Maryland police officers shot and killed a man who they say refused to allow his guns to be confiscated. (Anne Arundel County Police Facebook)
Since Maryland’s “red flag law” went into effect in October, police have used the new statute in 114 instances to confiscate firearms from those believed to be mentally unstable.
But the most recent warrant sparked tragedy last Monday morning when police shot and killed a man whose firearms they were attempting to seize, according to CBS Baltimore.
Gary J. Willis, 61, opened the door to his home with a gun in his hand when two police officers came knocking at 5:17 a.m. on Nov. 5. Anne Arundel County police say Willis put the gun on a table next to the door, but “became irate” when the officers explained that they had come to confiscate his firearms.
Willis grabbed his gun and a struggle ensued, during which the firearm discharged. No one was injured, but the officer not engaged in the struggle shot Willis, and he died at the scene.
Under Maryland’s new Extreme Risk Protection Order law (aka, “red flag law”), family, police, and mental health professionals can seek an order from a judge to temporarily confiscate firearms from a person believed to be a danger to themselves or others. It’s almost identical to similar laws passed around the country, including Florida, in the wake of the Parkland massacre.
Some law enforcement officials claim laws like this give them a tool they’ve long needed to protect the public from mentally unstable individuals.
SEE ALSO: Florida Sheriff Creates 5-Man Confiscation Squad to Handle Numerous ‘Red Flag’ Protection Orders
“Law enforcement has been running into people having some sort of mental health crisis forever, however, we never had a statutory authority to take the guns away,” Montgomery County Sheriff Darren Popkin told WSET.
The Maryland Judiciary has not released any information on why police were attempting to confiscate Willis’ firearms. Maryland’s law states that anything related to an order is confidential unless the court rules otherwise.
But the Baltimore Sun spoke with Michele Willis, Gary’s niece, who believes one of Willis’ sisters requested that police temporarily remove his guns, attributing the action to “family being family.”
Ms. Willis said her uncle “likes to speak his mind,” but she described him as harmless.
SEE ALSO: Korwin: Red Flag Laws Are Dangerously Flawed
“I’m just dumbfounded right now,” she said. “My uncle wouldn’t hurt anybody. They didn’t need to do what they did.”
Anne Arundel County Police Chief Timothy Altomare disagrees. He told the Capital Gazette that Willis’ death is evidence that the new red flag law is needed and working.
“If you look at this morning’s outcome, it’s tough for us to say ‘Well, what did we prevent?’ ” he said. “Because we don’t know what we prevented or could’ve prevented. What would’ve happened if we didn’t go there at 5 a.m.?”
Anne Arundel County is tied for the most “red flag” petitions filed in a Maryland county (19) during the month of October.
I want to see the body cam footage- this is way to “convenient” of a story. Boogaloo
The early morning arrival to confiscate firearms was started during Katrina. If you are a gun owner in these times, someone at your door before the sun comes up will probably find the home owner armed. I hope the family member that killed their uncle is happy now. Now would be the time to install high intensity, all come on with one switch, flood lamps around your home to light it up like the sun when you get a 5 am wake up knock.
This isn’t about protecting the public..this is about protecting the cops high salaries!! Democrats are throwing money at police stations, and using the cops, as their little Holy Wars.
A Union cop will think of people that protect themselves with guns, as ‘Scabs’ they see you, as trying to take money, out of their wallet, food out of their entitled child’s mouth.
Cops are making way too much cash, and the union is living high on the hog. This is about MONEY…THIS IS ABOUT FASCIST POLICE DEPARTMENTS, whom have basically became German SS Troops.
Hitler took care of his Gov’t Unions, he was a National Socialist aka Nazi
If you don’t think Police Unions are the Spawn of Union Socialists, you missed the right turn, somewhere in life.
Police are so wanting to keep their paychecks, that the jails are letting convicts out, so that the streets are dangerous. NOW…you don’t care how useless the cop is at doing their job…ALL YOU CARE, IS THAT THEY’RE A COP!!!
THE POLICE UNIONS ARE CHANGING THE AVERAGES!!! THEY’RE RE-BASE-LINING THEIR JOBS WITHIN SOCIETIES. THEY’RE SHITTING THE COMMUNITIES THEY POLICE IN, FOR A BIGGER PAYCHECK!!
FOR $$$$$$ THEY ARE JUST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, AND COPS IN BIG UNION TOWNS< CLEAR EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR!!!!
Yeah well sneaking up on people with no clue of it –
ESPECIALLY – with no “Due Process” to a truly mentally paranoid violent person in the middle of the night will get LEO’S shot dead as anyone might think robbers are impersonating police officers.
Who’d be wrong then by going about things unConstitutionally from the word go?
Not to forget the real deranged person maybe the one falsely calling it in- so this unlawful law puts cops + innocent victims in danger.
SO MUCH about these seizures is wrong. It will be the DEATH of many, BEFORE it is stopped. RED FLAGS for us are DEAD FLAGS in the REAL WORLD, IMO
The officers involved in the murder need to have their names made public so the citizens can be aware of the traitors.
it is good that a crazy moron is dead
Ahh no! The state law makers that voted in this new law need their names posted. The cops were just doing their jobs, which they have to do if they agree with the law or not. Quit blaming the Cops and Trump for everything. That’s a mental disease in itself !
With this law, it seems that you are guilty until proven innocent. There should be an appeals process in place so that the accused has a chance to refute the claim. I hope this incident sheds light on that, but I am afraid that proponents will use this an “evidence” that the court was right to order this man’s firearms to be confiscated.
There is an appeal process. But only after the cops come take your 2a rights
At least he wasn’t nuked.lol.
THE COPS SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AND THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR HAVING HIS GUNS CONFISCATED SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH MURDER.
I, live in Georgia and I am glad that I live in one of the most gun friendly states in the nation but if they passed this law a lot of folks would rather die than to give up there guns including me.
If NRA and enthusiast keep saying NO< NO< NO< to every law taking guns from citizens that shouldn't be allowed have or handle one. Or are not capable of handling One( murderers, vicious felons, 'the mentally unstable'). And If NRA refuses to make standards themselves. Then it forces the agencies we don't want regulating guns, having to be to ones to set 'the standards'. In my eye it is all the fault of the gun toting 'enthusiast who thinks there should be no standards at all. Which are the one who are causing the problems.
And on side note it also goes along 'IF' mentally unstable person in this article has his privacy respected and no one list why "is mentally unstable'?.
You seem incoherent. What are you attempting to say?
I don’t think he has a friggen clue. blah, blah, blah
Better go take your meds.
Your rambling gives one pause and concern that you may be unstable and therefore should have your rights violated as well.
Next time make sure your brain is engaged before putting your typing fingers in gear.
“their job” – living up to their oath to the Constitution…
If responsible LE “we’re so” they’d refuse an unlawful order across the gamut of LEO….then the wingnuts that passed such garbage would be on public trial for trying to bypass the Constitution which is the law of the land.
You see WE hung many Nazis who’s defence was “I was just following orders” = many Japanese after 1945 too.
If anything what stops a deemed deranged person that has guns confiscated from them – then getting a gun and going on a vedetta on who sold him out and the cops plus their families…
In the old Soviet Union, if you disagreed with the government you were put in a mental institution. Do you see where I’m going with this? The government says you’re crazy – no rights for you. Just the fact that you want a gun proves that there’s something wrong with you.
Hmmmm…. Maybe he shouldn’t have reached for his gun that he laid on the table? Then when he did grab his gun, maybe not fight with the cops while holding it??? It doesn’t matter why the cops were there when it comes down to it. We might not like the confiscation law but it is already on the books meaning they will try to enforce it. Ready for the hate responses now.
Let you be the first to bend over.
Yeah…slavery laws were on the books at one time…so by your standard, once there, always there.
(quote) “If you look at this morning’s outcome, it’s tough for us to say ‘Well, what did we prevent?’ ” he said. “Because we don’t know what we prevented or could’ve prevented. What would’ve happened if we didn’t go there at 5 a.m.?”(end/quote)
What could have happened? Willis, a man innocent of any crime, would not be dead at the hands of liberally mandated police. He would still be alive.
First they say they needed proof of mental illness. What proof did they have? A statement from a family member? The article says the chief asked wonder what would have happened if we hadn’t showed up? I’ll tell you what would have happened, the man shot and killed would have waken up in the morning and would have been drinking his cup of coffee and watched the news! That’s what would have happened, we have given the police departments way to much power!
If Andy Nomonus can call in and say, “Take the firearms from Citizen X”, and the cops show up to do it, what’s to prevent a cop from calling in and saying “Take the firearms from Citizen X”. And thus the confiscated firearms are sold and the cops get to part-tae using the confiscated firearms slush fund.
This country , unfortunately, is turning into a socialist shit hole. I hope there are large organized groups out there ready to go…. The time is getting close to uphold our oaths… ” foreign and Domestic.”
I’m ready E. And prepared to lead the way too.
How has this law not been challenged in court yet ? I think this would be the perfect case for the Supremes to knock down.
This can only get worse if we don’t go after these criminal Politicians on this obvious abuse of power.
EXACTLY CORRECT – it’s unconstitutional and hairbrained.
I woulda been like “what guns officer?” good luck finding all my guns dickheads
I’ve been a cop for 15 years. Everyone I work with in my department and the surrounding departments are pro 2A and are just like ya’ll. When I read the anti-cop comments from these articles I love how all of a sudden “all cops” work for the government and we are all “Nazis”. I also like all the Rambo’s who say they’ll shoot the cops as soon as they show up to their house.
The bad thing is… making comments like that gives the anti-gun groups fuel to add to their fire. You s-talkers don’t know me or probably any law enforcement officers personally.
When you make comments like that you sound sound like untrained idiots with no knowledge of guns. You know who else makes stupid blanket threats like that… ANTIFA and most of the liberals.
And as far as the “Katrina Gun Confiscation”… I know a lot of guys that were in New Orleans before, during, and/or after Katrina (including me), and did not see that happen, regardless of what you read and saw on YouTube. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but if it did it was a small group somewhere doing it because we never received any such order and would have never followed any such order, and would not have allowed anyone to do that.
Well said JB. I agree. So what would you do if the cops came to your house to confiscate your guns?
Oh yeah, this “common sense gun safety law” is now but a month old and has already caused one murder.
If you are a cop, you will do as you are told or you do not get a check.
The cops violated the constitution and killed somebody, that makes them the enemy in most peoples eyes.
It is happening in numerous states and just because you don’t personally know anybody doing it, give it time you will.
I can guarantee you and your buddies will not risk your check or pension to do the right thing.
First off, you don’t know sh!t!!! I know several cops and they tell me they just “follow orders”! If you don’t, you want be a cop very long stupid!!!
Look. There are good cops and there are bad cops. We can all agree that we don’t have to worry about the good ones. Although I am not law enforcement I have friends who are and they all feel the same way I do. I have the utmost respect for the law EXCEPT when the “law” falls by the “un”constitutional wayside. I have made myself very clear to them and everyone else I know that any law that contradicts our Constitution IS not and SHOULD not be enforced let alone recognized. Unfortunately, not all police depts. are run by Oath keeping Patriots as was the case in the FLA. shooting. Sad. But I’m afraid we’re looking at a trend here. You’ve heard the quote…”Evil flourishes when good men do nothing.” Let’s give the good guys the benefit of the doubt all right?
