St. Petersburg Times  "... initiation prank goes deadly wrong"  March 10, 2004
 

This occurred in New York. This club was initiating new members into a higher classification within the organization. They rigged the meeting hall basement with "rat traps, tin cans, a 9-foot-tall guillotine and a setup designed to mimic walking a plank." Part of the deal was that the new member was to sit in a chair while one of the 10 person initiation team fired . 22 caliber blanks. As the blanks were fired, another member of the initiation team was to knock the tin cans off a shelf behind the prospective member's head. The 76-year-old man who was to do the actual firing had the " . 22-caliber pistol with blanks in his left pants pocket, and a. 32-caliber gun with live rounds in his right pocket." You guessed it -- he reached into his right pants pocket, pulled out the . 32 caliber with live rounds and shot the 47-year-old prospective member in the face thereby killing him! How stupidly tragic my friends! It is not rocket science to figure out how to prevent this type of tragedy in the future is it?

 

Knight's Korner -- Dan Trombini  March 15, 2004
 

Dan has prepared a New Product Summary as a result of visits to recent trade shows.
       1. ADG Sports, the maker of our ever popular Electronic Gun Vaults, is producing a simpler model using a single cylinder-type key lock, to provide secure storage for your handgun and other valuables. This unit will ship sometime in early April and will be affordably priced at $36.99.
       2. RWS-Geco, the maker of some of the world's highest quality ammunition, will be reintroducing a highly effective 9mmP defense cartridge known as the "BAT" bullet. BAT stands for Blitz Action Trauma. Originally imported in the late 1970s, this cartridge provides the feeding reliability of an FMJ with the maximum tissue damage of an open ended hollow point projectile. We will have inventory of this high tech round during April.
       3. We will be expanding our knife inventory to include the very fine products of Cold Steel Cutlery. A varied selection of both folding and fixed-blade knives should start arriving in late March. Along with Cold Steel, we will also feature other brands such as Ruko, Kershaw and CRKT. Look for some special offer knives at very attractive price levels.
       4. For you 1911 fans, Springfield Armory has added two new sizes to their 1911 G.I. series of entry-level pistols. Joining the full size 5" 1911 will be a 4" Commander sized . 45 ACP and a 3" compact sized model for conceal carry use. The new sizes should be arriving late March - early April and will be priced like the 5" model now in stock.
       5. CZ-USA unveiled their new sub compact pistol at the National Trade Show in Las Vegas. The Mod 2075 RAMI is currently in stock in . 40 S&W caliber and should be shipping in 9mmP by the end of March. Come by and take a look at a really fine small rendition of one of the world's finest 9MM pistols.

 

St. Petersburg Times  "Man on bike attacks woman"  March 11, 2004
 

A 21-year-old woman was walking on Lake Avenue just north of East Bay Drive about 7:30AM March 10. A white male, identified as 5-5 to 5-9, 150 to 170 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes, mustache, blue jacket and riding an older-model blue bicycle with old-style handlebars and visible springs attacked her.  As he approached, he said "I'm going to rape you" and was masturbating. He got off the bike, grabbed the woman and fondled her. The woman successfully fought off the scumbag and he fled on his bike. It is requested that you call Detective Barton at 727-587-6728 if you have any info or sightings of this dangerous scumbag.

 

St. Petersburg Times  "Police say man tried to kidnap girl"  March 16, 2004
 

This occurred about 4PM at a Winn-Dixie on W. Gandy Boulevard on March 13. A man, purporting to be a store security guard, approaches a woman with two young girls. He asks the woman if she is the mother of a 12-year-old girl, the friend of the woman's daughter. This mutt advises that he saw the 12-year-old basically commit a retail theft and that she "needed to come with me right now." The woman's radar clicked on and she demanded identification. The scumbag refused to do so and the woman then stepped between the "store security guard" and scumbag takes off out of the store. The woman starts yelling for help and store employees and patrons go in 'hot pursuit' of the cockroach. They caught the scumbag a few blocks away and held him for police who charged him with attempted kidnapping. Way to go Tampa! Please remember my friends, they are out there!