From: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca (Cdn-Firearms Digest) To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Subject: Cdn-Firearms Digest V8 #284 Reply-To: cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Sender: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Errors-To: owner-can-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Precedence: normal Cdn-Firearms Digest Tuesday, August 2 2005 Volume 08 : Number 284 In this issue: Bristling arsenal seized by police CTV - Gun violence escalates in Toronto HEAT ON TO STOP GUNS AT BORDER EDITOR (You're thinking of two different things; "Global Deaths from Firearms: Searching for Plausible CBC - Three shootings took place in a span of just 12 hours. EDITORIAL: WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE? 'Don't let my dad's killers go free': Letter: Punish criminals who use guns ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:03:09 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: Bristling arsenal seized by police PUBLICATION: Calgary Herald DATE: 2005.07.31 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: A1 / Front BYLINE: Linda Slobodian SOURCE: Calgary Herald - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- Bristling arsenal seized by police - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- Firearms, machetes, flashbang grenades and brass knuckles are among the arsenal Calgary police have seized from gang members and associates in the past five months. "You've got eight handguns, two shotguns and three rifles," said Staff Sgt. Terry Larson, with the community response unit. "When you look at the arsenal that's been seized at this point, they're dangerous people. They are dangerous to the police who are stopping them - -- they are our prime responsibility, that's our job. They're dangerous to the community, their neighbours and other drivers on the road." Between Feb. 26 and July 22, police made a total of 31 arrests and laid 175 charges relating to gang activity. The charges include a variety of weapons offences, possession of an explosive substance, trafficking in marijuana and cocaine and fraud. "With the number of seizures and the number of charges, we are dealing with a criminal organization of gang members," said Larson. The accused belong to "these groups of people," who are behind violence that's erupted on Calgary streets, resulting in the murder of six Asian men to date this year, he said. The murders remain unsolved. Police staunchly decline to publicly identify the people charged as FOB (Fresh Off The Boat) and FK (Fresh Off The Boat Killers) -- two gangs, each comprised of a core of two dozen males in their teens and 20s. The charges and weapons seizures are the result of a "variety of investigations" on search warrants, said Larson. One silencer for a handgun, 36 canisters of CS gas, six AR-15 magazines, three flashbang grenades and numerous machetes are included in the miscellaneous weapons seized. "Obviously, when you look at those miscellaneous weapons you have a number of other types of weapons that aren't firearms. And you have accessories to firearms that we have not yet seized -- such as the AR15 magazines," said Larson. "So there's a gun somewhere that those belong to. No doubt people can buy those magazines separate, but my suspicion is that there would be a gun that belongs to those." Larson added that he would be "surprised" if any of the weapons were actually registered to any of the people that were charged. "Investigating gang activity presents particular challenges. I've really related that more to communication and getting tips and co-operation. "But when you look at these arsenals this is another challenge . . . These are easily concealed . . . We know that they do their business armed." lslobodian@theherald.canwest.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:04:10 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: CTV - Gun violence escalates in Toronto PUBLICATION: CTV (CTV News) DATE: 2005.07.31 TIME: 23:00:00 ET END: 23:30:00 ET SECTION: CTV News COLUMN: CTV News - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- Gun violence escalates in Toronto - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- SANDIE RINALDO: Here at home, a shooting in a crowded square in downtown Toronto along with two other fatal shootings have rekindled fears that the city is awash in firearms being smuggled across the border. Statistics show that crime and violence are down, but authorities and the public are aghast at a recent upsurge of gun play in crowded areas putting innocent citizens at risk. CTV's Denelle Balfour reports. DENELLE BALFOUR (Reporter): This public square in Toronto's city centre should be packed with long weekend crowds. Instead it's a crime scene. One of several after a week of gun violence. This is the same square hours earlier. Revellers taking part in Toronto's Caribana festivities scatter after a brazen shooting. INSPECTOR JEFF MCGUIRE (Toronto Police): That someone would draw a handgun in the