Thank you for your service. You are exactly right
Yes well a man was killed at his house at 5am for an unConstitutional law LE swore an oath to defend against…it should be upsetting.
As far as New Orleans- there’s video of this + countless witnesses testimony besides the man murdered + body burned up by Leo’s now convicted of murder….*nice to hear some would refuse such an unlawfully order.
The worst video was Leo’s getting inside an elderly woman home asking for firearms and so she showed them her old revolver whereupon they left her quite bruised up (can been seen- she looked barely over 5ft tall)from shoving her around including to the floor- once seeing it on Utube imagine it was your mom or grandmother.
See the other side of the coin is “WE the People” have to deal with the very Peace Officers protected by the so called “thin blue line” that you know should not be cops- yet it goes on….
You have worked with them wishing not to- it was a TV news at that time- I believe at the door she 1st said “she was fine” but pushed their way in.
Certainly WE all really respect good cops that understand their sworn Constitutional Oath to protect the Liberty of American citizens and not swagger like criminals with a badge and a gun like KGB [WE all have encountered + good cops are forced to deal with] -video/audio cams should be required.
Respectfully you do know what I’m saying from your intelligent post…it takes a special person to be a good Peace Officer + academies should weed out the bad but won’t.
Some fellas are upset at reading this shooting already knowing the Red Flag laws are unconstitutional and imagine the “bad” type LEO’s in their mind banging on their doors in the middle of the night + being pricks about it- so react very negatively….
Which is one reason why it’s a bad idea because this is America not the Soviet Union.
As you know the 2nd-A is there exactly because of tyrannical government not “self defence nor hunting purposes” and this law is greatly advancing anti-American “big government tyranny” for misuse under “color of Law”.
*If LE seeing this for what it is said across the nation- “WE will not comply with enforcing unlawful orders” = it would be dead in the water.
As it is any Leftist wingnuts, ex-wife or girlfriend, business competition, anyone with a grudge can ruin another’s life- and that will be the case over + over when not “Justified”. and of course has no “Due Process” clearly required = one more big block kicked out from under Liberty + unalienable Rights ….
The Marxist Leftist will keep right on pushing just like the Euro-peon elitist’s are now moving into true anarchistic tyranny.
And yes I know LEO’s – two whom were killed on the job= both preventable – both really good guys + great cops you’re glad to have show up when needed.
Just my thot’s on the matter.
Didn’t the Nazis specialize in knocking down doors in middle of the nite? These cops are murders, wonder if the killed gets a medal?
Well with the “mentality” of the dumb ass police chief, they could just MURDER everyone they “FEEL” shouldn’t be owning firearms! Who’s the real nut job? The police chief! You come knocking on my door at 5 in the morning, and you’ll be greeted the same way, with gun in hand! As for the sister that wanted it done, that bitch should be sued for wrongful death, she caused the whole problem that resulted in the outcome. So the NAZI’S finally got their wish, door to door confiscation and death squads! I’m pissed!
I agree. Serving a warrant for such at 5:15 am is the beginning of a bad situation because most mentally stable people would either come the door armed, or arm themselves and not come to the door. Would the jack boots burst the door down next if no answer? Guarantee a flurry of shots in that case. Looks like the cops had a set up that could go bad either way, on an innocent citizen, it appears.
Well, the cop-hating trolls have been chanting here, but here’s a dose of reality…
FYI- “No knock warrants” are actually pretty rare. The affidavit ALWAYS has to contain adequate reasons for the warrant, AND the “non knock” provision. Narcotics warrants must be served within 72 hours of signing, there is less exigency with other search/seizure warrants, and absent an actual immediate, real threat.
That allows ample time for pre-service, diligent investigation, and a measured, non-dynamic entry.
The 5:17 a.m. service DOES trouble me. Some agencies seem to prefer such times for perhaps questionable reasons. Most people could be described as legally impaired if awakened at 0500 hours… Impaired people, often do not behave in what we might call rational or ‘normal fashion. Firearms are not an easily disposed item of evidence. They can not be flushed or easily hidden from thorough search.
There WILL be an investigation, and no doubt a lawsuit.
Sadly, the man’s sisters could have tried their own intervention, and then gone to the police. Did they? One relative described the man as “harmless” but “outspoken”. Being outspoken isn’t yet a crime- witness the vitriol spouted by a lot of the ‘pundits’ out there…
“Being outspoken isn’t yet a crime”, want to bet? It is for this poor sod, and I have news for you, this is only going to increase and get worse. I have been in law enforcement for well over 35 years and this just breaks my heart, a man died needlessly, gunned down in his own home. Seems to me the British were doing the same thing a few centuries ago, and we kicked their *sses! Will we have the backbone to stand up to this tyranny this time?
Andy, you almost got it right. The threat of death is used as a weapon to keep the masses in line. It is all about power for the democrats and the ability to rule unobstructed. Guns have to go first. Only those in power will have guns. I hate to say it it, but I hope there is a civil war so that America can remain a free country. If the demoshits regain power we will all be in a world of hurt. The democrats are no different than Stalin or Lennon. The government knows best and they will kill you to prove it. Those of us that are America patriots cannot remain idle. Vote, keep the democrats out of power. Bye the way, those people coming from South of the border- guess who they are going to vote for. They are not patriots. Be prepared for the horrors that the democrats will unleash on us if they can.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/11/16/eric-swalwell-if-gun-owners-defy-assault-weapons-ban-the-government-has-nukes/
This will clear up things for those people still on the fence. This man has to go, he is bare faced threatening Americans will nuclear annihilation if they do not turn their weapons in. This man is an elected official, this cannot and must not be taken lightly or as a joke, these SOB’s mean it!
Jesus…. I can not express the level of outrage I feel now… the police are simply evil. The scumbags play both sides on every issue and seem to always come out on top, the same ass clowns that will strike for a pay raise, and will refuse to do the job when the city protests against them are the same ass clowns who say “ we have no choice about the laws we have to enforce “
The police PICK AND CHOOSE the laws they agree with to enforce and ignore ones when they want and of course, No laws apply to the piggy blue dogs themselves. How as Americans can we allow this?? At what point do we have the right to fight back?? Will state laws always trump the American constitution from now on??
Have we all forgotten about the gun confiscation during Katrina??
The police are hired goons working for the leftist politicians who clams to “hate them” but always fund the military style equipment and constant growth of the government budget to feed the blue piggy dogs.
This will never make FOX NEWS but I bet we see a “hero” cop save a kitty of play the fiddle, won’t we?
We need a way to put cops in prison, not jail but prison for the any action that is so blatantly unconstitutional.
We have given these scumbags the power to tap our phones, track our location, bug our trucks and oh yea, KILL US if they say they are “SCARED”. Jesus really? When do we fight back? How many of us will have to die before we wake up?
I am not a sheep, I do not need sheep dogs, I will kill any wolves I need to, I am American.
Do understand you Jake tho “WE the People” don’t want to alienate the good Peace Officers so they “clan up” with the “go alongs” in the us ‘versus them’ mentallity that the Far-Left Marxist want.
Hope to encourage the good cops like OATH KEEPERS members + new recruits to stand up as Americans 1st with us – as the lying divisionary tactics being used on us all should be the wake up call.
Did you see the leftist on the “Travon Martin” case with false testimony coming out now by a private citizen digging into the facts- do look it up + read = is exactly what is being done to decent people everywhere now esp since BHO + cohorts got into the White House + a hold of the DC deep state swamp.
America has been unjust for a long time. All Donald Trump did was force their hand and expose themselves. The officers involved, any sort of administration that worked on the ‘case” and whomever tipped them should all be executed for murder.
The general public has not gotten the memo stating “Calling Police for assistance has a high probability of ending the encounter with negative results including death (by Police)”…….. The Police Chief in this article is one example to why the Police have been growing the negative results percentage with his statements blaming the dead man for his own death…….Never considering the other options his officer’s & department policy’s have or should have if he & his department had a level of training that didn’t concentrate on them being right and Joe Citizen always guilty ……..The Law is secondary to the current day police as they are ego driven and want to police by fear & intimidatinon……with the backup of corrupt judges & prosecutors as again, the law is secondary to their main objective of separating the citizen from his money. The judiciary has become addicted to and does whatever crime it needs to to get that next fix, satisfying their craving & lust for that money & POWER //………
So, they killed a guy in the process of violating his rights as a citizen of this country.
This program is off to a stellar start.
Trump did say, take their guns , and go to court later, about August 2018
Trashy dang cops and paranoid legislators– makes them all murders— the man’s relatives will clean up BIG TIME ! Millions I hope !
Are these confiscation orders like warrants in that the subject is required to open the door and interact with the cops, because I wouldn’t have opened the door until they had established a legal right to enter my home. Same result might still happen but maybe just maybe he would’ve had time to gather his wits and might still be alive.
So sorry for his family.
Won’t be the only time we see this. My heart goes out to his family. Once again a police state rises about and escalated a potential problem by show of force. No different than China or Korea.
I notice that we haven’t heard a word from the liberal press about THIS shooting of someone who had committed NO crime at all!
There is no law so trivial that the state will not kill you to enforce.
This is something that is a hot button issue with me. these laws need not be so easy to confiscate the firearms. this law is so unconstitutional. this man had every right to be upset and furious over this order. the judge should have had a full blown hearing with the man present to defend himself. this is side stepping due process. I believe it is violating so many US codes that I do not know where to begin. I think I might start with unlawful search and seizure and privacy laws. how can anyone not trained in Psychology make a determination on sanity? I think these laws are so poorly written. the psychologist visit must come before the seizure of any firearms. Never after the seizure of firearms. this will happen more and more to lawful owners of firearms until we the citizenry puts a stop to these laws and their evil way of being written. they are written to deny due process, written to deny our rights, and to usurp the entire process of our justice system. this needs to be fixed immediately or more innocent lawful firearms owners are put under the thumb of an ever increasing police state. the police and the law were unlawful in this case and probably numerous others.
When this law gets overturned by the SCOTUS will the sheriff and the deputies be charged with 1st degree murder? I think they should since they took an oath to defend the constitution.
Just goes to show you that democrats would rather have us dead than alive. Dumb cop says who knows what would have happened if they didn’t show up at 5am. Disgraceful piece of crap. I bet they wish they could kill every single person whose weapons they show up to steal.
I just now, as of this story, realized whose side I am not on. And I hope I hear of a story that backfires catastrophically. And I will not care one damn bit.
I do not believe the Anne Arundel County Police knocked at all. Once upon a time Police had to knock and offer the Search Warrant with reasonable time for the one served to read it and ask questions. Then the bar was lowered in the 50’s to knock, present Warrant and just walk right on in. Then the bar was lowered further in the 70’s with the rise of SWAT Teams. In extraordinary cases of potential retaliatory violence as in organized crime raids or for a prior history of attacking Police a “No Knock Raid” was permitted as long as Police identified themselves as crossing the threshold entrance. Today no Warrant is carried out in a knock on door fashion at all unless the served one is politically important. When any Search Warrant is issued in today’s America, the full force of a SWAT “NO Knock Raid” will come down hard on you. First off the dog will be shot immediately per Federal training. Whereas the 3 pound Yorkie licking his balls could be a potential issue as events unfold. Once a man’s best friend is eliminated emotions of the one served may cause events to unfold. Ithink the SWAT Raiders shot the man and discharged his gun to cover their own arse.
