During my lunch break today i was reading the Indianapolis Star newspaper. There are several articles about IPD Patrolman Tim Laird's murder by a man armed with an SKS. First of all my thoughts and prayers go out to Officers Laird's family. He was a Fellow veteran as well having served in the USMC.
There is an aritcle By Tom Spalding " ADVOCATES URGE TOUGHER GUN LAW". It seems to be a mostly factual story with a anti gun tilt to it.
However when you get to the continuation on page B3 there is a picture and caption. The picture shopws a man holding an AR-15 is titled
PRIME EXAMPLE. The captions reads "
John Johnson, Executive director of Iowins for the Prevention of Gun violence, was among advocates calling for a ban on more assault style during a news conference in Indianapolis on tuesday. Johnson is holding an AR-15 SIMILAR TO THE SKS rifle used to KIll IPD Officer Tim Laird last week". Now I believe the average person doesnt now the difference between an AR and SKS and now all AR owners have to fight the Cop killer stigma . As soon as I read this caption I couldnt finish eating my lunch and picked up my cell phone, for Tom spalding has his number and email address listed with the aritcle. A very harried voice answered, and when I asked him what simularities a AR-15 and SKS have I heard him mutter somehting. He became very rude evasive when I asked the question again. He said what did I want to do debate for a half hour and that he was very busy. When I tried to ask him why he had highlighted a AR all I got was silence and more mumbling.
Again I believe people are going to associate AR-15's with this Murder because of this picture and caption. Am I over reacting?
As soon as I can somehow get the picture to be able to be viewed here I will upload it from my nonfunctioning scanner.
I included a link to the story below.
www.indystar.com/articles/3/173070-4653-009.htmlTom Spaldings email address is
[email protected]