A suspect in a fatal stabbing on a bus in Denver has been arrested. Witnesses say two men were arguing, and they next thing they knew one of those men got all stabbed. (I assume "transfer center" means "really big or important bus stop", but the article didn't elaborate.)
Cops are also looking for a man who used a boxcutter to attack a woman on a bus.
It is a class 6 felony to carry a loaded gun on public transportation (including bus stops) in Colorado without legal authority (C.R.S. 18-9-118, which can be looked up here). A state issued carry permit should satisfy the legal authority requirement. From what I gather (i.e. read on some forums discussing this issue), there are signs at the bigger stops stating that weapons are prohibited, as RTD (the Colorado Regional Transportation District, which runs public transportation) presumably hopes that'll discourage folks from packing on buses and light rail. I could not find anything about firearms on the RTD site except that employees seem to be prohibited from carrying weapons. I do not know if anyone has been hassled for carrying on a bus with a permit. I do assume that a Denver cop would arrest someone and let the judge sort everything out.
So while presumably legal with a permit, it doesn't seem that carrying defensive tools is encouraged. (Of course if you refuse to bow your knee to the state for a permission slip to exercise a Right, then you're out of luck altogether.)
I'll further speculate that most folks that use RTD's services are city dwellers, in mentality if not in geography, and are not inclined to carry weapons for protection. Coupled with the city of Denver's generally hostile climate towards gun owners I'd think it likely that most riders are not members of the gun culture.
Hence, in a single week, 2 people were attacked (one fatally) with blades. No meaningful resistance was or could have been offered by the victims or by anyone on their behalf.
That's what they want to replace the gun culture with? The Eloi culture? Have mercy, indeed.
Just cause, here's some ZZ top:
Posted by Publicola at April 13, 2013 02:01 AM | TrackBack