Police say student had 2 assault rifles, ammunition

[Lodge2004]

Came accross this article today on the web. Not well written and lacking a significant number of relevant facts.

Although he showed poor judgement in where he chose to practice his hobby, it appears as though this young man may wind up with at least two felonies on his record for building a couple of AR-15s. Interesting how the police and university make it sound.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/app ... 7704180340

April 18, 2007) — A Rochester Institute of Technology student was arrested and suspended from classes after authorities discovered he had two assault rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition a day after the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.

Jonathan Hackenburg, a 22-year-old engineering senior from Hackettstown, N.J., told Monroe County sheriff's deputies and campus safety officials he had a valid federal firearms license and purchased the weapons, a STAG-15 and another model similar to that used by U.S. military personnel, in his home state.

Deputies recovered the rifles, which Hackenburg said he had just assembled, from his dorm room but did not find ammunition there, said RIT spokesman Robert Finnerty. Deputies later found more than 200 rounds of ammunition and four, 30-round magazines in his car, according to the Sheriff's Office.

"Thankfully it was resolved without incident," said Monroe County Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn, adding that Hackenburg did not appear to have threatened using the weapons. He also told investigators he was a gun collector who spent time rebuilding firearms.

A university employee heard a suspicious sound at the RIT Inn and Conference Center on West Henrietta Road and alerted campus safety officials about 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, Finnerty said. Hackenburg admitted possessing the weapons after he was questioned.

Hackenburg was arraigned on two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm, both felonies, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor, for having the rifles on school property. It is illegal to possess firearms on school grounds in New York. It is also illegal to possess assault rifles here, said O'Flynn.

"There's a reason these laws are in place."

Students, faculty and staff were notified of the arrest Tuesday evening, according to Finnerty, who also commended the university employee for alerting authorities.

Finnerty said that RIT, like most college communities, was on heightened alert after Monday's mass shooting at Virginia Tech, where more than 30 students and faculty were killed.

Some here were shocked to learn late Tuesday of the arrest.

Steve Damiri, 32, a graduate student teacher, said he was notified by e-mail about 5:30 p.m. after teaching a class.

"If people are criticizing Virginia Tech for waiting 21/2 hours to announce something like that, why did it take us six hours for something that could be very similar here?"

Finnerty said officials informed the community at large only after authorities had fully assessed the situation. "Those things take time," he said.

Hackenburg was remanded to the Monroe County Jail with a $15,000 cash bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for later this week.

FDIAZ@DemocratandChronicle.com

[Venus Pax]

This kid needs a really good lawyer.
He was unwise to build rifles in his dorm room; this isn't a hobby you can hide from roommates. However, he was an engineering student, and those folks like to tinker with things. It will be a real shame if he ends up in prison over this.

[ccoker]

arg
it sounds like most likely he is just guilty of bad judgement...
(well, he broke the law, so, he's guilty of that, but it doesn't sound like he was a threat)

something I thought about when reading the headlines on the VT massacre.. the amount of rounds he had

We think nothing of buying box of 50rds and most of us probably buy several boxes at once..

so, on a trip to a range or hunting trip we may have several hundred rds on hand.. you can see how the antis interpet that

we have even joked about it and how the media would portray it..

[jimlongley]

We think nothing of buying box of 50rds and most of us probably buy several boxes at once..

so, on a trip to a range or hunting trip we may have several hundred rds on hand.. you can see how the antis interpet that

we have even joked about it and how the media would portray it..

When I purchase ammo the round count usually starts at 1000 and goes up, and when I go to the range, I take LOTS with me. I have wondered if the media would let me have my say if I ever made the news with that many rounds.

[MikeJ]

There's a reason these laws are in place."

There certainly is. The reason is to enable government to deprive citizens who have done no harm to anyone of basic rights. You'd need to be really stupid to believe that laws forbidding possession of firearms will have any effect on someone who intends to do serious harm.

If Hackenburg is convicted of either felony count, he'll be forbidden by federal law, 18 USC 922(g)(1) specifically, to possess a firearm for the rest of his life, unless he can bribe his way to a pardon. The federal law is unconstitutional in my humble opinion, but has been enforced and has not been overturned.

