Own a gun? Here’s what you can be charged with in Florida if a child accesses it
The 11-year-old accused of taking a loaded gun from his mother's car and shooting two 13-year-olds at an Apopka Pop Warner game is now at least the third time in Central Florida over the past several months where a child has gotten access to a gun and fired it.
Deputies accused of shoving guns in mouths of 2 Black men
Police and court records obtained by The Associated Press show that deputies who were accepted to a Mississippi sheriff's department's special tactical unit have been involved in at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019 that left two dead and another seriously wounded.
Florida bill seeks to lower gun-buying age to 18
Two House Republicans on Monday filed a proposal that would lower the minimum age from 21 to 18 to buy rifles and other “long” guns, potentially scrapping a high-profile change passed after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
‘Ghost gun’ recovered during traffic stop; man, teen face charges, Volusia deputies say
Deputies arrested a man and a teen following a traffic stop where they recovered three guns, including a stolen handgun and a "ghost gun" which had no serial number, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.
Case dropped against gun-toting fisherman YouTuber arrested in Brevard County
Known by his tens of thousands of YouTube fans as "SoloYaker" and "The Armed Fisherman," 41-year-old Michael Taylor was arrested in late March for allegedly illegally recording a phone call with a Brevard Parks and Recreation employee.
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Florida background checks for guns skyrocket in first days of 2021
ORLANDO, Fla. – With more than 30 years of selling guns under his gun belt, John Lassiter, of Addison’s Gun Shop in Kissimmee, has seen his industry revolve between gun-lows and gun-highs. “I call this a ‘gun run.’ We have been through gun runs before,” Lassiter said. Using data from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the agency responsible for running firearm background checks for those purchasing guns, shows that in the first 10 days of 2021, background checks were up 71%. Industry leaders said the boost is driven by many first-timers: people buying guns for the first time. “A lot of people in the firearms business say 2021 is going to make 2020 look like a normal year,” Lassiter said.
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Oviedo High School to test new weapon detection system
OVIEDO, Fla. – Leaders in Seminole County on Wednesday are expected to unveil a new safety tool aimed at keeping students safe. The school district will take part in a pilot program called Zeroeyes. The weapon detection system uses artificial intelligence to detect guns quickly by using security cameras. District leaders say the pilot program will be conducted at Oviedo High School.
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Florida sets record for concealed weapon applications in October
ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida set a record earlier this year when it comes applications for concealed weapons licenses. Statistics show there were 38,349 new CWL applications in October, in addition to 8,590 CWL renewal applications. There have been at least 36,000 new CWL applications every month since July 2020, with the department projected to process a record 305,043 new applications and 143,749 renewal applications in 2020. In 2019, Florida received 202,698 new CWL applications, and in 2018, there were 188,900 new CWL applications. That’s why we’re hiring more staff and further streamlining our processes to reduce both application review times and customer service times.
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Walmart removes guns, ammunition at stores, citing ‘civil unrest’
NEW YORK – Walmart says it has removed ammunition and firearms from displays at its U.S. stores, citing “civil unrest" in some areas. The nation's largest retailer, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, sells firearms in about half of its 4,700 stores. The discounter said the items remain available for purchase by customers. Last year, Walmart stopped selling handgun and short-barrel rifle ammunition while requesting that customers not openly carry firearms in its stores, even where state laws allow it. The company also ended the sale of handguns in Alaska, the only state where the discounter sold them.
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Complaints about Titusville home lead police to stolen guns, drugs
TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Complaints from residents about a home in Titusville resulted in police finding drugs and stolen firearms, officials said. According to police, half of the seized firearms had been previously reported stolen to law enforcement. Latasha Lanette Staley, 39, of Titusville is charged with felony child neglect. “This collective effort from police and community members resulted in taking multiple guns and drugs off the streets of our city”, said SIS Sergeant Troy Barbour. “This incident remains ongoing investigation by the Titusville Police Department,” officials said.
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Walmart removes firearms, ammunition from some stores amid nationwide protests
(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Walmart is moving firearms and ammunition out of some U.S. stores. The company issued a statement saying, "As a responsible seller of hunting and sporting firearms, we have temporarily removed firearms and ammunition from the sales floor in some stores out of an abundance of caution.The move comes after nationwide protests against the death of George Floyd. Many businesses, including major retailers such as Target, were damaged or looted during the unrest.
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Guns at churches housed on school property? This Florida bill would allow it
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A controversial measure involving guns at some churches in Florida is headed to the floor of the state House. The Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved legislature that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to take their guns to churches, synagogues and other places of worship that share property with a school. State law generally allows guns at churches but bans residents from being armed on school property. They are a sitting target," state Rep. Ramon Alexander said. Opponents of the bill argue the move could lead to people having guns on school property when there is no religious meeting.
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Sheriff John Mina backs bills requiring businesses to secure guns
ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange County Sheriff John Mina on Monday joined two Florida lawmakers who are pushing to keep guns more secure. State Sen. Victor Torres and State Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil have filed bills that would require any business that sells guns to keep them secure during non-business hours. According to the bills, stores would either have to use a cable to keep guns in place or lock them in a cabinet or safe. Mina said the new law is needed because burglars are able to quickly steal guns.