Stun gun used in home invasion

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Tue, Aug. 02, 2005

FORT LAUDERDALE
Stun gun used in home invasion

Robbers subdued their victims with a stun gun during a Fort Lauderdale home invasion Monday, and officials of one Miami-Dade city expressed concern about the unregulated sale of stun guns to the public.

By BRIDGET CAREY AND JOSE CASSOLA
[email protected]

Three robbers used a stun gun to subdue two men and a dog in Fort Lauderdale during a home-invasion robbery Monday afternoon, according to police and a witness.

The robbers put pistols to the heads of the two men and demanded they get on the floor, said Ken Russo, 38, who said he owns the building in the 500 block of Southwest 13th Avenue where the crime took place.

When the two men didn't drop to the floor right away, the robbers stunned them repeatedly. They also used a stun gun on Maggie, a Jack Russell terrier that was inside the home.

The robbers made off with wallets full of cash and credit cards. They escaped in a white Toyota Camry with no hubcaps, police told Herald news partner WFOR CBS-4.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/broward_county/12280046.htm
(Free registration required)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. If stun guns are outlawed....

only outlaws won't be able to get the guns!

[jody]

2. The term "stun gun" includes but is not limited to Tasers.

One type of stun gun.


Another type of stun gun, a Taser.

[Solar]

3. thank you for pointing that out

"Tazers" shoot the shocking projectile into the target while "stun-guns" generally refer to handheld weapon, although the terms are not definite. Tazers are available only to the police AFAIK, but stun-guns can be purchased by civilians.

[jody]

4. Tasers are available to all law abiding citizens in some states. n/t

[wli]

5. circumvention of the "deadly weapon" language for lesser sentencing risk?

I think we saw this one coming a mile off.

[jody]

6. Florida law about stun guns below.

CHAPTER 790 WEAPONS AND FIREARMS

§ 790.001. Definitions
(14) "Electric weapon or device" means any device which, through the application or use of electrical current, is designed, redesigned, used, or intended to be used for offensive or defensive purposes, the destruction of life, or the infliction of injury
(15) "Remote stun gun" means any nonlethal device with a tethered range not to exceed 16 feet and which shall utilize an identification and tracking system which, upon use, disperses coded material traceable to the purchaser through records kept by the manufacturer on all remote stun guns and all individual cartridges sold which information shall be made available to any law enforcement agency upon request.

§ 790.01. Carrying concealed weapons
(1) Except as provided in subsection (4), a person who carries a concealed weapon or electric weapon or device on or about his or her person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(4) It is not a violation of this section for a person to carry for purposes of lawful self-defense, in a concealed manner:
(a) A self-defense chemical spray.
(b) A nonlethal stun gun or remote stun gun or other nonlethal electric weapon or device which does not fire a dart or projectile and is designed solely for defensive purposes.
(5) This section does not preclude any prosecution for the use of an electric weapon or device or remote stun gun or self-defense chemical spray during the commission of any criminal offense under s. 790.07, s. 790.10, s. 790.23, or s. 790.235, or for any other criminal offense.

§ 790.06. License to carry concealed weapon or firearm
(1) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is authorized to issue licenses to carry concealed weapons or concealed firearms to persons qualified as provided in this section. Each such license must bear a color photograph of the licensee. For the purposes of this section, concealed weapons or concealed firearms are defined as a handgun, electronic weapon or device, tear gas gun, knife, or billie, but the term does not include a machine gun as defined in s. 790.001(9). Such licenses shall be valid throughout the state for a period of 5 years from the date of issuance. Any person in compliance with the terms of such license may carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm notwithstanding the provisions of s. 790.01. The licensee must carry the license, together with valid identification, at all times in which the licensee is in actual possession of a concealed weapon or firearm and must display both the license and proper identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer. Violations of the provisions of this subsection shall constitute a noncriminal violation with a penalty of $ 25, payable to the clerk of the court.

§ 790.053. Open carrying of weapons
(1) Except as otherwise provided by law and in subsection (2), it is unlawful for any person to openly carry on or about his or her person any firearm or electric weapon or device.
(2) A person may openly carry, for purposes of lawful self-defense:
(a) A self-defense chemical spray.
(b) A nonlethal stun gun or remote stun gun or other nonlethal electric weapon or device which does not fire a dart or projectile and is designed solely for defensive purposes.
(3) Any person violating this section commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

§ 790.054. Prohibited use of self-defense weapon or device against law enforcement officer; penalties
A person who knowingly and willfully uses a self-defense chemical spray or a nonlethal stun gun or other nonlethal electric weapon or device or remote stun gun against a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of his or her duties commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

[Indy Lurker]

7. oops...

Tazers are expensive to reload, so they have offered free reloading if you can show them a police report, but I don't think this is what they had in mind.