<p>I thought he was 21 and therefore not underage.</p>
<p>The press is reporting he is 20. They have from the beginning. Sometimes they only have his year of birth from the police records and that puts him 21 this year. But it is being reported he is 20.</p>
<p>Edited to add: it is scary what you can find online. Needless to say he will not be 21 until May.</p>
<p>18 years old is the age of majority in Florida. A 20 year old will be treated as an adult in court.</p>
<p>The way things are going in the nutcase states, it won’t be long before you can buy a bullet proof vest in your school colors.</p>
<p>I don’t understand why it would even occur to anyone to bring a gun to college. Unless there is some kind of weapons major then there is no reason for guns at school.</p>
<p>Unless he wants to go hunting, does sports shooting or competes in rifle matches. Then it makes sense. Perfectly legal for him to have a rifle, assuming he is otherwise qualified and the place he’s living allows it (not a state dorm, for example).</p>
<p>What is incredibly regrettable is that he was drinking alcohol and handling a loaded weapon. That is flat out stupid.</p>
<p>His frat house explicitly forbids firearms in the building. His age of 20 makes him an adult with regards to sentencing but Dnerd’s comment about his age was REFERENCING his alcohol consumption as being legal at 21 vs underage drinking at 20.</p>
<p>I always wonder why no one mentions banning or strictly controlling alcohol when these tragedies occur? Alcohol is frequently a factor in serious traffic accidents, domestic disputes, murders, rapes, robberies and assaults. How many arrests by police have a connection to alcohol? </p>
<p>For example, we are all shocked by a shooting, which occurs randomly and sensationally here and there across the United States.</p>
<p>However, tragedies (many with lethal consequences) which are alcohol related get passing mention, because they happen all the time.</p>
<p>Why is this? Where is the outrage over alcohol?</p>
<p>My college-aged sons participate in hunting, civil war reenacting and competitive shooting. All three of them took the state firearm safety course when they were younger, and have always been taught to have the utmost respect for guns and their possible dangers. Rule #1: Always treat a gun as if it’s loaded. Rule#2: Never mix alcohol and firearms. Such a tragedy when these rules aren’t followed.</p>
<p>I was surprised that this was not a major headline on the national news. Finally last night saw it on FOX. They had a big debate over the school policy of no firearms on campus and also in the frat houses, etc., along with the drinking. The conclusion by most of the contributors was that this young man will probably serve time in the range of 6-12 years. However, there was one attorney who seemed to think he may get probation, with some community service, such as lecturing to high schools. I have also heard from a few students that the poor girl that was killed was the identical twin sister of the shooter’s girlfriend. Just awful all around.</p>
<p>Here’s the Fox video: [Opposing</a> Views: Ashley Cowie, 20, Killed in Shooting at FSU Frat House](<a href=“http://www.opposingviews.com/i/ashley-cowie-20-killed-in-shooting-at-fsu-frat-house]Opposing”>http://www.opposingviews.com/i/ashley-cowie-20-killed-in-shooting-at-fsu-frat-house)</p>
<p>This whole incident will be investigated, the facts will surface, and things will go through the process including liability issues by all involved. There will be no winners.</p>
<p>Getting back to the bill proposed in the Florida legislature allowing more guns on campus, I think the idea is bad. Booze and guns is a bad combination too. Booze x Guns(x)=Trouble. The greater the number of guns, (x), the greater the potential for trouble; introducing more guns in the college environment that already has too much alcohol abuse is a formula for more problems.</p>
<p>It is extremely tragic. and I would expect his blood alcholol to come back indicating it was a factor for him and the others in the room. The fraternities always downplay the alcohol consumption when they want your child to pledge, but we all know it’s there and we can at least have a conversation with our child about it. I never expected people to have guns in their rooms, so it’s yet another thing the frats have rules for but don’t enforce and yet another conversation to have.</p>
