Thread: Should Cops Sue Gun Stores?

Should cops sue gun stores?

Bearing in mind the culture of lawsuits the United States has as well as I think this might be unprecedented in all of the Americas. Mexico and Brazil have large numbers of police offers gunned down yearly in what amounts to low intensity wars.

I have no opinion made up on the matter as of yet. I certainly don't envy or begrudge any police officer in the United States that is assaulted or gunned down.

Five police officers have been killed in Chicago this year and 4 Milwaukee police officers that have been shot are bringing a lawsuit against a local gun store.

1. Chicago police see spike in cop killings, assaults - chicagotribune.com

2. 2 more Milwaukee officers expected to sue Badger Guns - JSOnline

Two views from people posting their opinions.

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theantidem - Dec 05, 2010 12:18 PM

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Lets sue the liquor store for selling a bottle of booze to a person who drove drunk and killed someone. (sarcasm) This lawsuit is ridiculuous. Sadly this is where we are headed.

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pirate55 - Dec 05, 2010 11:11 AM

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As a retired police officer, I believe these officers are being used to further
a liberal political agenda. Please trust me when I reveal to you that
eliminating the retailers of firearms will NOT cause all criminals and those
expressing evil behaviors to lay down their arms. Good luck when you are
confronted by one when they break into your home. Just say, "before you
shoot me, please tell me where you got that gun, so in case I survive I can
file a lawsuit, or if I don't my family can. The officers are pawns and should
understand they are being used. My best to all of the law abiding citizens
of Milwaukee from a retired and very well armed law enforcement
professional in Florida.

Liquor store owners and bartenders ought to be held responsible when they sell to a person who has already been drinking and that person then kills someone with his car. Gun shop owners ought to be held responsible when they sell to a person who then kills someone with that gun.

Where you in the U-S are headed is toward a society in which no one wants to take responsibility for their own actions.

'You can't blame me for running over the kid. I was drunk.'

'You can't blame me for shooting the guy. I was angry.'

The increase in the number and kind of lawsuits in the U-S is a result of that 'nothing's my fault' attitude.

If the belief that I must take personal responsibility for my actions is part of a 'liberal political agenda' then I plead guilty.

Originally Posted by garza

Liquor store owners and bartenders ought to be held responsible when they sell to a person who has already been drinking and that person then kills someone with his car.

They are.

Originally Posted by garza

Gun shop owners ought to be held responsible when they sell to a person who then kills someone with that gun.

Seriously Garza? So, if I buy a shotgun -- legally -- and the store owner performs whatever background checks are necessary -- and I then shoot my wife with that gun, the gun shop owner is also responsible? That makes no sense to me.

The store clerk was openly and knowingly breaking the law when he sold the gun to Collins. If no law had been broken in the sale of the gun then there would be no basis for the lawsuit. The store owner must face the fact that his employee contributed to the shooting of the officers by making the illegal sale.

This is not a case of a completely legal sale with a bad ending. It's a case of an illegal sale and the store must be held responsible.

Originally Posted by garza

Liquor store owners and bartenders ought to be held responsible when they sell to a person who has already been drinking and that person then kills someone with his car. Gun shop owners ought to be held responsible when they sell to a person who then kills someone with that gun.

Where you in the U-S are headed is toward a society in which no one wants to take responsibility for their own actions.

'You can't blame me for running over the kid. I was drunk.'

'You can't blame me for shooting the guy. I was angry.'

The increase in the number and kind of lawsuits in the U-S is a result of that 'nothing's my fault' attitude.

If the belief that I must take personal responsibility for my actions is part of a 'liberal political agenda' then I plead guilty.

Dude. Don't you live in Belize? I can't believe I got someone from Belize on here critiquing the U.S. about gun violence.

Personal responsibility? Dude, they witch hunt and crucify drunk drivers - the exception being Milwaukee and maybe Madison, Wisconsin. I've been pulled over drunk as skunk so many times and let off. I love Milwaukee cops.

And people go to prison - for a long time - in the United States for being found guilty of homicides. I don't suspect that's something you all know about in Mexico, Brazil, and Belize.

It just seems to me there is a culture of lawsuit in the United States. I mean if I recall correctly criminals breaking into peoples homes have sued the home owners when they've slipped and fell.

...

Originally Posted by garza

The store clerk was openly and knowingly breaking the law when he sold the gun to Collins. If no law had been broken in the sale of the gun then there would be no basis for the lawsuit. The store owner must face the fact that his employee contributed to the shooting of the officers by making the illegal sale.

This is not a case of a completely legal sale with a bad ending. It's a case of an illegal sale and the store must be held responsible.

Well, of course -- if proper procedure isn't followed. But you didn't say that.

You said, "Gun shop owners ought to be held responsible when they sell to a person who then kills someone with that gun."

Originally Posted by garza

The store clerk was openly and knowingly breaking the law when he sold the gun to Collins. If no law had been broken in the sale of the gun then there would be no basis for the lawsuit. The store owner must face the fact that his employee contributed to the shooting of the officers by making the illegal sale.

This is not a case of a completely legal sale with a bad ending. It's a case of an illegal sale and the store must be held responsible.

Even if that's the case... what about cops specifically and not civilians? The other side I think would argue that being a cop willingly assumes certain risks?

And like I said I have not made up my mind on the issue. I'm just stating what I think the other side of the argument might be.

(by the way... do you walk around Belize in a bullet proof vest?)

Joe - I know. I realised that mistake as soon as I started writing the next comment. In the words of Tricky Dick, I misspoke.

Writ-with-Hand - Civilian or police makes no difference. The clerk illegally sold a firearm and that resulted in serious harm to two people. Are you saying there should be no accountability? That there should be no recompense? And yes, a policeman's job is dangerous enough without people like that gun shop clerk adding to the danger by deliberately violating the law.

No, I don't. Given some of the articles I've written and some of the commentaries I've broadcast there are those who have suggested that perhaps I should, but I've survived wars and revolutions to make it this far and I'll keep going as long as I can.

If the gun shop owner does right by the law, then no I don't believe they have any more responsibility than a car dealership that sells a car legally that was used in a crime. However if the gun shop owner sold a gun illegally, then I do believe that a lawsuit can be justified. I also think the gun shop owner should lose his or her licence in the event of an illegal sale. I've hunted most of my adult life and I own handguns for protection as well and it rubs me the wrong way when someone skirts the laws involving guns, if for no other reason than that action gives the anti gun people ammunition against all of us legal gun owners.