I love the part in these laws that states if a person is mentally unstable and is reported by any person knowing him, that his guns can be taken away on their say so. No Doctor involved. AND then what, hes dangerous, we took his guns and then left him in his house……with knives, baseball bats, axes, sledge hammers, hatchets, ice picks, a car, all of which have been used in murders locally here in the past year. But we took his gun so hes OKay now. That is just stupid. This law has nothing to do with protecting any one or providing care or treatment for a so called “mentally impaired” person.
We should just start reporting all the government officials as mentally incompetent. Oh buy the way, in the Massachusetts law, a couple of paragraphs down from “relative or known person of the afflicted” statement, it says the police can come take your guns if They think you are a future problem…. Ya us, go “Government” run by clowns.
Liberal RINO Md. Gov. Larry Hogan was asked a question that would have sank most Republican Candidates. At the 2014 Republican Gov. Primary Debate about his \”Strong stance on Gun Control.\” His \”Spin\” was that he firmly stands by his comments relating to \”Gun Safety,\” never mentioning what they were, but since Md. Gov. Martin O\’malley had just signed the Md. 2013 \”Gun Safety\” Laws making Md. the toughest in the Country on \”Gun Safety\” that he would not sign any further \”Gun Safety\” legislation. Now here\’s the facts. Md. is tied with Pa. at 11th place for the most guns privately owned per capita. Hogan is the 3rd Republican Gov. in over 50 years; Agnu, Ehrlich, Hogan. In a State registered 2.5 to 1. Democratics to Republicans. Hogan felt so secure in re-election that he broke his campaign promise in an election year. He could have neglected the bill for a couple weeks and it would have become law. In October Hogan debated Democratic Socialist Gov. Candidate Ben Jealous, and Jealous thanked Hogan for signing the \”Gun Control\” Laws. Jealous did not say \”Gun Safety\” as is his custom because Ben wanted to point it out to the 2nd Amendment wing of the Republican Party. Every Socialist Union in Md. supported Hogan for Gov. \”TheCommie Rag\” Baltimore Sun endorsed Hogan. The Democratic Socialist B\’more Mayor Pugh supported Hogan. And I can\’t get Conservatives who claim to love Liberty to vote Libertarian…. Go figure?
The moral of the story here is: If you’re still in Maryland, how fast can you leave?
Liberal RINO Md. Gov. Larry Hogan was asked a question that would have sank most Republican Candidates. At the 2014 Republican Gov. Primary Debate about his “Strong stance on Gun Control.” His “Spin” was that he firmly stands by his comments relating to “Gun Safety,” never mentioning what they were, but since Md. Gov. Martin O’malley had just signed the Md. 2013 “Gun Safety” Laws making Md. the toughest in the Country on “Gun Safety” that he would not sign any further “Gun Safety” legislation. Now here’s the facts. Md. is tied with Pa. at 11th place for the most guns privately owned per capita. Hogan is the 3rd Republican Gov. in over 50 years; Agnu, Ehrlich, Hogan. In a State registered 2.5 to 1. Democratics to Republicans. Hogan felt so secure in re-election that he broke his campaign promise in an election year. He could have neglected the bill for a couple weeks and it would have become law. In October Hogan debated Democratic Socialist Gov. Candidate Ben Jealous, and Jealous thanked Hogan for signing the “Gun Control” Laws. Jealous did not say “Gun Safety” as is his custom because Ben wanted to point it out to the 2nd Amendment wing of the Republican Party. Every Socialist Union in Md. supported Hogan for Gov. “TheCommie Rag” Baltimore Sun endorsed Hogan. The Democratic Socialist B’more Mayor Pugh supported Hogan. And I can’t get Conservatives who claim to love Liberty to vote Libertarian…. Go figure?
Five in the morning? Are you freaking serious? You’ll find me with a gun in my hand also if you knock on my door at five in the morning! That shooting was entirely the cop’s fault…the whole stinking department should be fired or re-trained.
If the deceased was irrational, why didn’t LEO arrest him sooner? He still would have had sharp cutting instruments, sporting goods, household chemicals, motorized conveyances, binding material and other potentially dangerous items which were NOT included in the RED FLAG LAW. To me it shows how irrational the legislatures were who thought it up and voted for it to include the Governor and AG and state supreme court who go along with it.
These warrants are no more constitutional than the confiscation of money by LEOs when someone has more cash than the LEOs seem to think is ok. They’ve taken money (for looking suspicious), cars, houses, and now they’re taking lives.
I’m curious about the man they shot. Did he even know there was a warrant to take his guns before they showed up at oh dark 30 to take them. I’d have a gun in my hand too if someone came to my door before sunup. This is brown, squishy and it stinks to high heaven.
Our police want us to respect them then they need to quit acting like SS agents.
This is the Socialist agenda. It’s only going to get worse. Maryland residents can only blame themselves for letting it pass.
Well now .. what about people that a get more than one DUI / Drug arrest . Speeding ticket where they hit some one or some thing . Save me from them also . This is about guilty before you are proven innocent.
This is a wild card for people that can just say what ever they want about some and then you have to proved it is a lie …
This is crazy crap.
Thes BASTARDS can conjure up any excuse to steal our weapons, by the most corrupt and contemptible politicians and police agencies-this is truly an AMERICAN RED TERROR
Police are thugs and Nazis. There are no good police because they enforce laws whether right or wrong, whether unconstitutional, or not.
They are, by definition, armed functionaries of state power. Their allegiance is to the State, not to rights.
Jackbooted thugs. What you prevented was Mr. Willis living, you jackasses!
Depriving American citizens of life is THE ONLY THING piggy blue dogs do.
What does the little eternity symbol do ?
Maybe the police should of notified him first that he needed to surrender his firearms, instead of knocking on his door at 5:00 a.m. Maybe this tragedy could have been prevented. I hope his sister is happy with the outcome that she caused.
I agreed. Most normal gun owner would have done the same thing if you hear an unexpected knocking at 5 in the morning. I know I would, and the dump-sxxt sister of his: if you think calling the cops is the best thing to do to your family that you truly care about, think again!
First of all, why are they knocking on a door at 5 in the morning? Any gun owner is going to be armed when answering a knock at that time of day. That is the failure of the police. At some point that man would have left his house and that would have been the time to approach him. The red flag laws need a better process. To take one’s rights away on some moronic relative’s word, (who after all doesn’t have spiteful relatives angry that aunt Margret left her jewels to someone else?) when they could be doing in as a SWATTING to settle a family dispute. I would arrest that relative and charge them with conspiracy to commit murder and arrest the officers involved and their supervisor for murder. They weren’t going after a bank robber or a serial killer. They were going after a victim of stupidity. All the red flag laws should be voided as too dangerous to potentially innocent victims.
I agree , knocking on my door at 5 a.m. is going to make me take notice. that’s b.s. Cops sometime create problems like this one.
Wow. Murdered by police because they were trying to steal his property. Truely disgusting.
First this happened in a known anti gun state! Without a previous record of Mental Health issues, what RIGHT does one of his sisters have to say that his gun/guns should be “temporarily” confiscated without a Court Order for VALID reasons? If he was not a felon who has lost his Civil Rights, what was done was illegal. I’m a night person, come to my door at 5:30 in the morning and your won’t be met with a pistol but with an AR-47, yes we have some very good “Castle Laws” here in Arizona!
Ever hear of suicide by cop, this is murder by anti-gun judge.
So if one of your family members tells the authorities that you need to have your guns taken away the will do it without a doctor even questioning you to see if you are mentally unstable? This is wrong in so many ways.
Nope, they show up at O’dark thirty and kill you in your own home, then they say you where dangerous and insist the whole town call them “hero” for killing you for them. Because killing Americans keeps America safe some how I guess.
Que the cops saving kittens videos on Fox News.
Under their logic, just go kill everyone before 5am and there will never be anymore crime! This kind of shit law is out of control.
This unconstitutional “law” should be a “red flag” to every American patriot. Using the subjective rubric of “mental illness” to deny law-abiding American citizens of their unalienable Second Amendment right is treasonous. Even the pseudo-science of psychology cannot give a definitive diagnosis of “mental illness.” This gun confiscation scheme is nothing more than raw tyranny wrapped in a thin veil of psychobabble and legislative over-reach. This is just the beginning.
“First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
This innocent man until proven guilty was violated by the court and the officers of due process. Maryland, California, New York, New Jersey, & Massachusetts are Democratic strongholds of anti-gun politians who want to abolish the second amendment & are committed to confiscation @ any cost of American lives. Wake up America your rights are being violated!
The organization that could have refused to fallow this unconstitutional order did not, instead they killed a man in his own home.
The court did not point and shoot this man, the police did.
We are all gun nuts hear and as such we all understand the power and responsibility it carrys. A pig shot another man in his own home while trying to rob him… no justice will be had. Only scumbags passing the blam around like a hot potato until we all forget about the killing that never should have happened….
A U.S. citizen minding his own business in his own house with his second amendment rights gets killed by cops trying to take his second amendment rights away from him. I call this MURDER in the second degree. To me, those cops were more of a threat to society than Mr. Willis was. The anti-gun people will probably not care about his death. This shit has got to STOP! RIP Mr. Willis.
I live in Oregon in a county with a pro 2nd Amendment Sheriff who has said no one in his department will ever enforce unconstitutional laws. (we have a couple Oregon laws he considers unconstitutional) However, if Oregon ever passes a red flag law I will do 4 things. First I will reinforce my doors including a peep hole in both. Second I will be armed 24 hours a day, both inside and outside my house. Third I will never allow police inside my home without a warrant. Fourth I will surrender my guns business end first.
Classic example of misuse of authority. Someone, ANYONE knocks on my door (I’m sure quite loudly) at 5:17am I am definitely bringing a firearm. Trying to explain anything to someone you just shocked awake is challenging enough, add “We are taking away your God-given Right to self-defense” to the equation and trouble will ensue most of the time. This sounds like a planned scenario to instigate this outcome. What’s wrong with doing this during “normal” business hours or even early evening? The chances of this outcome reduce significantly, IMHO. They need to address this law and make it more than ONE angry relative / spouse to confiscate firearms, and the return of said firearms needs to be immediate and without the significant “red tape” currently required. Return should be immediate if accusation proven false, or at the end of the waiting period. LE should return them the same place they took them instead of the citizen having to go get them. Not to mention monetary damages for any damage to said firearms caused by LE. We also need FELONY charges with one year in prison against those falsely accusing the individual, triggering the confiscation. hat alone would stop most of these confiscations. Yes, the laws are crap, but I’m afraid they are here to stay.