presence of this very large crowd knowing that there are, I mean we have police officers on horses at the time, we have hundreds of police officers in uniform and still choose to take someone's life. BALFOUR: A suspect was arrested at the scene. The victim was only 21, bringing the body count in just 24 hours to three. Elsewhere in the city an orange tarp covers Toronto's 37th murder victim this year. He was also shot. And bullets ripped through the apartment door where this man lived. He was killed. A 10 year old boy was also inside, he was terrified but fortunately unhurt. MCGUIRE: And we'll be looking for any connection. BALFOUR: Between these and six other shooting incidents earlier this week. WINIFRED ROAN: But all I hear, ba, ba, ba, going on like that... BALFOUR: It's the second time gun violence has visited Winifred Roan. Her grandson was killed in this same neighbourhood four years ago. Last Monday a gun battle erupted, riddling the apartment complex with bullets and sending children scrambling for cover. UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I heard like a couple of gunshots and I seen a guy jump the fence and run through here. BALFOUR: There were numerous injuries but no one was killed. While it may be hard to believe, the city's crime and murder rates are down. Still, Toronto's Mayor is calling on the federal government to do more to stop the flow of guns from the United States. DAVID MILLER (Toronto's Mayor): And I've been raising this with the federal government for quite a while. Half the guns that are used in Toronto come from the US because they don't have common sense gun control. BALFOUR: Police won't say if gang violence is behind the spike in shooting incidents, but they have stepped up patrols in an effort to ensure public safety. Denelle Balfour, CTV News, Toronto. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:04:10 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: HEAT ON TO STOP GUNS AT BORDER PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun DATE: 2005.08.02 EDITION: Final SECTION: News PAGE: 5 BYLINE: TOM GODFREY, TORONTO SUN - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- HEAT ON TO STOP GUNS AT BORDER - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- CANADIAN police and customs agents want Ottawa to tighten border crossings so gunrunners can't sneak in weapons from the United States that fall into the hands of Toronto triggermen. Canada Customs officials said they seized about 1,000 weapons nationwide last year being sneaked into the country, mostly from the U.S. During the year about 20,000 weapons are smuggled across the border, they estimate. CURBED About 5% of all weapons are intercepted by his officers at crossings, said Ron Moran, president of the Customs Excise Union. "There has been an increase in gun seizures lately," Moran said from Quebec yesterday. "Every criminal gang has their hands in this." Much of the gunrunning could be curbed if officers at 62 remote crossings were connected to a customs computer that would give them access to information on criminals and fugitives, he said. Tony Connavino, president of the Canadian Professional Police Association, said Canadian marijuana growers are exchanging pot for weapons from U.S. gangs. "These groups are very well organized," he said. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:04:11 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: EDITOR (You're thinking of two different things; PUBLICATION: The Ottawa Sun DATE: 2005.07.31 EDITION: Final SECTION: Comment PAGE: C21 BYLINE: OTTAWA SUN COLUMN: Letters to the Editor While it is true that the Canadian Firearms Center has turned down 14,000 licensing applications since 1998, William Baker's assertion that most were turned down due to a prohibition order, violent past or mental health issue is entirely spurious. The CFC does not keep statistics as to why applications are rejected, much to the frustration of the program's critics. In fact many firearms owners have their applications rejected or returned due to vague bureaucratic issues such as insufficient data or incomplete applications, only to be approved later on. Mike Thomlinson EDITOR (You're thinking of two different things; they may not track the reasons for refusing a licence, but they apparently have to justify revocations) oped@ott.sunpub.