Guns and Guns Laws: Front and Center More So Now Due to Recent Wild Shootings

Protestors in KC, MO after Ralph Yarl shooting

Very alarming gun death statistics nationwide

This post is for: Absolute hardcore and mostly GOP gun lovers; those who say it’s not guns, it’s a mental health problem; and that the massive amount of guns we have now are needed for crime fighting and self-defense that is running amok in cities where felons are being released after a gun-related or other serious crimes.

I say: Listen up and study this story from NBC News in KC, MO and the gun violence crime data here.

“Lawyers for Black teenager shot after ringing wrong doorbell criticize release of man who opened fire”

The attorneys say the shooter who is white should not have been released. The KC police chief says a 24-hour hold is the maximum they can be held without charges in a felony case being filed.

The story for those who don’t know, or don’t care, or whatever they believe: The shooting of Ralph Yarl, 16, a black teenager who rang the wrong doorbell after mistaking the residence for one a block over has sparked outrage on social media, a weekend protest, and calls for the shooter’s arrest. Now civil rights attorneys Lee Merritt and Ben Crump announced that they were taking the case and promptly criticized authorities in Kansas City for releasing the white 84-year old man who opened fire.

Kansas City police said Yarl mistook a residence in the 1100 block of Northeast 115th Street for the location of his twin siblings, who were at a home in the 1100 block of Northeast 115th Terrace.

Yarl is a high school junior whose teachers said his goal is to study chemical engineering in college. He was shot in the head and arm. His aunt said: “My nephew is alive and he is healing. It is not the story that that individual intended for us to tell. We are telling a story that is different from the stories that you normally hear.”

KC Police Chief Stacey Graves explained why the man who opened fire was released and vowed to investigate thoroughly. The resident, whose name and race has not been released by police, was taken into custody and held for 24 hours, the maximum for a suspect in a felony until charges are filed.

Chief Graves said: “After consulting with the Clay County prosecutor’s office, the homeowner was released pending further investigation due to the need to obtain a formal statement from the victim and compile additional information for a case file to be presented. A firearm was taken as evidence.”

Chief Graves further said: “The vast majority of felony suspects are released after 24 hours but that many are re-arrested once enough evidence is gathered to trigger charges. In this case detectives are working as expeditiously and as thoroughly as we can, and they will work to build a solid foundation for prosecution. As soon as the case is complete, it will be presented to the Clay County prosecutor for their review. I want everyone to know that I am listening and I understand the concern we are receiving from the community.”

Graves also said that investigators will consider whether the suspect was protected by Missouri’s Stand Your Ground law. That law says a would-be shooter defending life or property does not have to retreat before taking violent action.

Chief Graves ended by saying she has been in touch with the teen's family and is listening to the concerns of the Black community.

Clay County prosecutors meanwhile said in a statement: “At this point, we have not yet received a criminal referral from the Police Department regarding this case. However, we are actively working with law enforcement in an attempt to speed up that process so that we can review the file when it is submitted and determine whether criminal charges are appropriate.”

KC Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended the news conference, said: “There's a thorough investigation underway now. We will make sure we do all we can to be fair, to make sure we're as expeditious as possible and more than anything to make sure that everyone, no matter their background, knows that justice can be obtained here in Kansas City.” He also said he's been in touch with the victim's family.

My 2 Cents: I have a related subject post next following this one with two other “mistaken reason shootings” following the Ralph Yarl one mentioned above and concerning the so-called “Stand Your Ground” laws in the nation right now and note they too vary from state-to-state seen in the reference article.

1. Twenty year-old Kaylin Gillis was shot by a homeowner after the car she was riding in pulled into the wrong driveway in a rural part of Upstate NY. She died later in the ER,

2. Then later, two cheerleaders were shot after one of them mistakenly climbed into the wrong car in a Texas parking lot. One girl survived and the other remains with serious injuries.

When will this madness end? Probably never since we now have more guns in the country than we do people and the cultural “war” mess and GOP social change zealots are pouring more gas on this fire claiming to put it out while blaming DEMS and President Biden.

I fear for our future … sadly when people have this open fear, they are apt to buy a gun for their own safety considering all the horrible stories they hear and read about like those above where innocent people are shot for no reason other than out misplaced fear – and that drives them to the nearest gun store to buy a gun for their own safety.

Along the lines of this guy's view

I close with this: “People are being shot out of fear of misplaced fear.”

Thanks for stopping by.