Not to mention that in most departments, once a firearm in being inventoried, it will be permanently marked, usually engraved, with a case number of some sort, therefore forever ruining the value of your firearms, which you have paid for with your hard earn money. If you are really lucky enough to get them back, good luck with ever being able to sell it for its rightful values. Who should be responsible for such compensations?
This minority report in reality. . Preventing crimes before. They happen. .. hahaha .liberal BS.. send 2 armed cops to a ” mentally unstable” persons house at 5am. Tell him your taking his property, and not expect a conflict.. again a person is guilty and now dead with no trial..that cop that pulled the trigger is a murderer. .
This is whats going to happen when Democracts try to take peoples fire arms away from then. The police were lucky they didn’t get shot.
As with most every one else here, I am an Avid supporter of the Second amendment and every other constitutional right, But there is simply not enough information in this article to form any sort of valid opinion on the actions of the officers, judge, or any one else involved in the application of that law. We have no real idea of the person’s actual mental state. One Nieces statement that he is “harmless…..?” After every mass shooting the press always manage to find some family member who says, “I don’t understand, he would never do something like that.”
If the Police had refused to seize the firearms as ordered by the judge they would have been charged criminally for contempt of court. But, by reading the reviews it sounds like most of you would have then hailed them as heroes, taking one for the team. But what if the order was given for valid reasons, the cops did not confiscate and are all suspended from duty pending the criminal case. Then the person who is in a severe emotional crisis takes his guns and kills multiple people. What do you suppose the Anti gun people would be able to do with that…….?
I am not saying that I agree with the Law. I live in a state that has had a similar law for a while now. I disagree strongly with the wording of the law and how relatively “easy” it would be for the Law to be abused by Anti gun liberals. But that is where the anger should be. Not towards the people charged with trying to protect peoples rights. Both the constitutional ones and the most basic right to live.
So, what are you going to do when someone bangs on your front door at 4 or 5 in the morning and wakes you up? Will you just go and open the door without a care in the world or will you arm yourself in case it’s some crazy person come to the wrong house to kill someone else?
What if it was the accuser who wanted him unarmed so they could safely kill him?
I’m confused. Why isn’t there any body cams of the incident? Police arrive in the very early hours and plan to confiscate firearms from someone they were told us mentally unstable. Why didn’t they have their body cameras recording? It seems to me this would clear up a lot of the missing details.
This was grossly mishandled by authorities and I blame then for this man’s death.
They arrived at ridiculous time of day, they have no recording devices to record the incident, the man want given due process.
I support law enforcement, my pop was a cop and so is my brother in law. The law is so poorly written that it just shouldn’t be law, and these particular officers were extremely neglegent in handling the whole thing.
As far as I’m concerned, Mr. Willis is innocent, as he did not get his day in court to say otherwise. This is America, and everyone is afforded their right to due process.
In light of the intense outrage at obviously deranged individuals(esp media pushed as “GUN VIOLENCE”) = I give Trump some leeway as his focus being on clearly each one KNOWN to be criminal or wackos over a period of time to be targeted.
Any LEO here should back up that any Officer that feels a person is a threat to self or others can get a 72 evaluation order from a judge on such individual.
The kid in the Florida school murders previously threatened to kill his own mother….kl
Known anyone like that…?
Well he was well known to family, LE , school neighbors + external family as very troubled yet nothing was done even after online stating ‘he wanted to be a school shooter’.
What’s wrong with his guns should have been taken away while as he was sent in for a 72hr level w/out an unnecessary so called Red Flag Law that is illegal.
*It was common knowledge + commonsense he was seriously deranged + needed both Spiritual + psyche help.
Police should refuse all unconstitutional orders. We need more Oath Keepers.
More proof that police are not friends of the American taxpayers.
They are obedient vicious dogs of the ruling Elite.
YES!!! KEEP SAYING IT!!,
Where is Due Process?????? Daily it seems even our God given rights now are OK to violate, So it’s OK to give law enforcement the tool to come to man’s house at 5’oclock in the morning and tell him they are there to take his firearm’s. So far it look’s like the Red Flag Law is really working well. Justifiying killing a 61 yr. old man in his home.
Well, 1984… George Orwell… totalitarian guv’ment… Cloward-Pivens… socialism… guv’ment control… Marxism… yup, it’s here and here’s living (dying) proof of the guv’ment, the left separating us from our constitutional rights without due process.
Apparently, from the article it appears that at least one family member had a “problem” or something with this particular citizen and second amendment advocate. Hence, that family member sought guv’ment interference to separate the second amendment advocate from his firearms, at least. This is the beginning of the end of our historically brief “civilization”.
One meddling, disgruntled, slighted family member can ruin an entire family. Here’s proof of that. And to think this is all under the umbrella of “justice”. Depriving a citizen of due process, depriving a citizen of second amendment rights, depriving a citizen of life is DUE PROCESS!?
And the sheriff hails the shooting “justified”.
WOW!!! Hang on, this is just the beginning. There’s more, much more to come. IMHO
Probably what would have happened if they hadn’t gone there at 5 am that day is…they wouldn’t have killed an innocent man. Better plan on more of these incidents as they try to confiscate more guns.
‘…..one of Willis’ sisters requested that police temporarily remove his guns..’.
Never trust any liberal members of your family! They will sell you out in a heartbeat! Also, don’t grab a gun when cops are talking to you. ….if that’s what really happened. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know.
Police body cams could help answer that question. I’m assuming the police weren’t using their body cams since it was not mentioned.
If a person is not dangerous enough to be locked up then they should not have their gun rights taken away. If they are that dangerous that their guns need to be taken away, then they should just be locked up. They will just find another weapon.
In any case, if their guns are taken away, then their drivers license, vehicle, and voting registration should be taken away as well.
Voting is by far the most dangerous than anything else. A person can only kill a few or maybe a dozen people people with a firearm. You can kills millions by voting. Just look at 1932 Germany.
In 1941 the favored visiting time from the GESTAPO was in the death of night.
Now we know how they intend to take the firearms. Get with your neighbors, if you talk to them. Set up interlocking fields of fire and defend each other. There is no doubt we’re going to die, but defending ourselves and our right established by God himself is worth fighting for. There are going to be a lot of dead World Government loving cops in driveways and doorsteps. A lot of us innocent civilians are going to die. But i have resolved as a born again Christian to fight the world system to the end. Even if the end comes in my own living room. Read your Bible, accept Jesus.
“For your time draweth nigh”
Amen to that! Full Moon. AMEN. I would rather die with brass up to my knees than a bitch on my knees. If they think for one second their going to come take Whats rightfully ours they definitely are traders and are no different than any other fool who thinks they can just come take whats ours!!!
God Bless.
I am worried they will start going after folks who are responsible and safe but in the name of gun control or gun elimination they will render our population as sheep with no way protect and train and hunt and enjoy a safe sport, in the name of political agendas to grab votes and make a country of blind followers and only the government and gangs will rule. Pretty scary. but the media also is controlled by these manipulators.
This should be an eye opener for those that think cops are friendly. They will do whatever they are told to receive a paycheck and pension, including killing you to trample on your rights.
Who goes to a known armed residence at dark thirty in the morning and expects things to happen nicely.
Congrats given to all the fools that live in democrat infested states, you have proven that you couldn’t care any less about gun rights and might be the one the next story is written about.
Remember all it takes is one person to be mad at you and lie to an antigun judge and you are the next candidate to lose your guns and quite possibly your life when the trigger happy thugs in blue come to steal your property.
What I want to know is what legal action is being taken. This is an instance where ALL of the pro-gun organizations need to combine forces and fight this injustice, all the way to the SCOTUS. The state of Maryland needs to be “BANKRUPTED” by this case and everyone and anyone involved (governor, judges, police chief, sheriff, law officers, and everyone in the state congress who voted in favor of this law) in this unconstitutional law needs to serve time for murder/manslaughter, lose their jobs, and have all their assets (including retirement benefits) confiscated and given to the family.
In the 1960s, I despised Democrat jerks who called the police “pigs.”
But that’s exactly what these Maryland AHs are.
Cops were pigs in the 60’s and still are. But don’t blame liberal for these gun related problems. Liberals own guns too (like me), and speaking for myself, anyone who attempts to take my guns will probably die
Where are the riots taking place because I f this travesty? Any highways being blocked by arm-in-arm protesters? Towns burning down? No?
You won\’t see any. We\’re conservatives. We don\’t throw tantrums, riot, block highways, lock arms in protest, etc. We just go about our day to day business as if nothing\’s happened, albeit we\’re disturbed by the fact that one of our citizens has been destroyed via a intrusion and subsequent deprivation of his constitutional rights, including the second amendment and his very right to continue to exist. IMHO
Are you saying that it is a good thing?
We as a people should be outraged and be looking for a way to get our country back off of these thieves.
By any means.
Votes?
NeoCon or DemonRat two sides to the same shekel.
Both party’s are endorsed by AIPAC .
“We don’t know what we prevented” is the new probable-cause justification to steal and murder a US citizen. We no longer live in a Constitutional Republic.
Get used to it. There\’s going to be more \”Frankenstein\’s\” before we\’re subdued, brow beat to submission or simply subdued and incarcerated for crimes related to us protecting our constitutional rights.This deceased \”monster\” citizen was created by a bad law, a meddling, most likely disgruntled, liberal relative and a poorly prepared law enforcement element. The man was gunned down in his own home by invading officers who had a warrant most likely based on biased information provided by a most likely slighted, liberal \”family member\” affiant and the chief of police announces to the world that this is the reason the law was passed. To kill us for exercising our second amendment rights at least?!I have a problem with that.
Blaming liberals doesn’t address the problem. Only more guns and a readiness to use them against cops by everyone of us, now that solves the problem.
Shades of what the Nazis did during their invasion spree. All guns in Europe were and are registered so the Nazis seized the registration lists and went door to door. Anyone who didn’t hand over the gun(s) – maybe didn;t have it any more – was shot and killed. And they were “Chust followink orderss!
Those cops should be prosecuted for murder and the family should file a “Wrongful Death” suit.
Guilty by say so…
A favorite liberal mantra when it comes to passing a law is, “It is worth it if it saves just one life.” This law cost a man his life, was it worth it?
I was born and raised in the South, since 1860 you voted Democrat no matter what…until 1968. If you are a Democrat because your daddy or grand daddy was one and for some reason think the Dems of the 1950’s are the same folks, you are are beyond wrong. Since 1968, Dems have evolved into what was the Communist Party, every single talking point is pure communist based. They even follow Lenin’s 5 of the 6 rules to take over a country, with the US Media of all types in their back pocket as the tool of rule #1 -Propaganda. Why not all 6? The sixth was to blame the previous leader, in this case, Dems fawn over Obama making sure nothing he did ever reflected badly on the Dems or their plan.
I don’t understand why they showed up at 5AM. He wasn’t being treated for a mental health condition. He never had a run in with the law. Based on the fact he was “outspoken” that was good enough to peg him a threat to society. Did he have an argument with the sister and she was getting back at him?
I guess we just can\’t be \”outspoken\” against the guv\’ment these days.
Sounds like the sister is the one with a mental problem. Have the COPS been to her house at 5am?
So if he was a heavy sleeper would they then authorized busting his door down. Surprising him in bed and then shooting him while still in bed.