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:04:46 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: "Global Deaths from Firearms: Searching for Plausible Estimates" Sender: owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Precedence: normal Reply-To: cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca "Global Deaths from Firearms: Searching for Plausible Estimates" By David B. Kopel, Paul Gallant & Joanne D. Eisen, 8 Texas Review of Law and Politics 114 (Fall 2003, No. 1). INDEPENDENCE INSTITUTE Archive of Publications http://i2i.org/author.aspx?AuthorID=120 - ----------------------------------------------------------------- PUBLICATION: The Toronto Star DATE: 2005.07.31 EDITION: ONT PAGE: D4 BYLINE: Ron Charach SOURCE: Special to the Star ILLUSTRATION: reuters A masked insurgent carries a rocket propelled grenade, or RPG, launcher in the western Iraq town of Ramadi. How is he even able to have one of these things? - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- Guns, lethality and the Big Lie; The world keeps producing more guns and bombs. Isn't that where our problems begin? - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- [Article already posted to the CFD. BNM] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:05:15 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: CBC - Three shootings took place in a span of just 12 hours. PUBLICATION: CBC Television (The National) DATE: 2005.08.01 TIME: 22:00 EDT SECTION: The National COLUMN: The National - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- [The City of Toronto suffered another spate of murders over the weekend. Three shootings took place in a span of just 12 hours. It's the second weekend in a row to be marred by violence and] - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- DIANA SWAIN (HOST): The City of Toronto suffered another spate of murders over the weekend. Three shootings took place in a span of just 12 hours. It's the second weekend in a row to be marred by violence and comes when the city's crime rate is actually down. That's leaving some residents confused and scared. Michelle Cheung reports. MICHELLE CHEUNG (REPORTER) : This is the aftermath of a murder witnessed by crowds in this downtown square early Sunday morning. Hundreds of police officers were there too as part of stepped up security for the Caribana Festival. 21-year-old Dwayne Taylor was shot and killed. He was known to police. Officers arrested a suspect at the scene. Police say they have video of the incident from surveillance cameras in the area. It was the first night the new equipment was used. The suspect was in court earlier today. His lawyer says he's anxious to see what the police have. JAY PASSI (LAWYER): That's going to be first and foremost, I have been advised by the authorities that there was a surveillance tape that they seized. MICHELLE CHEUNG (REPORTER) : Elsewhere in Toronto, two other shooting deaths over the weekend. In the North End, a man was found shot to death Saturday afternoon. The victim's brother was inconsolable as friends and family set up a small memorial at the site of the shooting. In another part of town, a man was shot through his apartment door early Saturday evening. He died later in hospital. Police are looking for two men in that shooting. People in this Northwest neighbourhood say it's time for stricter gun laws. MARK THOMAS (RESIDENT): We need something done. We need cops to step up to the plate more and attack on our behalf and get these things done. ABDALLA IDRIS (RESIDENT): This neighbourhood used to be a great place, you know, to live. We used to play our children around here, but now we're scared to go out and come back something happen, you know. MICHELLE CHEUNG (REPORTER) : People in this neighbourhood don't want to be scared to go out in to their community any more. They've called a meeting tomorrow to talk about ways to make their neighbourhood safe. Michelle Cheung, CBC News, Toronto. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:05:30 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: EDITORIAL: WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE? PUBLICATION: The Toronto Sun DATE: 2005.08.02 EDITION: Final SECTION: Editorial/Opinion PAGE: 18 COLUMN: Editorial - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE? - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- TWELVE HOURS; three gun murders. Those are the kind of crime statistics that matter to ordinary Torontonians. Especially those who live in areas of this city routinely terrorized by gun violence. Especially when they come so soon after six shootings in two hours on July 25. Sadly, it's only after such frightening sprees that our so-called leaders are pressured into talking about gun crime. Sadder still, their response is usually to bleat that stats show violent crime is actually down from decades ago, and the real problem is that the nasty Americans are letting too many of their beloved guns get smuggled up here. Meanwhile, three more men of colour -- two in their 20s; one a 46-year-old dad of two -- are dead and another blood-soaked weekend goes into the record books. What the statistics never show is that we're seeing a very different kind of crime than we were decades ago. Take the shooting on Dundas Square at 4:30 a.m. Sunday: This determined killer fired three times in a public place, clearly not caring about hitting innocent bystanders, or about the huge police presence and security cameras. Police suspect it was a gang-related murder. No surprise there. Then there's the shooting in Lawrence Heights, where Leroy Whittaker was shot through an apartment door, in front of a 10-year-old boy. "It should make everybody sick to their stomach," said Det.