A 19 year old man was shot and killed outside a church festival this weekend, by my math the 12th murder this year. Now I realize festivals in this area are large fund raising activities with alcohol served and a carnival atmosphere, so I don't want the venue to become the subject. Another shooting occurred outside a club, that "victim" apparently lived.
More shootings in Toledo, another death. Racially motivated, perhaps - regardless another sign of the lawlessness that has become Toledo, and a stark reminder that a situation can turn deadly at any time. Yes, alcohol, youth, crowds and racial tension (gangs) are a bad mix, but another citizen died on his way to work last week.
Is the lesson ban guns, no. The lesson is be self aware, make good decisions regarding your safety and the safety of your family. Unfortunately the safest place for you to be late on a weekend night is home with your doors locked.
But is that the society we should have to live in? No. We should be safe and comfortable attending a festival without fear of being caught in a cross fire. Personal safety is about decisions and options, and the absolute requirement that all citizens take part in making our society civil. How? Don't stand for criminal behavior in your area, call police, know your neighbors, increase the lighting in your area, hold people (youth and adults) accountable. Prevent this tragedy by refusing to let groups of minors and young adults congregate at your event.
"But, AHL, how can I stop these groups from attending without being called a racist?" Unfortunately you can't, but being called a racist does not make you a racist. Forget politically correct fear, stand for the rights of everyone, and hold all races colors and creeds to the same standards.
After my years in law enforcement I never thought I would carry a weapon on a daily basis. I truly thought my decision making and personal choices could keep my family and I safe. Tragically, in Toledo (and many other cities), that simply is not true despite my years of training and experience. Looks like Clelands is getting at least two new CCW class members, Mrs. AHL and I.
Would a legally armed citizen in attendance at the festival this weekend have prevented this shooting, perhaps not. But once the criminal element realizes that at any time they may attacking or endangering a well trained, honorable, legally armed citizen...it will.
TAHL
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Defend Thy Self or Leave the Field of Battle!
That is unfortunately becoming the mantra of Toledo's street thugs. Yesterday a man was shot and killed while bicycling to work. According to the Blade (sorry, my only current source) witnesses heard two men arguing, with the suspect "standing over" the man on the bike, and then shooting him in the head.
Another man was stabbed last night after a fight with a large group of people. Its a miracle Wednesday's killing was only the 11th of the year.
And last night ABC chronicled the tragic story of two teenage girls forced into the sex slave business IN TOLEDO, revealing TPD took 90 minutes to respond when her father found the house she was being kept (and then only after the criminals were beating him with rocks). That was a few years ago, but the pimp got 4 years in prison, the females who supervised the sex slaves got 6 1/2 each. Travesty.
As a father and armed citizen, the 90 minute response time would have been 89.5 minutes to late. I would have killed the pimp outright, and depending on the actions of the females sat on the porch and waited for TPD to arrive. Murder? Maybe. Any doubt in my mind? None.
I live in a nice suburb of Toledo, keep my kids out of the city, Toledo Public Schools, and the mall for these very reasons. We attend Mud Hens games which end after dark, but I park in my work building and walk with them to and from the car keeping them close. We even attended the July 4th fireworks downtown, but again parked in my work building and avoided Promenade Park.
Do I bring a gun to the games, not yet. But I avoid driving home along Dorr street after dark, a route I drive to work every day. Do I bring a gun to work, not yet. Have I brought a gun to a festival or event downtown, not yet. But as Toledo gets more and more violent I am faced with the very real choice of, Arming myself or leaving the field of battle.
TAHL
Another man was stabbed last night after a fight with a large group of people. Its a miracle Wednesday's killing was only the 11th of the year.
And last night ABC chronicled the tragic story of two teenage girls forced into the sex slave business IN TOLEDO, revealing TPD took 90 minutes to respond when her father found the house she was being kept (and then only after the criminals were beating him with rocks). That was a few years ago, but the pimp got 4 years in prison, the females who supervised the sex slaves got 6 1/2 each. Travesty.
As a father and armed citizen, the 90 minute response time would have been 89.5 minutes to late. I would have killed the pimp outright, and depending on the actions of the females sat on the porch and waited for TPD to arrive. Murder? Maybe. Any doubt in my mind? None.
I live in a nice suburb of Toledo, keep my kids out of the city, Toledo Public Schools, and the mall for these very reasons. We attend Mud Hens games which end after dark, but I park in my work building and walk with them to and from the car keeping them close. We even attended the July 4th fireworks downtown, but again parked in my work building and avoided Promenade Park.
Do I bring a gun to the games, not yet. But I avoid driving home along Dorr street after dark, a route I drive to work every day. Do I bring a gun to work, not yet. Have I brought a gun to a festival or event downtown, not yet. But as Toledo gets more and more violent I am faced with the very real choice of, Arming myself or leaving the field of battle.
