Man with rifle arrested at Occupy Seattle protest

[Are_grits_groceries]

SEATTLE - A convicted felon believed to be part of the Occupy Seattle protest was arrested at the demonstration after he was found carrying an unloaded rifle in a bag, along with 16 rounds of ammunition, police said on Tuesday.

But the 40-year-old man, dressed in military fatigues when taken into custody on Monday evening, was not accused of threatening anyone with violence, Seattle Police Sergeant Sean Whitcomb said.

He was jailed on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, itself a felony offense under state weapons laws, Whitcomb said, adding that formal charges had yet to be filed.

"We believe he was part of the demonstration," Whitcomb told Reuters. "If we believed that this person intended to harm anyone, that would have been part of the investigation, and there would have been an additional request for charges.
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http://on.msnbc.com/rduKcK

If he was breaking the law, he should have been arrested. However, how many Teaspitters with weapons out in the open were ever checked for their past records or correct permits? this man wasn't threatening anyone, but they sure jumped to arrest him as opposed to the reaction to theTP.

They also seem to be very quick to connect him to the protest. Being there is part of this protest, but giving this one person top billing as a protestor before they have thoroughly investigated him seems a twee bit over the top.

WS Execs arrested - 0
OWS protestors - I have no idea what the correct number is.

[aquart]

1. Yup.

[Devil_Fish]

2. First and for most we must enphasize that he was a protester It can not be known that we planted him

It's too bad that these OWS folks arn't stupid like the tea baggers.





(Says the cops)

[Skip_In_Boulder]

3. Then again, he could have just been walking through the square. n/t

[FBaggins]

4. What an odd-looking weapon.

Butler Creek I believe

[formercia]

5. Ruger Mini-14 with a folding stock

It fires the same round as the M-16. It is a semi-automatic weapon. Another version, the Mini-30, fires the 7.62x39 round the AK-47 uses.

[Crabby Appleton]

6. Yes, it's a Mini-14 with a Butler Creek folding stock

http://www.butlercreek.com/products/stocks_solid_steel.html

[vets74]

10. Easy to turn into an armadillo-waster.

"Why did God give us armadillos if
He didn't want us to have full autos ?"

To my twisted mind a great tee shirt.

[starroute]

13. I'm confused -- autos full of what? of dead armadillos?

Or is a full auto not a car but a type of gun?

[vets74]

15. A "full auto" is a machine gun. Fully automatic firing....

I did see that on a tee shirt.

[lunatica]

7. It doesn't matter whether he was 'part of the demonstration'

Because if he was he was in violation of their stated objectives and manner of demonstrating.

And who spotted him and if someone spotted him who told the police? Evidently the weapon was in a bag.

They can try to pin this on the Occupy Seattle, but it doesn't fly and everyone knows it. But it should make the Occupy demonstrators more vigilant. He could have been there to kill them.

[Darth_Kitten]

8. 16 rounds of ammo?

:shrug:

[Motown_Johnny]

9. How many liberals walk around in fatigues?

I don't know any.

[gkhouston]

11. "believed to be" = "some people say". n/t

[nc4bo]

12. Won't disclose his name so no way to get the online detectives on the case.

Sounds kindof odd.

[Odin2005]

14. But Teabaggers with guns are just fine and dandy!

:eyes:

[lunatica]

16. My first thought is that he's a teabagger. My second thought is

I'm glad they arrested him no matter what he is. I hope they arrest everyone who has a gun or rifle.

[BootinUp]

17. what's a teaspitter? lol.