Kmart Posts No-Gun Order
By GABE WELLS
POSTED: December 12, 2007
ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Signs prohibiting firearms were posted Tuesday at Kmart after a man accidentally discharged his weapon inside the store.
A single shot from a .32-caliber handgun was fired at 7:30 p.m. Monday near the Kmart pharmacy at the Ohio Valley Mall when a gun fell from 44-year-old Bridgeport resident Paul Manukin’s pocket.
Belmont County sheriff’s Chief Deputy Joseph Hummel said no one was injured. He believes the pharmacist was the only person in the area of the gunshot. The bullet hit the floor.
Manukin, who reported the discharge to the sheriff’s department, is not expected to face charges. Hummel said Manukin has a concealed carry permit for the weapon.
Jonathan Fulkerson, section director with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, said Tuesday the matter is a local investigation. Fulkerson noted, however, he doubts Manukin could be stripped of his permit.
“Unless he’s charged with a felony or a violation of the concealed carry law, there is no basis to revoke his permit,” Fulkerson said. “But, obviously, it’s an unfortunate and potentially dangerous situation.”
Hummel noted although there are signs at the Ohio Valley Mall’s main entrance prohibiting firearms, such signs were not posted at Kmart’s entrance until Tuesday. Belmont County Sheriff Fred Thompson said he was surprised to learn that several stores at the Ohio Valley Mall don’t have signs prohibiting firearms. He said he has no preference about whether businesses prohibit concealed weapons.
“It’s up to the business,” Thompson said. “If they feel uncomfortable with someone carrying a concealed firearm, they have the right to restrict it.”
Manukin said he did not know why the gun fired, but noted it will be dismantled. Although he said it is his right to carry the weapon, he may no longer do so.
“I don’t think I’ll carry a gun anymore,î Manukin said. “This accident could have been really tragic. ... It was a total accident. I forgot it was in my pocket.”
According to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, “Carrying a concealed handgun is a privilege in Ohio, and with this privilege comes a responsibility to be aware, not only of the common sense rules of safe firearm handling, but the laws that affect how, when and where you can carry your firearm, and how to properly use the handgun to defend yourself or another person.”
Member Comments
View Comments: | 1-22 | Post a comment
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Battle
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12-14-07 11:09 AM
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Good enough, G-twin.
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beanranch
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12-13-07 9:45 PM
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Happiness Is A Warm Gun
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Georgetwin
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12-13-07 4:26 PM
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Battle, YES!
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Battle
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12-13-07 3:49 PM
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Georgetwin, as usual, you are perfectly, "on target." Thanks for the NRA info ! In your opinion, would it be worth joining ?
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Georgetwin
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12-13-07 9:58 AM
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Battle, EVERY MONTH in The NRA's magazine there is a column devoted to gun owners who stop crimes from being committed by using their guns. IT IS ALWAYS FULL and they print a disclaimer saying they pick and choose, so they only print a SMALL PORTION of the examples they receive! Law Enforcement cannot ACT, they can only REACT. Therefore, until Law Enforcement is on the scene, it is up to the individual to muster whatever offense they can in defense of self, family and property.
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beanranch
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12-13-07 1:29 AM
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Let's all disagree with Mr. Manukin and the attorney general! What do they know? The Second Amendment is the only Amendment I need. And **** K Mart too. Martha Stewart don't even hunt.
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LTRRTL
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12-12-07 6:23 PM
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brookie - Apparently, you understand neither the U.S Constitution nor the law concerning carry permits. You post some questionable anecdotal personality profiles which don't fit at all with the overall statistically verifiable nature of permit holders adn how they handle both themselves and their firearms, but expect others to care about how you "feel" about citizens and their inalienable rights. The Constitution clearly states that no "infringement" can be made concerning the keeping and bearing of arms. Requiring a permit is an infringement. I go along just for the sake of not going to jail.
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Battle
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12-12-07 5:51 PM
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Thanks Georgetwin, I thought so. It's sort of counterintuitive to disallow the very product that you sell. I heard O'Reilley quote FBI statistics saying that non law enforcement personnel (John Q. Citizen) repels over 1.4 million crimes in the US every year, with private firearms. The overwhelming majority without having to fire a single shot. This is the value of concealed weapons. FYI, the "thought police" have discontinued Katabatic. He may have re-emerged under a different moniker.