TAHL
Saturday, March 8, 2008
The Armed citizen.
Recently the criminal violence of citizens - some armed with guns - has made the local news. A 40+ year old man shot and killed a 17 year old teenager who was allegedly in a dispute with the older man's nephew. A 21 year old man, defended himself from a robbery, killing a 22 year old man (who was accompanied by two conspirators) when the criminals pointed a gun in his face. The citizen was licensed to carry a concealed weapon and used it to protect his life.
Blade
Greater regulation of the law abiding citizens will do nothing to stop the crimes of the non-law abiding citizen. However, legal gun ownership, responsible use, and freedom will.
“On Sunday, Victor Wiggins, 22, of 2433 Glenwood Ave., was shot in the chest by a man he was attempting to rob, police said.” Mr. Wiggins was shot and killed by another citizen, same race and nearly the same age, who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon and defendned himself when Mr. Wiggins and two associates, pointed a gun in his face.
What caught my eye after reading a recent post on Glass City Jungle on this topic, was the lead in “Irresponsible gun ownership creates scenarios over and over again where the circle of violence is played out.” The criminality of the offenders (yes plural) created the violence.
Had the deceased been hit with a hammer, stabbed - like a recent high school student - or clubbed with a baseball bat, the post would not have lead with; “irresponsible athletic equiptment storage creates scenerios over and over again where the circle of violence is played out.”
But the “victims” would still be dead, and the tragedy still a reality. A gun is an assemply of metal and plastic parts, designed for legitimate purposes, which, like many other tools, gets misused. No one is calling for a ban on Mr. Gagnon’s Ford F350that killed a family of 5 on the highway recently, they are holding him responsible. Although there has been a cry for more street signs.
The A-Hole.
Blade
Greater regulation of the law abiding citizens will do nothing to stop the crimes of the non-law abiding citizen. However, legal gun ownership, responsible use, and freedom will.
“On Sunday, Victor Wiggins, 22, of 2433 Glenwood Ave., was shot in the chest by a man he was attempting to rob, police said.” Mr. Wiggins was shot and killed by another citizen, same race and nearly the same age, who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon and defendned himself when Mr. Wiggins and two associates, pointed a gun in his face.
What caught my eye after reading a recent post on Glass City Jungle on this topic, was the lead in “Irresponsible gun ownership creates scenarios over and over again where the circle of violence is played out.” The criminality of the offenders (yes plural) created the violence.
Had the deceased been hit with a hammer, stabbed - like a recent high school student - or clubbed with a baseball bat, the post would not have lead with; “irresponsible athletic equiptment storage creates scenerios over and over again where the circle of violence is played out.”
But the “victims” would still be dead, and the tragedy still a reality. A gun is an assemply of metal and plastic parts, designed for legitimate purposes, which, like many other tools, gets misused. No one is calling for a ban on Mr. Gagnon’s Ford F350that killed a family of 5 on the highway recently, they are holding him responsible. Although there has been a cry for more street signs.
The A-Hole.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Safety?? The Real Purpose?
Toledo City Counsel is getting ready to vote on the proposed increase in the fines for red light camera violations and stationary speed violation systems which includes increasing the percentage of the fine that goes to the city as apposed to the national manufacturer.
A recent Blade article, details the proposal, and cites to the fact that it appears it will not face any opposition from counsel members.
Notice what is not in the article, any MENTION of increased safety. It appears it is simply a matter of increasing revenue to help balance the budget while other aspects of the law enforcement and criminal justice budget are slashed.
At least the Blade and the administration aren't even trying to hide the ball. Its all about the CASH.
The A-Hole.
A recent Blade article, details the proposal, and cites to the fact that it appears it will not face any opposition from counsel members.
Notice what is not in the article, any MENTION of increased safety. It appears it is simply a matter of increasing revenue to help balance the budget while other aspects of the law enforcement and criminal justice budget are slashed.
At least the Blade and the administration aren't even trying to hide the ball. Its all about the CASH.
The A-Hole.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Red Light Camera Due Process
The Ohio Supreme Court upheld local rule statutes that allow red light camera enforcement as a civil penalty, as not conflicting with State criminal laws. While accurate the ruling did not address the myriad of due process issues that remain. The link to the decision can be found on the right hand column of the blog.
Locally -
Can you challenge the technology in the Toledo appeal system? No. Is the video running at the proper speed? When was the last time it was certified/maintained? Was the yellow light time the standard time or was it reduced after the camera was installed? Does the video angle create an optical illusion and does it give a accurate representation of the incident?