-Sgt. Gary Giroux. "I hope ...the community is outraged that somebody would fire a gun through a door, not having any idea who's on the other side." Such brazenness in all these murders (the third was outside a Scarborough strip mall) is utterly chilling. As is the suggestion that Whittaker's murder might be linked to a shooting July 24 at a memorial event for two young black community leaders -- both of whom were murdered in 2001 in a similar spate of senseless gun violence. And so it goes. Yesterday, Customs agents and Ontario Conservative leader John Tory were among those calling for a crackdown on gun smuggling. That's good, but not enough. Where are the calls for serious sentences for serious crimes, especially gang violence involving guns? A five-year minimum prison term just for getting caught with a gun would help make a lot of these thugs a lot less brazen -- plus, say, a minimum 10 years for using it. But our leaders always seem to go silent when such numbers are raised. How many more bloody weekends will it take to add up to some action on their level? ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:05:52 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: 'Don't let my dad's killers go free': PUBLICATION: National Post DATE: 2005.08.02 EDITION: Toronto SECTION: Toronto PAGE: A16 / Front BYLINE: Melissa Leong SOURCE: National Post ILLUSTRATION: Colour Photo: 'I'M BEGGING': Daughter pleads for helpfinding father's killers.: (Photo ran on pg. A1.); Colour Photo: Peter J. Thompson, National Post / Tasha Whittaker, daughter of Leroy Whittaker, spoke to reporters. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- 'Don't let my dad's killers go free': Daughter's tearful plea - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - -- The family of a 46-year-old Toronto man who was shot in the head through his apartment door made an emotional plea yesterday to anyone with information about his murder. ''An innocent man got shot,'' Leroy Whittaker's daughter, Tasha, said tearfully. ''I'm begging. I'm pleading if anybody knows anything, please come forward. We don't want him to go in vain. We want him to have justice.'' Mr. Whittaker, described as a popular, humble man, was Toronto's 36th homicide of the year and the first of three shooting deaths that stunned the city this weekend in the span of 12 hours. They follow one of the most violent Julys in the city's history. Ms. Whittaker was surrounded by family as she addressed the media at a basketball court at the corner of Varna Drive and Lawrence Avenue West, in the same area where her father lived. His sister, Abi, said he had four sisters and two brothers and lived in the community for 30 years. ''Everybody knew him. He did barbecues for the community, for the kids.'' At about 5:13 p.m. on Saturday police responded to a 911 call from a 10-year-old boy. The boy was asleep on the couch at Mr. Whittaker's home in apartment 309 at 1 Flemington Rd. when bullets tore through the door. A bullet missed the boy by about three feet, said Detective Sergeant Gary Giroux. ''It's a disturbing, frightening call from a 10-year-old boy,'' he said. ''It should make everyone sick to their stomachs to hear a 10-year-old boy alone ... calling for help with a friend lying there dying on the floor.'' A young police officer arrived and carried the boy over Mr. Whittaker's bleeding body, telling him: ''Don't look. Put your head down on my shoulder.'' Mr. Whittaker was taken to Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre where he was pronounced dead. The boy, who is not a relative of Mr. Whittaker's, is back with his family, Det. Sgt. Giroux said. Police say Mr. Whittaker has an old criminal record that isn't relevant. ''I can't really even say that Mr. Whittaker was the intended target. These people fired directly through the door and they would have no way of knowing who was on the other side.'' Mr. Whittaker had just moved into the unit a few months ago and other people stayed with him intermittently, Det. Sgt. Giroux said. Police are looking for two suspects seen in the hallway near his door. Two shootings that police say are unrelated occurred in the area last week. A meeting will be held in the neighbourhood of Lawrence Heights this evening to talk about what the community can do to stop the gun violence in the area. In this weekend's second homicide, police found 26-year-old Umathevan Thiyagarajah lifeless in a parking lot at Warden and Finch Avenues on Saturday night. Officers from 42 Division responded to the sound of gunshots heard at the location at 11:51 p.m. No arrests have been made and police have not released any other information. On Sunday at about 4:28 a.m., 21-year-old Dwayne Taylor of Brampton was shot at Dundas Square, at Yonge and Dundas streets, in front of several officers who were patrolling the crowds during post-Caribana festivities. He was taken to the hospital where he died. ''There were a lot of not only police officers but civilians simply enjoying themselves when this took place,'' said