Most likely, yes.
I see and have so many issues with this law. Unreal!
I’m hoping there is more to this story. I’m hoping this all can’t be the result of ONE person making a complaint yet that is the only thing the article offers as a reason for this “confiscation”. This is some scary stuff and another of many reasons I moved out of Maryland……….. Your rights don’t matter, you can’t defend yourself from criminals or tyranny, your vote doesn’t count and corruption with in the state is rampant.
My Concern is that anyone can throw accusation’s and ruin a good persons reputation without any recourse to remedy the falsehoods should there be one. I am also concern this will lead to a nation wide confiscation of firearms from the majority of gun owners who are level headed and honest for a few politicly motivated people and media whom use this to move their agenda for their own needed recognition. Any way its scary, looks like the terrorists are actually winning here.
That was the Law Enforcement community\’s concern about passing \”new laws\” when I was in the business. There\’s existing laws in most jurisdictions that would afford some sort of equitable remedy to the problem for ALL involved. It seems the business folks on the Law Enforcement and judicial sides are seeing a (misguided, in my personal/professional opinion) need to create new laws!WHY?! There\’s already good laws that exist specifically for these purposes, if/when necessary.
“This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we’ll be lucky to live through it.”
One death makes it \”out of control\”, unnecessary.
Wonder how Sister feels. Got her brother killed…
“Like it or not, some people need to have their guns taken away”.
Fine, lets do it with due process of law and a mental evaluation from a doctor who can be sued for doing so with opposite opinions from other doctors. No end run around the constitution, do it the right way.
Just like the dream of a line item veto, giving that much power to a single person is dangerous to society.
It’s called the 72hr Psychological Evaluation any LEO who feels strongly a person is a threat to self or others can get a judge to order it …
Police officers are neither psychiatrists nor psychologists. They do not have the requisite skills or training to “diagnose” whether or not someone has a mental disorder. As such, the whole “red flag” issue is a joke.
This is stupid. As is said below, why not ask him to step outside or even them go in while gun is on table? Also, why go at 5:30 am to get guns. Of course he came to door with pistol in hand. And to allow just anyone to say someone is a threat and be able to confiscate their guns? This is we overstep nationwide.
i wouldn’t want that job now that they have set the rules. if there are cops at the door start shooting first, because they will kill you.
I’m going to get a doorway video camera and speaker and if the police come to my door I will answer via the speaker and reply “Just a moment while I call my lawyer please”.
Why didn’t the officers use this scenario – ” Hi, Mr. XXX – could you step outside so we can talk to you for a minute?” He lays the gun down (as he did) and then goes outside. No access to the firearm as it was still inside. At that point we can have an intelligent discussion and determine what to do next. Situation (temporarily) diffused.
As a gun dealer, I’m already biased – unconstitutional law improperly enforced. What if the sister was caught in the cross-fire? Too many unexplored options and a dead gun owner. More on the way now…..
This is a disgusting overstep of the law. What will stop political disputes from escalating into lawful disarmaments. As a police officer I believe the police in this case are violating their oath to protect the constitution. Family being family does not warrant stripping someone of their rights. This is not the way to go if you want people to speak up and get help. The last thing you should do is penalize someone who needs help. My rights are more important than your dead.
This police says RESIST.
I can answer the sheriffs question, He’d be alive! You know there’ll be a dept. to dept. competition to see who can get the most firearms away from the public.
Been in law enforcement for 15 years. I read about this law all the time in other states. It has started a discussion in my department and so far I haven’t heard one Trooper, Officer, or Deputy where I am agree with that law and say they would never enforce it if it came here. I am glad to say that my department, which is the biggest department in my state, actually teaches the new cadets about the 2A and how we don’t violate the constitution even under direct order. My state is pro gun so maybe that’s why I hear about things like this elsewhere.
Been in law enforcement for 15 years. I read about this law all the time in other states. It has started a discussion in my department and so far I haven’t heard one Trooper, Officer, or Deputy where I am from agree with that law. We would never enforce it if it came here. I am glad to say that my department, which is the biggest department in my state, actually teaches the new cadets about the 2A and how we don’t violate the constitution even under direct order. My state is pro gun so maybe that’s why I hear about things like this elsewhere.
I retired from Law Enforcement after spending forty years in it as an officer/deputy/detective to a Chief. I entered the career in 1975 when I got out of the Army. I retired, wholly retired in 2015. I don\’t agree with this law. There\’s plenty of other tools in the tool box we used if we found a need to separate a person from their firearm(s). Today\’s answer is simply to pass a new law, don\’t use the ones on the books. Create a new one for each specific incident. I have plenty of career LE friends, prosecutor friends, LE execs who agree with me. We need to enforce the laws we have on the books already, not create new ones. This NEVER occurred on my watch and yes, I did remove weapons from the bad guys when it was warranted and we didn\’t have to create new laws to do it.
Hear here…!
What we need is to confiscate weapons from some members of the police departments. Who the hell gave the order to bang on this guys door at 5am? That’s O-dark thirty at this time of the year. Pitch black outside. It takes a mentally-challenged idiot to think that ANY such official action in the middle of the night would be warranted unless against a valid and verified dangerous criminal. The official who ordered that this be carried out in this manner at this hour definitely needs to not only have his weapons confiscated, but his badge, too.
I agree with Mike S , 5:30 AM is used by swat teams to arrest the most dangerous criminals , As a retired Police Sergeant if someone was knocking on my door at that time I would most definitely answer it with my gun in my hand . Since retiring I have come to learn that not all Police Officers have the brains to be on the job .
lol well you have had to work with such- however seems the code upholding the “the thin blue line” prevents calling out + ousting the dimwits, crooked + unfit = which reflects badly for good community + local co-operation yielding an “us versus them mentality”.
Academy’s should weed out those not up for the special role in LE just like NFL or any business does.
Sheriff Mack + “Oath Keepers” are Constitutionally minded LE= well learned in American understanding of our “freedoms under Liberty”.
Standard procedure on suspected drug dealer raids. Been done for years and years. Catch someone half asleep and much easier to subdue.
My heart is crushed by this. This man was denied 2nd, 5th, and 14th amendment rights, and ultimately had the tyranny of the state on full display in in deprivng him of his life (5th). A man may seem dangerous to others, but we have never successfully predicted violent crimes, so taking action against someone before violence has occurred is intellectually and morally wrong. His anger at the situation is understood, and not only do I diagree with the letter of the law iin this case, there are much safer ways to approach and disarm someone. Shame on that law enforcement officer! I know they were in a crappy situation too, but I just can’t back away from my disgust for how this unfolded. To all other readers, please write your elected representatives. I already did. What choice do we have?I don’t want to see this happening ever again in this country. Peace and safety to all of you.
Is the police chief or governor a “tranny”?
Spelling is everything!
It reads \”tyranny\”. I\’m posting this late so Josh might have changed it since you commented.
I will be interested to see how this loss of life plays out in the courts…I hope it proceeds there for everyone’s sake. If you restrict a constitutional right and take a life, depriving a person of their civil right to life, you had better know your standing to do so. This law has not been judged long enough to know. The officers caused to defend their lives may be in poor position if the foundation for this action is “family being family”, that is not justification for any action.
And. if you are going to enforce this law…going to a person’s home at 5 in the morning is provoking. Police could have chose to isolate this man as he went through his daily routine, make things safe, then proceed to take his weapons…this is a common practice in law enforcement in general. I was a hugely poor choice to go about this in this manner and cause a situation where this man lost his life. Was he evaluated by a mental health professional prior to the act? He certainly cannot defend his mental status now in front of a judge, no appeal possible.
These “Red Flag” laws are a great example of the “What If…” My wife is always what iffing. I always respond with something like, “it didn’t, it won’t, or it isn’t, so stop what-iffing me.”
Sounds stupid? Well, basically, YES!
It’s typically human, and normally harmless.
BUT WHEN OUR GOVERNMENT DOES IT, IT IS NO LONGER HARMLESS!
This is a PERFECT EXAMPLE. — JUST GO BACK AND REREAD THE SHERIFF’S COMMENT: “If you look at this morning’s outcome, it’s tough for us to say ‘Well, what did we prevent?’ ” he said. “Because we don’t know what we prevented or could’ve prevented. What would’ve happened if we didn’t go there at 5 a.m.?”
—- maybe somebody should call in a “red flag” on that sheriff. — what if …………
“Maryland’s law states that anything related to an order is confidential unless the court rules otherwise.”
Right there is the problem. The man was not notified, and they came at 5:17 in the morning. The most unjust action done in this country is when someone can call, unidentified, to DSS telling them about child abuse at a residence. Many times this is a vindictive call, especially among lower income folks, but according to the law you are guilty until you can prove the charges were not right. Now it seems this reasoning has been applied to gun confiscations. How many folks with a firm grasp of their individual gun rights, would not come to their front door without having access to a defensive weapon at 5:17 in the morning? I have read that gun confiscations in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina was either planned or done in the middle of the night. The National Guard said night time was the best for that operation.
We all know how it actually went down. The cops show up to ask for his gun and being a law abiding citizen he dutifully goes to hand his gun to the cops. The cop who wasn’t in on the discussion sees a dangerous perp with a gun and shoots just like he’s trained to do. Then the cover up begins, “Dude what were you doing?” “He was going for his gun” “No he was handing it over, it wasn’t even loaded” “My bad” “Okay we’ll call it self defense from a crazy with a gun, don’t let it happen again” “I’ll pay attention next time, don’t tell the chief”
SO TRUE!
While I don’t know any more than what this article said, I see where this law could be used by a family member almost like “Swatting”. It seems to me our “Rights” are gradually being deteriorated in an effort to make weak knee citizens feel more comfortable.
The fact the man answered the door at 5:00 A.M. with a gun, determined it was the Police, and placed the gun down on the table shows he was not mentally ill enough to confiscate his guns. He only attempted to pick up the gun when Police said they we’re illegally, 2nd Amendment Right, confiscating his gun without due process under the law, which is also against the Constitution. If he had broken any laws he would have been a felon and could not legally own a gun. Also at 5:00 AM not many people would be mentally processing everything in top form. If there is not a process of complaint, legal hearing, and court ruling how could they legally confiscate his guns? This stinks Constitutionally to high heaven.
When Cops start getting shot violating the Constitution…Things will start changing.
A five in the morning knock on the door is never a good sign. Unless one is in an early morning car pool, people are naturally leery of early morning knocks at the door. He should not have answered his door.
I guess this is a far simpler solution to mental heath care. Just remember, it was the liberal “civil rights” legislators that shut down a majority of the mental health hospitals and released thousands of patients into society to fend for themselves.
Permitting a simple 72 hour observation for an individual accused of mental health issues, a process that is available in most states, would have prevented this tragedy. While inconvenient for the accused, it would be a safer way to determine the wisdom of having the individual armed. An actual hearing could be scheduled, using due process, to rule on the competency of said individual.
I would bet many individuals in need of help would voluntarily remove firearms from their homes, if asked to. Of course, sharp objects, and battering devices (bats?) would still be available.
I have read articles and actually heard from a judge stating that more than 25 percent of inmates in our prisons should be in a mental health institution IF WE STILL HAD THEM.