If I was not driving, does the spousal privilege protect my right not to identify my spouse as the driver? If I was not driving, do I know actually who was, or must I assume it was my spouse/child? Do I have to conduct an investigation to find out if the vehicle was loaned to a friend, or if perhaps a friend was driving my spouse/child at the time?
If I conduct such investigation, does my testimony satisfy the rules of evidence - IE do I have personal knowledge of the event, or am I reciting to the hearing officer hearsay - what someone else told me happened in an event I did not witness? Should that burden of proof be mine?
Yes I want safe streets for my family, but if the systems do not increase that safety, do not have a deterrent effect (such as the presence of a marked patrol cruiser) and do not have the protections inherent in our system of criminal and civil justice - why use the that method?
The pro-law enforcement conservative A-Hole.
Locally -
Can you challenge the technology in the Toledo appeal system? No. Is the video running at the proper speed? When was the last time it was certified/maintained? Was the yellow light time the standard time or was it reduced after the camera was installed? Does the video angle create an optical illusion and does it give a accurate representation of the incident?
If I was not driving, does the spousal privilege protect my right not to identify my spouse as the driver? If I was not driving, do I know actually who was, or must I assume it was my spouse/child? Do I have to conduct an investigation to find out if the vehicle was loaned to a friend, or if perhaps a friend was driving my spouse/child at the time?
If I conduct such investigation, does my testimony satisfy the rules of evidence - IE do I have personal knowledge of the event, or am I reciting to the hearing officer hearsay - what someone else told me happened in an event I did not witness? Should that burden of proof be mine?
Yes I want safe streets for my family, but if the systems do not increase that safety, do not have a deterrent effect (such as the presence of a marked patrol cruiser) and do not have the protections inherent in our system of criminal and civil justice - why use the that method?
The pro-law enforcement conservative A-Hole.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Tragedy, Assumptions and Conjecture - The Lima Shooting
The facts are yet to be known, and truthfully we may never know exactly what happened in the seconds before the Lima SWAT officer made the decision to shoot.
As I discussed previously, this raid could and should have been planned better. There does not seem to have been an emergent situation making entry into the home necessary at 8:15 on a Friday night to prevent the destruction or distribution of large amounts of drugs or other evidence etc. Knowing children lived there, and the boyfriend being the subject of a long standing investigation, other options were available.
But, once the decision was made to execute the warrant, it had to be done tactically to protect EVERYONE. Cops, residents of the house, neighbors, and yes even the subject felon. Serving warrants is dangerous business (of this I know what I speak). Family members, or other residents of the houses, pose a real threat to cops serving warrants. We do not know what actions this mother took to trigger the situation that ended her life.
Reports stated that she ran upstairs upon the police’s entry. BAD decision. For all we know the officer was pursuing her up the stairs, into a room, she reached down with her back to the officer - despite his commands to stop - and spun quickly toward him holding……….unfortunately….her son. She could have as easily been holding a shotgun. In that split second the officer had to make a life and death decision which he will never forget.
I am not a citizen of Lima. I have never been contacted by, pulled over by, or spoken to a Lima police officer. But, to make this case about race (the officer has a Hispanic name), call it MURDER, and make statements that citizens are insulted because the FBI did not send a black agent to investigate, is counterproductive.
Investigate fully. Hold ANYONE AND EVERYONE properly responsible, yes including the deceased, try to make Lima a better safer place to live.
The A-Hole.
As I discussed previously, this raid could and should have been planned better. There does not seem to have been an emergent situation making entry into the home necessary at 8:15 on a Friday night to prevent the destruction or distribution of large amounts of drugs or other evidence etc. Knowing children lived there, and the boyfriend being the subject of a long standing investigation, other options were available.
But, once the decision was made to execute the warrant, it had to be done tactically to protect EVERYONE. Cops, residents of the house, neighbors, and yes even the subject felon. Serving warrants is dangerous business (of this I know what I speak). Family members, or other residents of the houses, pose a real threat to cops serving warrants. We do not know what actions this mother took to trigger the situation that ended her life.
Reports stated that she ran upstairs upon the police’s entry. BAD decision. For all we know the officer was pursuing her up the stairs, into a room, she reached down with her back to the officer - despite his commands to stop - and spun quickly toward him holding……….unfortunately….her son. She could have as easily been holding a shotgun. In that split second the officer had to make a life and death decision which he will never forget.
I am not a citizen of Lima. I have never been contacted by, pulled over by, or spoken to a Lima police officer. But, to make this case about race (the officer has a Hispanic name), call it MURDER, and make statements that citizens are insulted because the FBI did not send a black agent to investigate, is counterproductive.
Investigate fully. Hold ANYONE AND EVERYONE properly responsible, yes including the deceased, try to make Lima a better safer place to live.
The A-Hole.
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