<p>Drinking is not the root cause of this issue. It all boils down to the hillbilly frat boys that find their small packages compensated in big weaponry that they use to hunt down poor little deer.</p>
<p>Exactly what I was thinking Sid. :)</p>
<p>Wow, there is a lot of misinformation or tried-and-untrue information here!</p>
<p>Let’s examine some real evidence…
Since passing its “Shall Issue” concealed carry law in 1987, Florida has issued over 1.8 Million CCW licenses. Of these, approximately 0.3% (5674) were revoked for criminal violations (as of 1 July 2010). Of those 5674, only 168 were revoked for crimes where a firearm was used. ([Gun</a> Control](<a href=“Gun Control – Just Facts”>Gun Control – Just Facts)) These stats compare VERY favorably when compared to the average population. (In 2009, there were 29,511 violent crimes using firearms in FL. <a href=“http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/getdoc/563b1fa3-3c7b-4787-ac6d-96c8fea73dcd/CIF_Annual09.aspx[/url]”>http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/getdoc/563b1fa3-3c7b-4787-ac6d-96c8fea73dcd/CIF_Annual09.aspx</a>)
So, over more than a decade, FL CCW license holders committed about 0.5% of the firearms crimes from 2009 alone. Extend that out for the entire 13+ years the law has been in effect, and you will find CCW permit holders are exceedingly trustworthy members of society.</p>
<p>The main thing this law would change is it would no longer restrict those people who already have a permit from carrying on campus. Many of these people already carry at supermarkets, movie theaters, etc, and do so safely. </p>
<p>In short, people with concealed carry permits really are not a statistical threat. Having a multitude of regulations covering exactly where one may or may not carry a firearm they have already been licensed to carry is an effort in stupidity and futility.</p>
<p>For more info, check out
Students for Concealed Carry on Campus at [Students</a> for Concealed Carry on Campus - ConcealedCampus.com<a href=“they%20present%20the%20arguments%20much%20better%20than%20I%20do”>/url</a>
For opposition, see Students for Gun Free Schools at [url=<a href=“http://www.studentsforgunfreeschools.org/]www.studentsforgunfreeschools.org”>http://www.studentsforgunfreeschools.org/]www.studentsforgunfreeschools.org</a> - SGFS: Opposing Efforts to Force Universities and Colleges to Allow Students and Faculty to Carry Con](<a href=“http://www.concealedcampus.org/]Students”>http://www.concealedcampus.org/)</p>
<p>Then, decide for yourself which side has better evidence to support their argument.</p>
<p>Raimius, I could not have said it better myself. I don’t understand why a lot of people are afraid of guns. If you have the proper training, you should be able to carry a firearm where ever you want, how you want, and WITHOUT A LICENSE.
Criminals want their victim to be unarmed, and an alarming number of people support banning guns in certain areas, like colleges. I’ll tell you what, there are some CRAZY students at college campuses. I have heard numerous stories about students getting robbed or mugged on college campuses. Why shouldn’t a law abiding citizen be allowed to carry a firearm on a college campus for self defense? I refuse to be a victim of a crime, because people want to support a ban against lawful carrying in certain areas. That’s why I support these law changes.
If you support a ban of lawful carrying anywhere, AND I MEAN ANYWHERE, you are insane! Most mass shootings occur in gun free zones. Imagine that! The criminal knows that everyone in the area won’t be carrying a weapon for self defense, because it is prohibited. So, it’s a field day for that criminal. Just take a look at the Florida school shooting earlier this year… If someone would have been allowed to carry a firearm in a school, that nut job could have been dead within 5 seconds.
I love people like KervinS23 who pull statistics out their a**, like “Let’s be honest if your sitting in class with a gun and a gunman comes in shooting 9/10 times your going to die either out of nervousness when pulling the gun from your holster or your reaction time is too slow.” That is probably one of the DUMBEST things I have ever heard someone say. Get real!
Law abiding citizens having the ability to carry guns REDUCES CRIME. A criminal wants you to be unarmed. Who would want to try and rob a person carrying a gun? NO ONE!