I am not a lawyer but, I believe lack of due process provides a opening for abuse of the system. Heck, there are many liberal minded individuals that have identified gun ownership alone as a mental illness. I feel for the family of this man.
Too much power in the hands of law enforcement. Flimsy burden of proof is all that is required and now an innocent man who did NOTHING is now shot dead. State of Maryland should be financially liable and the NRA should take this to the U.S. Supreme court if necessary. Donald Trump did not intend for the police to execute innocent people on a whim and yes, I wish he had not tweeted that misunderstood message under duress.
This needs to be taken into the court and liability places on the police and county
You cant arrest a man for a crime he hasnt done. Then violate his constitutional rights then kill him.
The person responsible should be taken to court, not the police, although the police department should be under review and made to answer for there actions. The person responsible is the Judge who authorized the damn warrant/order!
Just as everyone predicted, its just another way for the left to disarm honest people. I would hate to think that the cops would show up at my front door just because my sister decided to give me some grief.
And where is all the folks around here that says ” my son is a cop and he would never try and confiscate anyones’s guns and violate their 2nd amendment rights.” Cops are going to do what they are told to do to keep their jobs. They don’t give a rat’s ass about our 2nd amendment rights. And to the Molon Labe crowd, you see what that just got this man.
The only way to get a message out to those who make these laws is to go in large numbers en mass, ARMED, march in the court house square, in front of the State Capitol, and in front of the Capitol in DC. Learn to protest like your college grandchildren.
Or you can just wait til your pissed off sister says you’re a nut.
I believe the Police Chief Timothy Altomare to be mentally disturbed, & demand an immediate investigation .
Need to include the Judge!
THIS IS NOT THE CASE OF RED FLAG. THE GUY WAS TRYING TO PROTECTED HIS OWN LIFE AND HIS AMMO.
GUN, RIFFLE, PISTOL ARE ALL WORTHLESS IF NO AMMO.
THE GUY WAS TRYING TO PROTECTED HIS LIFE AND AMMO IN WHERE THAT CITY HAS NO LAW ABOUT THE AMMO.
I DO NOT THINK THIS IS THE CASE OF THE RED FLAG LAW? THE RED FLAG LAW IS A WRONG LAW AND WASTED OF HUMAN LIFE AND TIME.
LOOK THE GUY WAS TRYING TO PROTECTED HIS RIGHTS AND HIS AMMO. NOT HIS GUN.
GUN, RIFLE, PISTOL ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. THEY GUY WAS PROTECTING HIS LIFE AND HIS AMMO.
Sometimes, particularly in an extended family, the one with mental issues is not the one with guns at home. It is instead the one who makes calls to police and government protective services. Unfortunately, it appears the contacted service does little or no investigation to determine if the reporting family member is mentally unstable. Incidents such as this will likely increase in the future.
What would have happened is a peaceful US citizen would still be alive to oppose big government from breaching constitutional rights.
This article seems to leave out some important information. While it tries to explain this “red flag law” it does not explain exactly what the burden of proof is for obtaining an order of confiscation. If all one has to do is complain to have police confiscate another persons weapons thereby nullifying his/her Second Amendment rights, this so called law is pure garbage. How about some details on what it takes to get an order of confiscation temporary or otherwise.
They don’t know what they prevented?! And they don’t consider what they caused! Basically, they executed a man in his home at 5 am to prevent a possible future incident or crime. Based on who saying what? Maybe a relative or neighbor that had a beef with him? If that’s all it takes to pre-crime execute someone, cops could just wait outside prisons shooting convicts as they come out. At least then they’d have a reasonable belief they are preventing crime.
Excellent summary! I concur completely. There are endless reasons that an innocent person can be disarmed under these laws. Hell, it could come down to just politics. Some fervent anti-gun advocate wanting to make a point, or merely win an argument. I LOATHE this mentality. I’ve witnessed a similar ideology backfire with the chronically ill and injured. In a vain attempt to reduce drug abuse, the government is taking away narcotic medications from legitimately broken people. These errant policies have had the exact opposite effect! Folks are moving to illicit drugs when their legal drugs are taken away. Many have committed suicide. Overdose deaths have INCREASED. All because of the moronic idea of prevention. Just like this law with firearms confiscation, there is only a REMOTE potential of misuse.
This is great, but I think we need to go further. In addition to their Second (and Fourth) Amendment rights, if “we” believe someone has “mental issues” we need to take away their First Amendment rights so they can’t cause problems by speaking. Oh, and their right to vote, ’cause they won’t exercise that in a way “we” think is responsible.
This is EXACTLY why I never tell anybody that I own firearms. There is zero reason for my family members to know that I have firearms – (especially since half of my family is whacko). Even my ex-wife never knew I kept a shotgun behind the headboard of our bed. Can you imagine how many spiteful ex-wives or jealous sisters or cousins or ex-girlfriends would be calling to have your guns confiscated, just to rattle your cage?
Whenever I\’m in a group of people who start bragging about all the firearms they own, I just bite my tongue because it\’s nobody else\’s business.
Yeah, my ex told the police I was suicidal, and apparently a rusty old .22 rifle that jammed all the time was what I was going to use. I’d have had to shoot myself 9 times with it to finish the job, and it jammed every other round. I just locked the bolt and used it as a single shot. It wasn’t worth fixing, in case you’re wondering. When the cop saw it, he just laughed.
Niece called LEO on her husband cause she was mad. They came out and searched the entire property. Found nothing. He was mightily upset. Didn’t help reconciliation.
The Maryland Judiciary has not released any information on why police were attempting to confiscate Willis’ firearms. Maryland’s law states that anything related to an order is confidential unless the court rules otherwise.
Why is this information confidential? I am a retired police officer and strong defender of the 2nd Amendment. When I wrote a search or arrest warrant, I had to articulate what law the suspect violated and give the specific details relating to that law in the affidavit which I signed and the judge read before he signed it. It then was filed with the clerks office and became public record. The police and courts operating under secrecy is extremely dangerous. So much room for abuse here. He should have had an open hearing in court before any attempt to even temporarily remove his guns was attempted. Too much room for abuse, piss off your ex-wife, take your guns. Make a politically incorrect statement, take your guns. trigger some SJW, take your guns.
EXACTLY is what’s going on under the misnamed Patriot Act with Comey + FISA fiasco the Lefty loons have + are pursuing on Trump= lots of room for terrible mischief + wickedness on the innocent.
He was 60, how many 60 year olds have been shooting up anything? You are the beginning of the demise of our country. Why don’t you follow up on kids that threaten and are unstable. Or loners who talk about it. But kids are resourceful they’ll find weapons somewhere. My grandmother is crazy as a loon but at 5 o’clock in the morning she’d shoot you with her double barrell she keeps over the fireplace. NO all you’ve done is kill an innocent man, I know you’re police are proud Maryland, 2 bulldog cops can’t knock an old man out they have to kill him to reduce paperwork.
Eddie you are spot on.
Eddie, you are spot on. Everybody thinks only older people are crazy. Who does all the mass killing? Younger people.
Next these liberals communists aka rhinos and democrats will come after veterans weapons because all they care about are the queers and lesbians and Islamics owning guns
Just another reactionary law. This hurts all concerned. It is the responsibility of every firearm owner to report those who want to do harm to our citizens. If we could stop the perps before the mass shooting, we firearms owners could slow down the gun confiscation..Calling out the crazies can only help our cause. Our job is to protect people from mass destruction.
If I lived in a state with “Red Flag laws” I would be hiding most of my weapons, but not in my house. I have several firearms, (WWII German Mausers), without serial numbers. Those are the ones to stash. Another choice, if possible, move to one of the friendly firearms states
WTF are the police thinking showing up at 5 am?
Cpl. Jessica Hooper and Officer Gary Zawodny, both five-year veterans of the department, were serving one of Maryland’s new “red flag” protective orders to remove guns from a house in the 100 block of Linwood Ave. in Glen Burnie on Monday morning when police say the subject of the protective order, Gary J. Willis, answered the door holding a gun.
So in the name of protection the Police end up using guns to kill someone…..somehow that just seems ironic. You would think they would have the common sense to know from past dealings that blindly showing up and making demands on someone you honestly feel has mental issues is hardly the way to resolve any situation. They need time, which I know they will say they don\’t have. Unless a legitimate threat of violence has been established by the person they should be notified and given a period of time to turn the weapons in. This may sound like left wing diatribe but I assure you I\’m a hard right gun owning keep the gov\’t out person who works with law enforcement. Give the people 2 day, 5 days, 1 week…what ever. It will deescalate the immediate confrontation and possibly not always all cooler heads to prevail. Showing up at a door looking for a fight all geared up barking demands, how do you expect people to respond. With no time to think people simply react and you wind up with dead people.
Especially when you consider that this happened in a ‘relatively unsafe’ neighborhood at 5:17am (which for some people is considered ‘the middle of the night’) and the police pounded on the door. Of course you’re going to show up half dressed with a long gun in your hand to answer the door. BTW, why would you serve this type of warrant at that time? He originally put the gun down when they asked him to. As per his niece, When they said they were there to confiscate his guns he was shocked (it’s the ‘middle of the night’) and he reacted by grabbing his long gun and holding it muzzle up against his chest like a football as if in possession. One police officer grabbed the gun with both hands and, as they struggled with it, something got caught on the trigger (as both sets of hands struggling for the weapon reportedly were not near the trigger – possibly the cop’s gear) and the gun fired into the ceiling. At that time a second police officer shot and killed him.
And this is all because some anti-gun whacko didn’t want Willis to have guns while his niece was living with him. Is there any crime we could charge that whacko with? Can we sue her? This whole law is messed up. This will continue to happen more and more in America through incrementalism.
Someone made the phone call to have this guy checked out. Someone was worried. I understand answering the door with a gun, when you see police, put the gun down. He made the move to pick it back up. That is a threat, the police are doing a job and want to go home to family at the end of the day.
This coming from a gun owner/ collector and a health care / mental health worker.
I guess you just missed the point.
Give me your address and I will call the police to report that you are acting funny by spouting off you own guns and work in mental health. While you we not being threatening, I thought you could harm yourself or others because you own guns.
The police get their order and show up at your door at 5 am, banging loudly to wake you up. You have no idea what could be going on at that time in the morning and take your gun with you.
Depending on the officers at the door’s demeanor, you are now a target for them to “protect” themselves. You are a bit confused as to why they are there to confiscate your firearms and you say no way.
Well you just made a fatal mistake. You refuse to put down the gun, in your own home, and they shoot you. They say you were a threat. Who can prove otherwise? You are dead because the officers want to “go home to family at the end of the day.”
As a retired military/LE officer, enforcing a bad law does not make it right. Planning the confiscation at a time when the target is most confused is a set up. How many other cops with wonderful dispositions will do the same with the likely outcome of you being dead?
Cops are people with all the prejudices of ordinary citizens. They have just received more training. Anti gun/activist cops are out there. What a wonderful law to allow them to illegally confiscate your weapons.
Do the cops get to keep or resell his weapons now?
“Someone made the phone call to have this guy checked out”.
