chollie

His reply makes more sense when you realize that he is:

When I first read this, I thought that perhaps this is an example of why some education should be mandatory before getting a firearm license. The consequences for taking a firearm into the wrong jurisdiction in a zero tolerance society can be very severe.

The article is sketchy on details, but it appears that the border officials are free to exercise discretion. Perhaps he's a victim of over-bearing attitude as much as being found with a firearm in his possession.

FredAnderssen

Perhaps, and after reading your post, it occurred to me that as a military person (which I am not), he may feel a greater affinity to the constitutional aspect of carrying a firearm.


Agreed. In my first post, I indicated that it was hard to believe that he was a gun smuggler, as the border patrol agents argued, and I suggested he should be fined for his stupidity and sent home.

chollie

The more I read, the more I wonder about this guy.

He has a dentist appointment before the trip and doesn't want the gun in his car when he goes to the dentist, so he puts it in his wife's car, not back in the house.

He forgets the gun is in his wife's car and several days later, off they go on their road trip. (?) He's that casual with where his gun is? They make a mistakenly end up at the border. They explain their mistake and ask to make a u-turn.

CBP refuses to allow a u-turn. Then CBP asks him about guns. (?) His answers trigger a search, the loaded gun is found.

What I didn't realize: apparently he could have declared the gun, filled out some paperwork, paid $25 and taken the gun across the border legally.

Something just doesn't make sense about this whole scenario. He doesn't want the gun in his car for a trip to the dentist, so he leaves it in his wife's car and forgets it is there for days? The faulty GPS? I don't know the geography, but if they were on their way from Kentucky to Vermont, is it that easy to end up in New York crossing into Canada?

If he's telling the truth, IMHO, this guy is too careless and forgetful to be entrusted with a firearm.

Badenoch

That system works for long guns but handguns are more complicated and require paperwork in advance. However, the handgun he had due to its short barrel is deemed a prohibited weapon in Canada and it could not be imported in any event.

chollie

Thanks. The incorrect information I posted is the result of shoddy reporting, apparently.

I stand by the rest of my post - I think the guy's story sounds a bit off.

Badenoch

I agree his story is way off. What we are hearing in the various news reports is his version of the events. The CBSA doesn't comment on individual cases until they come to trial. But this guy wouldn't be the first American to try and smuggle a gun past the Canadian border and claim he "forgot" he had it when discovered. If he had declared it he'd have just been turned around and sent home.

Majuki

Then he would have faced charges in New York State if discovered. It's a bad situation for him any way it plays out. Still highly irresponsible though... and gives the rest of us a bad name.