Galveston: Open-carry long-gun non-event

[seamusTX]

According to a copyrighted story in today's Galveston County Daily News, someone called 911 on Monday to report a man walking on the Seawall with a rifle slung over his back.

The police took a look and declared it a non-event. According to a police spokesman...

An officer checked into the matter but found no violation of law and filed no report, ...
Possessing a legal rifle or shotgun in public is allowed, [the police spokesman] said, noting there was no probable cause to check the man because he was exercising his rights.

Nothing to see here.

- Jim

[old farmer]

Can the rifle be loaded? I understand how it should be cared and displayed.
thank you

[GlockDude26]

as more and more people keep doing this hopefully pd's will probably start telling dispatchers to inform people when they call that unless they are being threatning that it's not against the law.

[seamusTX]

Can the rifle be loaded?

Texas law has no regard to a weapon being loaded or unloaded, except when it comes to allowing children to have access to firearms—which I hasten to add was a federal mandate in the 1990s.

- Jim

[ffemt300]

I understand and support the right to bear arms, but what I sometimes wonder is why some people (maybe this guy) do it for a show and to cause a scene. This guy was completely within his rights and the law to carry the rifle openly, but the reality is that a lot of people freak out when they see people open carrying like that. It seems to me that these folks ask for trouble when they walk down the streets open carrying just to make a statement. I mean, look at this Kokesh guy in DC.

[GlockDude26]

I understand and support the right to bear arms, but what I sometimes wonder is why some people (maybe this guy) do it for a show and to cause a scene. This guy was completely within his rights and the law to carry the rifle openly, but the reality is that a lot of people freak out when they see people open carrying like that. It seems to me that these folks ask for trouble when they walk down the streets open carrying just to make a statement. I mean, look at this Kokesh guy in DC.

that kokesh guy was a whole different ballgame being that he had previous drug related charges, and his video he shot could definitely be defined as threating for sure. he was also waving it around and cycling the action which is not open carry, that is agressive behavior. this is my opinon but I believe these people are doing this to cause a scene and get noticed and with enough exposure they think that people will get used to the sight of a gun and not freak out. will it happen??? probably not but it seems that is the purpose of a few videos that i have seen.

[mojo84]

I understand and support the right to bear arms, but what I sometimes wonder is why some people (maybe this guy) do it for a show and to cause a scene. This guy was completely within his rights and the law to carry the rifle openly, but the reality is that a lot of people freak out when they see people open carrying like that. It seems to me that these folks ask for trouble when they walk down the streets open carrying just to make a statement. I mean, look at this Kokesh guy in DC.

Hopefully, the more they see this the less they will "freak out". Desensitization has worked in a negative way with regard to murder, sex and other issues. Maybe it will work in a positive way with this issue.

[Cedar Park Dad]

I understand and support the right to bear arms, but what I sometimes wonder is why some people (maybe this guy) do it for a show and to cause a scene. This guy was completely within his rights and the law to carry the rifle openly, but the reality is that a lot of people freak out when they see people open carrying like that. It seems to me that these folks ask for trouble when they walk down the streets open carrying just to make a statement. I mean, look at this Kokesh guy in DC.

Hopefully, the more they see this the less they will "freak out". Desensitization has worked in a negative way with regard to murder, sex and other issues. Maybe it will work in a positive way with this issue.

Alternatively someone might shoot one of these guys.

[nightmare69]

Alternatively someone might shoot one of these guys.

You shoot someone exercising a protected legal right then its off to death row for you.

[JJVP]

I understand and support the right to bear arms, but what I sometimes wonder is why some people (maybe this guy) do it for a show and to cause a scene. This guy was completely within his rights and the law to carry the rifle openly, but the reality is that a lot of people freak out when they see people open carrying like that. It seems to me that these folks ask for trouble when they walk down the streets open carrying just to make a statement. I mean, look at this Kokesh guy in DC.

that kokesh guy was a whole different ballgame being that he had previous drug related charges, and his video he shot could definitely be defined as threating for sure. he was also waving it around and cycling the action which is not open carry, that is agressive behavior. this is my opinon but I believe these people are doing this to cause a scene and get noticed and with enough exposure they think that people will get used to the sight of a gun and not freak out. will it happen??? probably not but it seems that is the purpose of a few videos that i have seen.

Even if was just carrying, open carry of firearms (long guns or handguns) is not lawful in DC. Heck, not even concealed carry is legal in DC.

[mojo84]

I understand and support the right to bear arms, but what I sometimes wonder is why some people (maybe this guy) do it for a show and to cause a scene. This guy was completely within his rights and the law to carry the rifle openly, but the reality is that a lot of people freak out when they see people open carrying like that. It seems to me that these folks ask for trouble when they walk down the streets open carrying just to make a statement. I mean, look at this Kokesh guy in DC.

Hopefully, the more they see this the less they will "freak out". Desensitization has worked in a negative way with regard to murder, sex and other issues. Maybe it will work in a positive way with this issue.

Alternatively someone might shoot one of these guys.

Vehicles are deadly weapons. What would happen if someone shot someone for driving one in public?

[Cedar Park Dad]

Alternatively someone might shoot one of these guys.

You shoot someone exercising a protected legal right then its off to death row for you.

Fact patterns are everything. You see guy exercising a protected legal right. A grand jury may see crazy wackjob with a shotgun on a sidewalk with hundreds of women and children.

[Cedar Park Dad]

I understand and support the right to bear arms, but what I sometimes wonder is why some people (maybe this guy) do it for a show and to cause a scene. This guy was completely within his rights and the law to carry the rifle openly, but the reality is that a lot of people freak out when they see people open carrying like that. It seems to me that these folks ask for trouble when they walk down the streets open carrying just to make a statement. I mean, look at this Kokesh guy in DC.

Hopefully, the more they see this the less they will "freak out". Desensitization has worked in a negative way with regard to murder, sex and other issues. Maybe it will work in a positive way with this issue.

Alternatively someone might shoot one of these guys.

Vehicles are deadly weapons. What would happen if someone shot someone for driving one in public?

On the sidewalk yep. On the street not so much.

[mojo84]

So our rights are situational and subject to others' perceptions? What if I realized you were concealed carrying on the sidewalk and decided to shoot you because you have a gun on you?

What's legal is legal and not open to someone's irrational fears and subsequent irrational actions.

[pcernuch]

after dark on the island sometime i wished i had more than my g27.

god bless