That is a total miss-characterization of what the visit was for. They were not there to check out anything, they were there at O-dark-hundred to confiscate his personal property and they killed him. No due process no court just hearsay and execution. Others ave opined that their should have been notification and reasonable time given to turn in firearms in order to not make it an attack in the middle of the night and to give the accused time to challenge the hearsay . I am inclined to agree.
You know, we’ll make sure they come at the equivalent of 5 am for you as it would be for an older man. We’ll make sure they pound on your door and yell. And when they shoot you because “they were afraid” we’ll just say, “Gosh they were just defending themselves”
If your first and only recourse as a police officer is to use your weapon to kill someone, then you either need a lot more training or you need to not carry a firearm.
If they want to go home at the end of the day, don’t go banging on some ones door at 0517 in the morning. After dark and before sunrise, you come banging on my door, I answer the door holding a pistol behind my back. One can argue as well, he was defending his constitutional rights which the police may have been violating. As a veteran, I swore to protect and defend my country, the constitution is what our country is based on. Until this law is challenged in the highest court in the country, we will not know, but those cops may have been pawns used to enforce an unconstitutional law. I would suggest they let the “LAW MAKERS” be the ones to go and remove weapons from these people. Everything sounds good if some one else is doing the work, but see how good it looks if they have to do it themselves. We have gone from “Leaders” being out in front leading, to today our “Leaders” are hiding at the rear following what’s going on.
The best way to get rid of unjust laws like this is law suit after law suit after law suit, sue them states into bankruptcy if that’s what it takes. This incident is a perfect example, I hope the relatives of this guy sue for a MASSIVE amount and GET it. I have all the respect in the world for our police but some of these states are using them for assassination squads, this has to STOP!!!
Does this mean I can accuse my neighbor of being mentally unbalanced and have his firearms confiscated ? hmmmm……
Sure does. As long as you couch your information in a way that can be interpreted as being irrational.
“I saw my neighbor in his house with a gun. He was pointing it all around and it made me feel unsafe. He looked like he was getting ready for something.”
or
“My neighbor is crazy. I can hear him yelling in his house. I know he has guns and that makes me nervous.”
I doubt the police would be trying to take his guns unless the guy was a threat in the first place. Police are put in the middle of the arguement unfortunately and sometimes do things heavy handly unfortunately.
Like it or not guns sometimes need taken to protect the public. It really needs to be done however in some cases like it or not. Better the nut cases loose their guns than to let them kill a bunch of innocent people.
If your friends, children or parents is killed by a nut case you will sing a different tune.
Spoken like a good little sheeple. And I hate to break it to you, massive corruption exists at all levels of and benches of law enforcement. It’s not just the Comey’s of the world that are corrupt. Far too many of the foot soldiers are disturbingly evil as well.
Another law passed by a socialist liberal democrats that will not do anything but cause division and hatred in the USA. Distrust and anti-establishment followed by all out resistance to authority.
I will openly and fervently oppose any candidate who votes for such destructive legislation. Anyone who does support such is just helping to destroy this great nation.
Look out the Brown Shirts are knocking. I can’t believe what I just read? There is little evidence that a 61 year old man would become a shooter? For the police to shoot this man in his home is a travesty and a dastardly deed. The officer needs to be brought up on murder charges. My advice to people living in Maryland with guns would be to not open the door when these Storm Troopers Knock. Tell them to come back with a search warrant.
And to add to the confusion for Mr. Willis, we ce pounding in his door at 5 a.m., shouting orders. I would have beennpissed, too.
Sounds like a self fulfilling prophecy that can now be used by jackbooted storm troopers to justify this as well as further violations of constitutionally guaranteed rights.
What part of the phrase “… shall not be infringed.” and the concept of reasonable cause do these people have trouble understanding?
Who inherits his estate? If it’s his sister, she should be barred from it (if she’s the one who got the cops to confiscate his gun{s}). She was the cause of his death and, therefore, shouldn’t profit from it.
And if the niece loved her uncle, she should sue that police department and the cop who pulled the trigger for murdering him. Hit them where it hurts and you’ll see less of these kinds of shenanigans.
More thought needs to go into this law. Trained police in more effective negotiations is needed. Mental health issues are causing all of the shootings. In cases where the person may cause harm to themselves , going in like Rambo doesn’t do anything but cause the police to wind up shooting the person. What’s gained ? Police should go in “ to talk” and slowly work their way into why they are there to confiscate the weapons. It’s seems in most cases they are causing the person to get violent.
Knock on my door that early in the morning and I’ll have a gun too in today’s environment. Tell me your going to confiscate all my firearms you better have plenty of paper work saying why and legal proof thereof! Not just someone talking out their a-s-s that needs a safe space!
Some of us would rather be dead then lose our constitutional protected freedom.
It is not only guns but freedom of speech
Freedom of assembly
If the 2nd. amendment is repealed, The rest of the constitution is next.
The only way to fight unconstitutional laws like this one (at least at present) is to raise holy hell with the legislators. If I were a Marylander, I’d have pen in hand and an appointment with my senator/representative.
So now when police come to your door ask If they have a warrant. if not they are armed Intruders and should be treated as Such
The left has been trying to create a wedge between law enforcement and the gun community – natural allies, the NRA was a police advocate when everyone else was calling them “pigs” – and this is their tool to do it.
All this is not going to end well.
Chilling. The state shows up to take away a man’s property without anything resembling due process, the man resists, and is killed.
I hope those officers and the judge who sent them there are all brought up on murder charges, as Stalinist thugs who murder citizens for no good reason should be. In the People’s Republic of Maryland, it won’t happen though.
All this outrage. His own family initiated the confiscation. And where is the concern for law enforcement safety now? If he were a black man jaywalking you all would feel that officer safety dictated the need for lethal force. You guys are all pathetic. How does no one here say “don’t struggle with a police officer over a firearm”. If he had complied, then he would have his due process. The order is TEMPORARY. He still had rights. He simply has to follow the due process.
The point is there’s was no Constitutional Due Process for Mr. Willis as Red Flag by virtue of bypassing it IS tyranny.
…and is there a penalty for accusers for falsely identifying a threat? Say a pissed of kid or neighbor calls the cops on someone after getting pissed that someone was mowing their lawn too early or dad wouldn’t let borrow the car…? If the threat isn’t valid the accuser should do jail time.
These fascists who give police a bad name are guilty of murder. 1st Degree!
Their superiors in office— only— are guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and the politicians who participated in enacting such un-Constitutional “law?” are guilty of all of the above as well as treason to the United States of America.
That is the simple truth (based upon the verity of this article).
I will feel bad for the family of the deceased. Don’t be stupid and threaten with gun violence. Don’t let the snowflakes know you even have guns. Like snowflake camouflage-blend in…act like a pussy- get some skinny jeans-drink a half caf mocha soy snowflake latte….idk just be careful
So, as a licensed FFL, and a gun enthusiast, I didn’t really have an issue with these laws, but the concern was the abuse of power. Which is always the concern. This sounds like some BS, if what the article states is true. What bothers me the most is the police chiefs response to this man being shot, claiming this is proof that the law is working? I can can’t say I wouldn’t get irate. I would hope that common sense would tell me not to pick up my firearm, because that’s just a reason for the cops to shoot you. I don’t know. Not enough info on this story to form a solid opinion.
You CANNOT violate someone’s rights on a “hunch”, rather an individual must have done something to break the law in order to use ANY force against them! It sounds like these officers actions are unconstitutional and all involved should feel the wrath of such actions. This man did not have to die because he “spoke his mind”. Shame on those who are responsible for this and I hope this law gets amended or repealed to prevent further tragedies from occurring. Next time corporate thugs go confiscate someone’s weapons on a hunch, it might be them who gets hurt in the process.. These town leaders need to take a closer look at how this is handled to prevent this sort of tragedy from happening again. If you come to my door at wee hours of the morning and I know I’ve done nothing wrong, the story would likely end very differently from this one!
Anne Arundel County Police Chief Timothy Altomare disagrees. “……..What would’ve happened if we didn’t go there at 5 a.m.?””
Here’s what may be a shocking answer to your self-aggrandizing question, Chief:
A God-fearing, tax-paying, American citizen would still be alive!
This is not a job for cops. this should be handled by a mental health professional. Police arrest criminals. Being mentally ill is not a crimal offense. Stupid state, with another stupid law.
Welcome to the beginning of tyranny, liberal communism, and dictatorial rule. This is how it starts. It will continue across the country. Notice how it’s stated that all information is confidential unless the courts deem otherwise. The same men and women sworn to protect citizens are now killing them on a presumption. The Constitution allows us the right to own and bear arms and defend yourself from a rouge government. Yet polititions and law makers keep finding ways to get around it and as another blogger stated “abuse” the law. So now here is an elderly man shot and killed by law enforcement over a family members assumtion that she thought he might be a danger. Give it a few days and the PR spin Will provide plenty that it was justified. Polititions and law enforcement are testing the waters and when nobody seems to care they will continue to be more bold about it. Next it will be anybody owning guns is a threat and they’ll go after all who own them. This incident also happened in one of the most liberal States in the country. Go figure.
The Constitution/Bill of Rights do not bequeath the Right to Bear Arms but merely reveals our Declarations God given unalienable Right to LIFE, LIBERTY and pursuit of HAPPINESS …
For if assaulted, murdered or robbed without protection- then the first BIG three are not truly fact = this if done by criminal act of persons or tyrannical government.
What did this prevent? For one thing it prevented an innocent man living his life. Under Wyoming self defense laws once the threat is ended, he no longer had the gun, killing him is murder. The cop who shot should be tried for second degree murder. Of course Wyoming is much more rational than Maryland.
Why blaming the police? Blame the law makers and the family that filed the complain. You will not find a solution if you dont understand the problem.
The first part is true tho the second officer instead of merely helping the first officer shot to kill this man at his own front door.
A thinking Constitutionally minded Peace Officer keeping his Oath of Office would refuse to carry out an unconstitutional order.
For WE hung many Nazis + Japanese officers who’s only excuse was “I was only following orders”
SEE –
“Oath Keepers”
Start calling in red flags on police officers, legislators, judges, police chiefs, their family members, etc. Let’s see how the bias is apparent and these laws only help police take the lives of people before the judicial process can ever take place.
Use Alinsky’s Rules For Radicals back at them…lol
Here is a very complicated situation. Allegedly, Gary Willis’s sister asked for an order to confiscate Willis’s guns but, it’s not reported why except for “family being family”. What does that mean? could it be that Gary and his sister had a disagreement and the sister seeking retribution asked for a “red flag” warrant to take away his guns. The Maryland judge, eager to enforce the “red flag law”, issued the warrant and now Willis is dead. I guess his sister showed him. He came to the door with a gun in his hand (which is not uncommon when someone knocks on your door a 0515 hrs. considering that a lot of home invasions take place at the time of the morning.), he put the gun down on a table, and, when they told him that they were there to confiscate his guns, he picked it up, a struggle ensued, they shot him. That sounds like a lot of breaches in procedure to me. Now, the cops story seems a little far fetched and fabricated bull shit to cover their asses. I would demand a through investigation of the officers actions. I would get a lawyer and bring suit against the state, the judge, the police department, and the 2 officers. This law WILL be abused by anyone wishing to get revenge against anyone, for anything, and, the way it’s written and executed, they will always be successful. And the accuser don’t even have to be telling the truth!!
ie- Body cams for all….did they have them?