Even the NRA and many gun owners believe that government should make it harder for felons to obtain guns. Before you buy into that idea , reflect on how easy it is to become a felon in this country, and on how harmless some felons are.

[HankB]

Even the NRA and many gun owners believe that government should make it harder for felons to obtain guns. Before you buy into that idea , reflect on how easy it is to become a felon in this country, and on how harmless some felons are.

I'd say a lot depends - no, make that ought to depend - on the nature of the felony.

If the felony was bank robbery, rape, or any of a number of violent acts against an unwilling individual, sure, I can see banning them from having a gun . . . in many cases, I can see keeping them in prison for life.

But a non-violent, strictly bureaucratic felony . . . uh-uh. I just don't see people like Martha Stewart or Scooter Libby as threats to my or anyone else's safety should they access a firearm.

[Skiprr]

When I purchase ammo the round count usually starts at 1000 and goes up, and when I go to the range, I take LOTS with me. I have wondered if the media would let me have my say if I ever made the news with that many rounds.

Reminds of the thread a few months back about a shop owner in London finding a single .22 round sitting in the street in front of his store, and the furor and press coverage that received.

If Hackenburg had intended to take his newly-assembled toys to the range with 200 rounds, a shocking amount of ammunition, he'd have enough for sighting-in and maybe six mag's worth of plinking. He could be done in 20 minutes if the didn't take his time.

I just don't see people like Martha Stewart or Scooter Libby as threats to my or anyone else's safety should they access a firearm.

Well, now, I'm not so sure about Martha Stewart...

[jimlongley]

If Hackenburg had intended to take his newly-assembled toys to the range with 200 rounds, a shocking amount of ammunition, he'd have enough for sighting-in and maybe six mag's worth of plinking. He could be done in 20 minutes if the didn't take his time.

Yeah, if I take my AR to the range and don't shoot up at least 300 rounds I feel a sense of loss.

[Jeremae]

My take on ex felons and gun rights:

If they are so dangerous that they should not be allowed to posess guns, why are they being released from prison?

I feel once someone has completed their sentence, ALL rights should be restored.

[GreenGuy]

I do fault the guy for posessing a firearm on school property where it is clearly not allowed.

He should be punished for that. However, to what extent, I am not sure. His life should not be ruined for it.

The conversation about how many Round of Ammo is interesting, I have never just bough one box of Ammo, I always buy at least 200 rounds, and many times I mail ordered thousands at a time to save some money. I have only one pistol, but I have 7 magazines for it. My trip to the range usually has all 7 loaded (70rounds) plus on in the chamber.

I'm sure someone would be alarmed if they knew I was driving around with a loaded glock, 70 Rounds easily accessible, and another 130 rounds waiting to be put into a magazine. Crazy.

[GreenGuy]

My take on ex felons and gun rights:

If they are so dangerous that they should not be allowed to posess guns, why are they being released from prison?

I feel once someone has completed their sentence, ALL rights should be restored.

Perfect!

[Stupid]

Why didn't they prosecute Joel Myrick, assistant principal, who brought gun on to school property, in vilation of the federal law whatever?

Later, he used the gun to stop a school shootout and was decorated as a hero.

They should have prosecute him to the utmost of the law. How could a school principal violate both state law and school policy???

[NcongruNt]

We think nothing of buying box of 50rds and most of us probably buy several boxes at once..

so, on a trip to a range or hunting trip we may have several hundred rds on hand.. you can see how the antis interpet that

we have even joked about it and how the media would portray it..

When I purchase ammo the round count usually starts at 1000 and goes up, and when I go to the range, I take LOTS with me. I have wondered if the media would let me have my say if I ever made the news with that many rounds.

I carry something in the range of 2500 rounds of ammunition in my van when going to the range. The 7.62x54R comes in cases of 800 or 880 (depending on the type). I keep it in the cases, as it's a lot easier to move and keep in a case. I have an old one of those cases for my pistol and .22 ammo, again all together since it's a lot easier to keep that way. I go through at least 300 rounds of pistol ammo, 100 rounds of the 7.62x54R, and probably 200 rounds of 22 on any given range trip.

Having 200 rounds of ammo and 4 mags is nothing. The sensationalism associated with parading how someone had HUNDREDS of rounds of ammunition is ridiculous.

[ccoker]

it's very interesting how the media would portray you...

scary actually