Detective Bill Vieira. The incident was captured on security video by the force's mobile command unit set up to monitor events. Police chased and arrested a suspect at the scene and recovered a handgun. Det. Vieira said police are still interviewing witnesses. Ajine Stewart, a 24-year-old Mississauga resident, has been charged with first-degree murder. In response to the shootings, Progressive Conservative leader John Tory called for a crackdown on illegal guns and those who use them. He said provincial and city leaders must come together to convince the federal government to have stricter security at borders and tougher minimum sentences for criminals using guns. ''Police officials say this week's outbreak of violence was completely random. That means too many guns in the hands of too many people,'' he said. ''We need to send a strong message to people who bring guns into our country or even think about using them for criminal purposes.'' - - Meanwhile A 26-year-old man wandering naked in a Brampton neighbourhood has been charged with the beating death of a 21-year-old woman. Several residents along Fletchers Creek Boulevard called police at about 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, reporting a man walking and running south along the road wearing no clothing, Constable Jennifer Bryer said yesterday. Police arrested a man who led them to a basement apartment farther up the street, where they found Audrey Cote suffering from severe injuries to her neck and face. Ryan Bucknor is charged with second-degree murder. He appeared briefly in court yesterday and is remanded until his bail hearing tomorrow. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:06:40 -0600 (CST) From: Breitkreuz@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca, Garry - Assistant 1 Subject: Letter: Punish criminals who use guns PUBLICATION: The Standard (St.Catharines) DATE: 2005.07.30 EDITION: Final SECTION: Viewpoint PAGE: A6 Punish criminals who use guns Can the use of guns in the commission of crime be reduced? Through Section 85 of the Criminal Code of Canada Parliament has provided the means to do so: Up to 14 years for the use of a firearm on top of the sentence for the crime committed or attempted. The statute exists. Most charges are withdrawn or plea-bargained away. The norm for convictions is one year added into, rather than on top of, the sentence for the crime committed. As matters now stand, the criminal justice system appears to have little deterrent effect. Would some people forming criminal intent consider the consequence of their actions if others were serving 10 years or more? Upon release would guns be used a second time, as is now the case, because charges are withdrawn? Most Canadians think meting out lengthy sentences to those misusing firearms would be a worthwhile experiment. It would be more effective in contributing to public safety than focusing on the origin of the firearms used. Will the experiment of applying the full weight of the law be undertaken? Probably not, unless all who believe it share their opinions with their Member of Parliament (the number's in the local phone book) and the Minister of Justice, Irwin Cotler. Joe Hueglin Niagara Falls - ------------------------------------------------- BREITKREUZ QUOTE: "Isn't it odd that the government would state categorically that mandatory minimum sentences do not work to curtail the criminal use of firearms but (in the face of all evidence to the contrary) that the gun registry does?" STATISTICS CANADA CONTRADICTS JUSTICE MINISTER ON EFFECTIVNESS OF MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES - ESPECIALLY FOR FIREARMS LEGISLATION http://www.garrybreitkreuz.com/issues/guninfo/newguninfo/2005_firearms update_%2007_07.doc ------------------------------ End of Cdn-Firearms Digest V8 #284 ********************************** Submissions: mailto:cdn-firearms-digest@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Mailing List Commands: mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Moderator's e-mail address: mailto:akimoya@cogeco.ca List owner: mailto:owner-cdn-firearms@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca FAQ list: http://www.magma.ca/~asd/cfd-faq1.html and http://teapot.usask.ca/cdn-firearms/Faq/cfd-faq1.html Web Site: http://teapot.usask.ca/cdn-firearms/homepage.html FTP Site: ftp://teapot.usask.ca/pub/cdn-firearms/ CFDigest Archives: http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~ab133/ or put the next command in an e-mail message and mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca get cdn-firearms-digest v04.n192 end (192 is the digest issue number and 04 is the volume) To unsubscribe from _all_ the lists, put the next five lines in a message and mailto:majordomo@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca unsubscribe cdn-firearms-digest unsubscribe cdn-firearms-alert unsubscribe cdn-firearms-chat unsubscribe cdn-firearms end (To subscribe, use "subscribe" instead of "unsubscribe".) 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