Tragic as the story is written, this warrants an, independent, through review.
I’m not sure what else we need to see, hear, and read about everyday, before we stand up to a government that is murdering people they either want locked up, or murdered.
The new world order, as they call it, is forming the world they want, and if you, and yours don’t fit in….. Well, damn, I better stop talking about it, or you’ll be reading about me next, because I won’t answer the door with a gun in my hand.
The motherfuckers coming to take my shit, will be answering to my shit!
Front Line Soldier, Americas Freemans Army
Talking about Mental Health and having a right to pocess a Gun: are we sure our Representatives have the mental capacity to Represent us?
Think again!
Just makes it easier for the next time. They’ll go to a judge, say look what happened the last time, we need a no knock to be served on these people. Then they get to go in with the SWAT team and take out the whole family. Kids included.
You forgot SWAT is trained to shoot the dog first…
Whether they have the right house or not…
This is wrong,family heirlooms taken,guns taken n sold. Who got the $$$ and did the arms REALLY sell or go in 1 of the outstanding nazi cops hands? Hemmler had a room full of expensive guns all confescated like this nazi scheme. Taking arms like this is wrong,selling them and taking what they get ,keeping the money,thats stealing cause by most cases the arms were paid for with his or her hard earned money.
WAKE UP AMERICA HITLER LEFT A TRADEMARK DEMONCRAPS ARE USING.
WHY DIDNT REPUBLICANS GET OFF THEIR ASSES N VOTE?
Some of this kinda crap could of not happened if everybody got out n voted.enough registered gun owners to make big changes
True – the Founders gave us a bloodless revolution every 2 to 3 yrs……if WE show up.
And Feinstein and the Democraps rejoice!!
Huh= when’s the last time someone was banging on your door at 5AM?
Thot so- me neither= and is why he had a gun in his hand.
It was his home right with his right to defend it.
What- they couldn’t taze this man rather murder him in his own home?
Try contacting folks by having them come to LE firstz then go to the home with them.
* As is- it’s unConstitutional in the first place.
To be credible- 3 separate people should sign affidavits to have a judge consider a look see into a “Incompetence” claim.
Then if found to be false and groundless- those three are charged w/perjury for intentionally violating anothers Rights falsely.
It shouldn’t be just one person “calling in” with a vendetta willy nilly.
Then there must then be colaborating evidence+proof once looked in to before action is taken.
Then- the person in question is decently querried and asked to discreetly take a “Compentency eval”.
Yes society does have the responsibility to self protect a community-!
Tho not stripping Rights unless criminally in violation of the Rights of others first- [threats to life, physical assault(not selfdefence), antisocial behavior’s].
Most of the criminal actions of eventual violators were known or even well known by various people and even LE agencies like were in the Parkland shooting and nothing was done.
Those “agencies” + individuals should now be charged+sued and publically written up in the press for allowing things to escalate over + over.
Yes even Obama’s DOJ charged for ordering underage teens from serious legal scrutiny for antisocial+criminal behaviours.
What did they prevent ? They prevented a citizen from living out his golden years and dying of natural causes.
What did they prevent ? they prevented a citizen from having his constitutional right under the SECOND AMENDMENT OF OUR REPUBLIC preserved on the say so of a “sister”.
God dammed socialist state !!!!
Wow, Did he have a record? If so, What did he do? Who indicated that he needed his gun(s) confiscated and for what reason? Was it because he left a comment about guns on a website like I am doing now? The instant police took his firearm they should be held responsible to preserve his life from ALL POTENTIAL THREATS, since he has no way to defend himself from some idiot with a gun, after all look what happened to him.
The question for the future for firearms owner is; do you answer the door in the future if the police knocks?!
Also, should you hide now some of your guns, so the government don’t find them all.
This law is the dream of every vindictive ex. It is a perfect tool of harassment and revenge.
“What did you prevent?” More like what did you needlessly PROVOKE.
In texas a police officer can already without a warrant seize a persons guns. When in the process the person is a danger to himself and others.
If so it’s not by some willy nilly phone call by some loon bent on causing harm.
Police are the means to enforce government’s will upon We, the People. This is exactly the tyranny which our Founding fathers foresaw, for which they wrote and ratified the Second Amendment.
Send those overpaid sons of bitches to my front door demanding firearms. I’ll give them lead poisoning and die a martyr.
Typical. Happens all the time when the police have to deal with a mentally ill person. They just bark orders at the disoriented guy and when the person doesn’t immediately comply, shoot.
Except…there’s absolutely no provision in the law that the person making the complaint, have any qualification for determining the mental state of firearm owner, or even know anything about them other than their location and the fact they may have guns.
Police in the state even refer to it as “Legalized SWATing”.
The legislator passed this even though there was hundreds of pages of testimony against it and little for it except emotional hand wringing. They have this man’s blood on their hands.
IF ANY COPS COME TO THE DOOR,ITS ILLEGAL 4 THEM TO TAKE ANYTHING UNLESS THEY PAY FOR IT.LOOK AT US LAW.THE ADMENDANTS.THERE WILL B 2-DEAD COPS DUE TO BURGLERY,TRESSPASSING,ETC.U GOT EVERY RIGHT TO PROTECT YORSELF FROM SOMEONE WITH A GUN.U WILL B SEEING ALOT OF DEAD COPS WHO R STUPID ENOUGH TO COME TO A PERSONS HOME TO TRY TO TAKE THERE GUN WITHOUT ANY REASON OR ANY MONEY TO PAY THE PERSON FAIR MARKET VALUE 4 THE GUN.IF THEY PAID HIM 400-1200,DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF GUN IT WAS IT WOULDN”T OF HAPPENED.BOTH COPS SHOULD BE ARRESTED AN FOIND GUILTY OF MURDER.OR THEY WOULD B DEAD.
These scenarios will continue to occur as more and more states and local governments enact such laws and ordinances.
It’s coming folks. The liberals and their republican co-conspirators will eventually make it so impossible to own a firearm, let alone buy one, that no one will even bother. These “red flag” laws will be abused, if not already, to the point someone that any unsubstantiated complaint will trigger a seizure order because they have an axe to grind, and boom, the law is enroute to confiscate your firearms. No due process, no recourse.
The liberal end state for the US is a socialist state. The Constitutional Republic will fall sooner or later.
Good assessment – !
Tho that still leaves 100million plus gun owners to go…
Wasn’t it trump who said take their weapons and worry about the judicial process later?
I remember why the law that allowed police to put you in for a mandatory 3 day mental health evaluation was taken away. It was because they abused it. What should be done is have each police department maintain a panel of 3 on-call psychiatrists, and they make the evaluation. Cops and family members may have ulterior motives to removing someone’s guns, and besides, removing someone’s inanimate objects will just send them over the edge, just like it did here.
You are right it will be abused, but your solution would be impossible except in big urban areas. How are you going to keep a panel of 3 qualified shrinks on-call 24×7 for these emergency “evaluations” anywhere else?
The only solution that preserves liberty and due process is to NOT have these “red flag” laws. Yep, once in awhile someone will die because due process took its course (actually very rare–most crimes are committed by criminals who can be jailed just for having a gun) but it’s part of the price we pay for freedom. It is not free.
SO…..where do suppose any unbiased, gun control neutral psychiatrists can be found? …….Psychiatrists are notoriously anti-Gun Liberals
Three on-call, left wing, anti-gun psychiatrists that don’t think anybody should own a gun? Because that’s probably what you would get in a place like Maryland. Big-brother might (does) have ulterior motives, too.
I think,I this is outrageous! Why awaken a person in the wee hours to confiscate his weapons. Anyone would be upset and confrontational. I do not like this New Law at all. Too much room for incidents like this to happen.
For Police to say this stopped anything is ridiculous. We’ll never know what was in his mind, because he’s dead. For no good reason. Shame on legeislators passing this Bill 1302. I hold them responsible.
They will feel no shame. The sheriff said it himself, this makes them feel justified.
Total and complete BS, just another unconstitutional law taking guns away from law abiding people not surprised coming from Maryland this has to stop I hope they sue their butts off! This country unrecognizable!!! No Liberty No freedom!
From my cold dead hands. And I live and work in Montgomery County, Maryland. I live in squeaky clean life and have no mental issues. I will oppose confiscation by any means cause I did nothing wrong.
This is basically a self-fulfilling prophecy. You provoke a person to get the desired reaction so that you can inflict the solution you wanted all along. This is the act that tyrants have used throughout history and that the founding fathers of America had in mind when they created the bill of rights.
Perfectly said Kris. But the niece has blood on her hands too. Probably some Liberal/Progressive Millennial.
You show up at 5a for a criminal issue not something like this. What if he hadn’t opened the door? Would they had broken it down?
This is what was said about the victim to by a relative…
All this does give cops the right to come get your guns and sell them to fund they bullshit. America I ‘s going to hell in a hand basket. ( if you hate living here plzzzz leave, need a ride let me know !
SORRY -!
“America is freedoms last stand on Earth”
Ronald Reagan
So 2 corporate mercenaries murdered an innocent man who was attempting to protect his right to keep and bear arms, his 4th, 5th and 10 amendment garauntees. Indict them , trial them , execute them , sieze all their assets and the po,ice departments entire budget including pensions, bonds and insurance and awsrd to tje victims family….wstch this naxi shit grind to an immediate halt WHERE IS DUE PROCESS ? WHERE ARE THE REST OF YOU ? I said nothing when they came for the jews because I was not a jew….pathetic !.
Exactly – this is because the top level “Corporation” is the USA under corporate control by foreign banksters in charge and have been totally since 1913 called the Federal Reserve+IRS= branch office to the WorldBank + IMF who setup-SocSec# the U.N. + E.U. to eventually finish up with a OneWorldGovernment system w/no borders- ie= SORO$ is their U.S. paymaster along with owning all the unions public + private/ the media/both private political Party’s-D+R + controlling interest of every major corporation worldwide or their suppliers.
GET IT YET PEOPLE-???
This is not new- but been a
longtime in the works…100+yrs.
Like their guy Barry’O joked about in Frisco= how Americans cling to their Bibles + guns….
Well that’s in order of importance = 1) moral laws from God +
2) the God given unalienable Right to defend them…
1st+2ndAmendments right there…
Time for the “sleeping giant” to awaken- if you will in time…
Every teary eyed liberal is grandstanding that their program worked. An innocent man is dead but the the gun was taken away.
Trump said take their weapons and worry about due process later.
Can you show me where and when Trump said this because as a gun owner, member of the NRA and other sportsman and concealed carry organizations, I don’t believe what you stated.
Tis true… All ya gotta do is duckduck it
He said this close to a year ago. I dont think it came out like he was intending it to.
I believe when Trump said that he was speaking of known gangs who routinely commit violence using guns. However, at this point I trust no one in any position of power.
What is paramount here is to understand that the truly “mentally unstable” people are those who believe such “red flag” gun confiscations are just.