.

[midnight]

1. Wisconsin is now a carry and conceal state. Many places now

have to put signs out that say no guns allowed... However, on our state floor a Republican Lawmaker is locked and loaded with a semi-automatic... However no cameras are allowed... This issues has many emotional triggers, but non like the story of losing a family member to a random shooting.

[libtodeath]

2. Maybe one day

sanity will break out in this country and we will realize that carrying a gun doesn`t make us great.

[schmice]

3. How can we help you and countless others who have been victimized like this? n/t

[russspeakeasy]

4. Wow..a lot of healing left. best wishes.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. Rec in solidarity for you and your family and all of the other victims.

[Loudmxr]

6. I wish I could find my godchild Chloe. There is nothing like holding a baby girl in your arms.

I screamed in sadness at your loss.

I am still weeping.

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. What a difficult day this must be for that young girl's mother. Do you know Ms. Tuft personally?

Last edited Sun Feb 12, 2012, 04:36 PM - Edit history (1)

My heart goes out to her.

[Old and In the Way]

9. I couldn't possibly imagine such a horrible thing happening to my family.

My heart goes out to you, she was a beautiful young woman...I don't know if I could ever recover from such a terrible thing. My sincerest best wishes.

[riderinthestorm]

10. Every parent's worst nightmare... I am so, so sorry. Will take action in honor of Kirsten

Last edited Sun Feb 12, 2012, 05:53 PM - Edit history (1)

Edited to add, I made a contribution in Kirsten's memory. I've also facebooked it and forwarded it.

You are making a difference and not letting her disappear.

[Frustratedlady]

11. Good luck! What a darling daughter. So unfair! eom

[Scuba]

12. There are no words but I hope you feel the love from here.

[mysuzuki2]

13. I'm so sorry for what has happened to you, your sister and your family.

People who have no business having a gun have caused so much misery in our country. Four years ago next tuesday 5 students at Northern Illinois University were shot to death while attending class in Cole hall by a mentally unstable man who should never have had access to a firearm. Cole Hall was closed for almost 4 years afterwards. This last fall it reopened for classes. Today I attended the dedication of the new Anthropology museum in that same building. The hurt from a tragedy is never forgotten but it is important to keep moving forward and not let events break you or prevent you from persevering and accomplishing your purpose.

[MarianJack]

14. My heart goes out to your family and...

...that lovely young Kristen who was robbed of her life. I am heartbroken when I look at that beautiful child's picture.

As a father, I have only compassion for you all in your ordeal with the worst nightmare a parent can have. I know that my wife and I would exchange either or both of our lives to save our son's and consider it the best thing we'd ever done. My eyes tear at this.

PEACE!

[Atypical Liberal]

15. It's tragic, but it's important to remember:

It's tragic when bad people use firearms to do bad things. And we should use the full measure of law against those who do.

But it's important to remember: In spite of ever-more-liberal firearm laws sweeping the nation since 1986, in spite of now every state in the Union except Illinois now allowing concealed carry, in spite of record numbers of firearms in circulation - firearm violence continues to decline and is at it's lowest point in decades. All crime is in decline, including violent crime.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

16. I better not say this in the subject line.....

I just can't stop thinking of Gun Rights groups....right to bear arms wouldn't have protected this poor girl---it happened before anyone could have reacted.

[AtheistCrusader]

19. An off duty officer happened to be there, and pinned him down with his revolver.

Undoubtably saving other lives.

Can't save everyone all the time, but when this sort of thing happens, a firearm is the best tool to end it.

[Vinca]

17. In New Hampshire the teabagger legislature has been weakening gun control laws.

Last Friday a 14 year old kid in Walpole, New Hampshire, stood up in a school cafeteria and shot himself in the head. Now the New Hampshire Senate is reportedly trying to put the brakes on some of this legislation, but the baggers still insist everyone should have a gun everywhere and it doesn't even have to be unloaded. Sick fucking idiots. The kid survived, but it sounds like he's in a coma.

[Smilo]

18. The GOPT asks - do you have a gun and if

you answer no, they say well take this.

It is ridiculous that in this country, even as large as it is, we have too many people who believe we are still living in the Wild, Wild West and that they need to carry guns 24/7.

We need to bring reason and sanity to this issue. I am not saying no guns at all, but we need to be responsible and not give a waiver to anyone and everyone who wants to carry a gun.

[AtheistCrusader]

20. This suit will probably fail.

Edit below:

This isn't about the .38 caliber handgun. This is about the shotgun, and a very arcane law particular to just this state. The shotgun had a pistol grip, meaning the difference between this:

and this:


Which basically amounts to 6 inches of concealability.

The way the Brady bulletins are worded, one might reasonably assume this was about his .38 caliber handgun, but it isn't. Just a very strangely worded state law, and a shotgun. If the pistol grip nature of the law is discarded, the store did everything right, because the shotgun is a long gun.

If not? Well, the store will go down for something that he could have bought a regular stock based shotgun, and changed it out for a pistol grip for about 20$, and one bolt.


Edit:
Hmm, not a state law, it's an ATF 'rule'. So, if the shotgun was MANUFACTURED with that pistol grip, it's a pistol grip firearm, not a shotgun, and prohibted to sub-21 year olds. If someone MODIFIED it to add the grip, and then hawked it to the Pawn Shop, it is still a 'Shotgun' not a Pistol Grip Firearm.

So, if it was the Mossberg 500 Cruiser, pictured top, the pawn shop might be screwed.
If it is the Mossberg 500 pictured below, but the previous or original owner changed the stock, they are in the clear.

That will be interesting to see at court.

[elisagrace]

21. Laws relating to selling of Guns etc.

Strict laws should be implemented on these shops for selling arms like guns, pistols etc. They have to get approval from the appropriate authorities for this process. If they sell these these arms without any approval and any casualty happens from such gun, then apart from that person, pawn shop is also to be made party in the plaint.