United States News
See other United States News Articles
Title: Man Stops Robbery with His Taser, Is Charged with Felony Possession of a Weapon
Source:
Reason
URL Source: http://reason.com/blog/2015/02/09/m ... robbery-with-his-taser-is-char
Published: Feb 9, 2015
Author: Robby Soave
Post Date: 2015-02-10 08:44:24 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 2252
Comments: 5
A woman attempted to rob a bar in La Crosse, Wisconsin, but was thwarted by a customer with a taser. The police are making sure justice is served and have arrested the woman. They arrested the man with the taser, too. That's because it's against the law in Wisconsin to carry a taser without a permit. The incident took place in the early morning hours at King's Korner bar. A former employee pointed a gun at the bartender and demanded the money in the cash register. But customer Jeff Steele brandished his taser at the burglar, and she ran off. She was apprehended shortly thereafter. Steele didn't actually use the taser, according to the batender. Still, he will face a felony weapons charge, according to WKBT: Steele is being charged with possession of an electronic weapon, which is a felony, because he doesn't have a concealed carry permit for his Taser. "You can have it in your home and on your private property without a concealed carry permit, but you do need to keep a concealed carry permit to carry it out in public," said Officer Lisa Barrix, with the La Crosse Police Department. "When I bought it off the Internet it said basically that it's legal to have in the state of Wisconsin, but didn't go into any depth on it, so I assumed that it was legal to carry around, otherwise why would you buy one to leave it at home? How is it for defense then?" Steele said. Barrix says because Steele tried help he wasn't immediately taken to jail. What a great message—exercise your Constitutional rights and defend someone from a potentially violent crime and you won't be taken to jail immediately. For his part, Steele claims he ordered the taser online and didn't know he was only allowed to keep it in his home. He lives in a rough neighborhood, and if he can't leave his house with the taser in tow, it defeats the entire purpose. I hope he learned his lesson. About helping people. And protecting himself. Robby Soave is a staff editor at Reason.com. 
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Deckard (#0)
This guy should be dead, and we'd all be posting, "Don't bring a taser to a gunfight".
Some folks have a manifest disregard for the law or facts … you have both. You say, screw the law … do what you want to, right?
Do you need a concealed carry permit to carry a weapon that's not concealed?
Some folks have a manifest disregard for the law or facts … you have both. Let it be known that Gatlin does not believe a citizen has a right to self defense. The guy stopped a robbery, and was punished for it. I suppose to petty little pricks like you, that's the way it should be. The guy bought it, it said it was legal in Wisconsin when he bought it. I suppose your next retort is "ignorance of the law is no excuse", right? Then why doesn't that axiom apply to cops? Supreme Court: Cops Don’t Really Need to Know the Law
How was this a right to self defense? The citizen did not have a concealed carry permit for the taser. Ergo, the citizen was arrested.
"A former employee pointed a gun at the bartender ... But customer Jeff Steele brandished his taser at the burglar"
#2. To: Deckard (#0)
…it's against the law in Wisconsin to carry a taser without a permit.
#3. To: Deckard (#0)
Steele is being charged with possession of an electronic weapon, which is a felony, because he doesn't have a concealed carry permit for his Taser.
#4. To: Gatlin (#2)
…it's against the law in Wisconsin to carry a taser without a permit.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#5. To: Deckard (#4)
(Edited)
Let it be known that Gatlin does not believe a citizen has a right to self defense.
Wisconsin citizens can now own and carry Tasers and stun guns to protect themselves.
There's only one catch: Those wishing to do so must apply for and received a state concealed carry permit.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]