The Latest: Suspect in factory shooting had gun carry permit

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

The Latest: Suspect in factory shooting had gun carry permit

Updated 11:23 am, Friday, September 23, 2016

ATHENS, Tenn. (AP) — The Latest on a fatal shooting at Tennessee factory (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

A man identified by law enforcement as having shot two colleagues at an eastern Tennessee factory had a state-issued permit to carry handguns in public.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Susan Niland confirmed Friday that Ricky Swafford, who was later found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, had an up-to-date carry permit and no previous criminal record.

Swafford was a 15-year employee at the Thomas & Betts plant in Athens.

Under a state law enacted in 2013, workers with carry permits are allowed to store firearms in vehicles parked at work regardless of their employers' wishes.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/The-Latest-Suspect-in-factory-shooting-had-gun-9241958.php

[SoCalMusicLover]

1. You Are Exposed To Guns Just By Living In U.S.

Sure, not owning a gun, or hanging around people who do own them, decreases your chances of getting killed by one. But there's always the unknown factor. In this case, it's a co-worker, with the assurance that the gun's owner is a good guy, with the right to carry one wherever he pleases.

Saw a sticker the other day, it said "a society with guns is a polite society," or something to that effect. This is true, be nice to people here in the U.S., if you piss them off, it may cost you your existence.

[Squaredeal]

2. The article wasn't clear - both victims died too

[cer7711]

4. All legally-registered gun owners are law abiding citizens . . .

. . . until they're not.

And THAT is the crux of the problem, right there.

[hack89]

6. You are right. Police need to treat all gun owners as pre-criminals

and start leaning on them hard. Stop and frisk for sure. Perhaps surprise home "inspections" with SWAT teams.

[cer7711]

9. Deliberately missing the pt.

[hack89]

10. If every gun owner is a threat then you can't ignore them

can we? We need to treat them like we treat all potential drunk drivers. Or potential rapists. Need to be consistent in our contempt for pre-criminals.

[hack89]

11. So you think that registration is no deterrent for violence.

makes sense.

[KG]

5. another heartwarming story: the law abiding, responsible ammosexual, till the second he wasn't.

[friendly_iconoclast]

12. Sentiments like that are usually expressed by those blaming certain locally unpopular religions...

...when identifiable members of that religion do wrong.

[Sand Rat Expat]

13. It's okay as long as those sentiments are directed at the "correct" groups. NT

[friendly_iconoclast]

14. Yup. If directed at the "proper" group, one is merely 'expressing concern'...

[lastlib]

7. Well, then, I guess what he did was OK......

( ) Wayne LaPeeError approves.

[ck4829]

8. What flavor of skittle was Ricky Swafford, eh lil D?

[milestogo]

15. But the shooting happened inside the factory, where guns were not allowed by the company.

[roamer65]

17. I know I would like to see MI return to "may issue". N/t

[etherealtruth]

18. Our corrupt rightwing nut job legislature and Governor won't let that happen

Its going to take us a couple of generations to undo the damage the nut-jobs have done to the state (including Michigan's once "more" sensible gun laws)