The anti-gun wackos need to wake up and stop supporting stupid things, like prohibition of where a law abiding citizen can legally or illegally carry a weapon. I’m tired of it, and so are many other folks. Change will come. Believe that!</p>
<p>apparently the armed citizen who responded to the shooting in Arizona did not take out his gun because he was afraid someone would think he was the shooter and shoot him. He also stated that he almost shot the person he saw with the gun…who wasn’t the shooter but someone who had wrestled the shooter’s gun away from him. Mistakes like that could happen easily if everyone is armed.</p>
<p>In addition to the bill allowing guns on Florida public university campuses, there are two other gun bills being pushed so far for this coming legislative session in Tallahassee by the NRA. House Bill 155 would make it a felony for doctors to ask patients if they have guns in their homes. The punishment for doctor violators of the proposed law would be up to 5 years in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine. Most doctors are opposed to the bill! The doctors and NRA will go at it big time over this bill in a battle between 2nd amendment rights and the right to free speech. If these bills pass as written and go into law, the laws will surely be challenged in court. </p>
<p>[Florida’s</a> solution to violence: more guns - Issues & Ideas - MiamiHerald.com](<a href=“http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/16/2018335/floridas-solution-to-violence.html]Florida’s”>http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/16/2018335/floridas-solution-to-violence.html)</p>
<p>Possessing a weapon on FSU property is illegal and can result in a felony arrest punishable by fine and/or imprisonment. Weapons even include things like mace/pepper spray which can get one in trouble with the police. </p>
<p>[FSUPD</a> arrest student for possession of firearms at alumni village | fsunews.com |](<a href=“http://www.fsunews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110128/FSVIEW04/110128009]FSUPD”>http://www.fsunews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110128/FSVIEW04/110128009)</p>
<p>I’ve been doing a little research on the topic of guns on college campuses, and what I’ve found so far suggests (to me) that it’s a bad idea. The following bits of info are based on published reports, statistical data, and/or current laws; I’ve tried to cite each, for anyone interested in additional research.</p>
<p>DANGERS OF GUN USE FOR SELF-DEFENSE: </p>
<p>• Using a gun in self-defense is no more likely to reduce the chance of being injured during a crime than various other forms of protective action. [David Hemenway, Private Guns, Public Health 78 (2004)].</p>
<p>• Of the 13,636 Americans who were murdered in 2009, only 215 were killed by firearms in homicides by private citizens that law enforcement determined were justifiable. [Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Crime in the United States, 2009, Expanded Homicide Data Table 15, at <a href=“http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/offenses/expanded_information/data/shrtable_15.html][/url”>Expanded Homicide Data Table 15 - Crime in the United States 2009][/url</a>].
NOTE: A “justifiable homicide” in this context is defined by the FBI as the killing of a felon, during the commission of a felony, by a private citizen.</p>
<p>• A study reviewing surveys of gun use in the U.S. determined that most self-reported self-defense gun uses may well be illegal and against the interests of society. [David Hemenway, Deborah Azrael & Matthew Miller, Gun Use in the United States: Results from Two National Surveys, 6 Inj. Prevention 263, 263 (2000)].</p>
<p>UNINTENTIONAL DEATHS & INJURIES:</p>
<p>• From 2001 through 2007, over 4,900 people in the United States died from unintentional shootings. Of that total, over 1,750 victims (36%) were under 25 years of age. [WISQARS Injury Mortality Reports, 1999-2007, supra note 1].</p>
<p>DANGERS OF PERMISSIVE CARRYING CONCEALED WEAPONS (CCW) LAWS:</p>
<p>• In just the first half of 2006, Florida’s CCW system had licensed more than 1,400 individuals who had pleaded guilty or no contest to felonies, 216 individuals with outstanding warrants, 128 people with active domestic violence injunctions against them, and six registered sex offenders. [Megan O’Matz, In Florida, It’s Easy to Get a License to Carry a Gun, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Jan. 28, 2007, at 1A].</p>
<p>MENTAL HEALTH REPORTING:</p>
<p>• Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by any person who has been “adjudicated as a mental defective” or involuntarily “committed to any mental institution.” [18 U.S.C. § 922(d)(4)].
NOTE: No federal law, however, requires states to report the identities of these individuals to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (“NICS”) database, which the FBI uses to perform background checks prior to firearm transfers.</p>
<p>DISARMING PROHIBITED PERSONS:</p>
<p>• Florida has no law requiring the removal of firearms from, or the surrender of firearms by, persons who have become prohibited from possessing firearms. Florida does, however, consider it a violation of a protective order to refuse to surrender firearms if the court that issued the protective order ordered the abuser to do so. [Fla. Stat. § 741.31(4)(a)(8)].</p>
<p>GUN OWNER RESPONSIBILITIES:</p>
<p>• Florida has no law requiring gun owners or purchasers to obtain a license. However, Florida requires a license to hunt with a firearm in many circumstances. [Fla. Stat. §§ 379.3581].</p>
<p>• Florida law prohibits the knowing or willful keeping of any list, record or registry of privately owned firearms or their owners. [Fla. Stat. § 790.335].
NOTE: If guns are allowed on campus, I suspect that this law will raise some significant administrative problems for universities. For example, if no record of firearms may be kept by the university, what’s to prevent a student from keeping a firearm in his/her dorm room without informing his/her roommates? And how will the university handle a dorm change request when a resident claims (alleges) that his/her roommate has a gun in the room, and he/she doesn’t want to stay in a room with a gun in it? </p>
<p>• Florida does not require firearms owners to report the loss or theft of a firearm. [Regulating Guns in America: Reporting Lost or Stolen Firearms, Legal Community Against Violence, Feb. 2008].</p>