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brookie
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12-12-07 5:28 PM
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LTRRTL: To assume you know anything about me shows you ignorance.
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LTRRTL
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12-12-07 4:06 PM
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mmyers46 - Hey, it's not fair to bring facts into it. As Homer Simpson said, "Facts? Why 'facts' can be used to prove almost anytbing that's even romtely true."
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mmyers46
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12-12-07 3:52 PM
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Concealed carry license holders are not the people about whom you need to worry. These people have passed extensive criminal background checks and a training course which teaches the very particular circumstances under which deadly force can be legally applied. Another part of this course is passing a practical test of one's ability to handle and shoot safely. Concealed carry license holders are one third as likely as the average citizen to commit any crime. They're one seventh as likely to commit a violent crime. A concealed carry license holder is much less likely to shoot you inappropriately than a police officer. When you exclude concealed carry license holders from carrying their firearms on your premises, you make it a free-fire zone for criminals and crazies.
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LTRRTL
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12-12-07 2:09 PM
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topsie - I did read a story about some idiot who tried an aremed robbery of a gun store with a bunch of customers there. Sadly, that robber is no longer among us, but, then again, he's not making any more contributions to the "gene pool" either. A case for Darwinism, I guess.
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topsie
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12-12-07 1:19 PM
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NOW THAT KMART POSTED GUN SIGNS- they open themselves to nuts. nobody has ever opend fire in a gun store!!!
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LTRRTL
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12-12-07 11:48 AM
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to acousticportal - Yes, the personal safety of myself and my loved ones is primary for me. Your personal safety is your responsibility. Provide for it - or fail to provdie for it - as you see fit. If the occasion should arise where an armed citizen can help you to live instead of die, I hope that person will be able to do so.
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acousticportal
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12-12-07 11:33 AM
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LTRRTL - considering your comments, does it even make a difference in a critical situation if you have a gun or not? It sounds like the only benefit is personal.
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LTRRTL
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12-12-07 11:07 AM
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acousticportal - I used to carry openly quite often, but it does have the disadvantage of making you the first target for the bad guy to kill before he begins his rampage on the defenseless. The possible advantage of open carry to me personally is that many criminals, seeing that a person is armed, will simply pick another victim and I'll never have to use my gun. Of course, open carry also gets a person a lot of unwanted attention from cops and ignorant "security guards". In my state, carry permits allow either open or concealed carry, but I don't feel like explaining to some stupid store guard at Wal-Mart that he does not have the right to stop me.
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LTRRTL
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12-12-07 10:18 AM
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brookie - Your comments tell me more about yourself than what you intend. Yes. dearie, of course, your "feelings" are so very important to us all. And, since you're "not totally onboard", we'll all wait and see what it's going to take to make you feel more "comfortable". Now, personally, I'm not "totally on board" with carry permits, either, because the U.S. Constitution doesn't say one word about the citizen needing any kind of "permit" to exercise 2nd Amendment rights. I'd favor abolishing the whole permit system and a return to constiutional principles. Those aren't "feeling", though, dearie - those are facts.
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WVJeep
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12-12-07 9:55 AM
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If they are going to post a "No Guns" sign, then they are legally responsible for your safety within the store.
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Georgetwin
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12-12-07 9:39 AM
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Battle, they do but they seldom carry any larger caliber ammo. For that you have to go to Cabela's.
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acousticportal
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12-12-07 8:53 AM
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Personally I think it's dumb to have a concealed weapon. If you're going to carry one, I'd rather see it. It should be illegal to have a conealed weapon. Why not just let those with guns have them in a holster on their belt or otherwise...plainly exposed to the public. That way, if someone forgets they have one, we can remind them.
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brookie
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12-12-07 8:44 AM
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I am not totally onboard with this concealed carry permit thing. I know a couple of fellows with these permits and they are the most surly and insecure people I've ever known. I feel strongly that a large majority of these people would go out of their way to shot someone. They are waiting for the chance. And for the NRA's concealed carry instruction program, there's a convicted felon running the program down the river here...
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Battle
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12-12-07 8:39 AM
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't K-mart sell both guns and ammunition ? Hmmmmmm.
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