The Availability Of .50 Caliber Sniper Rifles Threaten Our National Security
Powerful .50 caliber sniper rifles are battlefield weapons designed to puncture armor, attack civilian aircraft during takeoff, landing, and taxing on the runway, be used for assassination, and destroy targets from long ranges.
Why should we be spending billions of dollars on homeland security when a terrorist can buy a .50 caliber sniper rifle that can shoot armor piercing bullets up to 2000 yards with great accuracy?
The availability of .50 caliber sniper rifles, and the appalling lack of sensible regulations on the gun industry, is a serious threat to our national security. If you are fed up with gun manufacturers who put profits before our homeland security, join our national campaign NOW!Click Here To Join >>
ORANGE CITY — There was a slight tremor in Sgt. Greg Lariscy’s voice as he talked about rescuing a fellow officer who was shot Wednesday during a daylong ordeal that left three people dead in a double murder-suicide.
Lariscy, of the Orange City Police Department, rushed to the scene where Officer Sherif El-Shami had come under gunfire. He dragged out a bleeding El-Shami, put him in his patrol car and rushed to Florida Hospital Fish Memorial in Orange City. The injured officer was later flown to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach.
“I didn’t do anything he wouldn’t have done for me,” is all Lariscy could say at a press briefing Thursday.
El-Shami, 25, who longed to be a police officer since grade school, was fired upon when he went to 1651 E. University Ave. on Wednesday to check on Bryan Langford’s well-being.
Langford opened fire on the officer at 10:47 a.m., with what investigators believe was a .223-caliber rifle, authorities said.
By the end of the day, Langford had committed suicide apparently shortly before SWAT members assaulted the house at 6:55 p.m. Wednesday with 17 canisters of tear gas. Langford is also suspected of shooting to death his girlfriend, Cindy Henderson, 47, and her son Louis Adams, 26.
A search of the house produced an arsenal of weapons and empty beer cans.
It is chilling to think what might have happened if officer El-Shami had been fired upon by Langford’s .50 caliber sniper rifle.
El-Shami’s ordeal began when Lake Helen police called the Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday to report that Langford’s ex-wife had reported a suicidal Bryan Langford came to her store in Lake Helen, was armed and made disturbing statements. A Lake Helen police lieutenant provided deputies with three possible locations where Bryan Langford could have been, including the home at University Avenue, authorities said.
Langford’s ex-wife, Melissa Langford, could not be reached Thursday.
As the standoff at the house continued into Wednesday afternoon, investigators discovered Adams’ body at Dixie’s Pub in Deltona, which state records show is owned by Langford and Henderson. The bar is named after Langford’s pit bull dog, which investigators believe was picked up by animal control officers, along with a second pit bull at the home.
Adams died of multiple gunshot wounds, the medical examiner said Thursday. Autopsies on Langford and Henderson will be done today, sheriff’s spokesman Gary Davidson said.
Henderson’s body was found in the front bedroom of the Orange City home. Her mother, Marie, could not be reached at her Deltona home Thursday and a woman who spoke to a reporter said she was “in no condition to talk.”
Court records show a civil case was started earlier this year by Deutsche Bank National Trust Company against Langford for foreclosure on his home on Montgomery Avenue in DeLand.
Langford was found dead in a closet, Johnson said, and it was obvious he had been drinking heavily. A detonator was also found on his body, but no explosives were found in the house.
“There were lots of beer containers in the bar and at the home,” Sheriff Johnson said.
“He was found in a closet, armed to the teeth. He had a pistol, an assault rifle and a .50-caliber sniper rifle with ammunition next to him,” Johnson said.
On Thursday, investigators laid out an assortment of weapons they found inside the house.
A sinister .50-caliber sniper rifle stood on its stand, perched over smaller submachine guns, shotguns, handguns and hundreds of rounds of large armor-piercing .50-caliber bullets. Gas masks, police scanners, a bulletproof vest and several speed loaders lined with bullets were in the collection.
Langford had prepared several shooting positions from which to fire on responding officers, Johnson said.
Johnson said the .50-caliber rifle fires a bullet capable of taking down a helicopter or piercing the plating of an armored vehicle.
Bryan Langford had gone so far as to break out a window in the house and place a bulletproof vest in the opening. Several other windows had been smashed in preparation to fire a gun through and numerous guns were strategically placed nearby, he said.
“He was ready for combat. I’m surprised we didn’t have a gunfight,” Johnson said. “I’m not sure why he did not follow through with it.”
These dangerous weapons have the capability of inflecting a major terrorist attack on sensitive targets within New Jersey and across the United States, such as targeting civilian aircraft during takeoff and landing, or attacking chemical and industrial refineries
(See a video clip from 60 Minutes about the .50 caliber sniper rifle below the editorial).
A densely populated and industry-rich state like New Jersey doesn’t need more people carrying .50-caliber rifles capable of hitting a target from miles away.
These devastatingly destructive weapons should be banned.
In the coming weeks, state Assembly members can take the first step toward doing just that - by approving a measure that would halt the sale of the rifles, now legal even under New Jersey’s restrictive gun laws.
The measure is expected to come up for a vote by next month. If passed, New Jersey would be only the second state to institute such a ban, following California, where these weapons were banned in 2004.
With a weapon designed and advertised for military use, the danger from such accidental mishaps is only half of the worry in a heavily urban and suburban state.
As noted by the prominent handgun safety group Ceasefire NJ, [a Freedom States Alliance affiliate], the Garden State abounds with potential targets for terrorists armed with these so-called sniper rifles.
Planes crowding busy skies, chemical rail tankers, refineries, and other industrial plants storing dangerous materials - all would be vulnerable to a weapon that one weapons manufacturer boasts will down a jet with a single round.
The Assembly bill, A-2116, would prohibit the sale to civilians of these sniper rifles and .50-caliber handguns. (It would not affect sales or ownership of large-caliber hunting rifles or historic reenactor guns.)
Ceasefire NJ is right to credit Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. (D., Camden) for his advocacy of this safety measure.
While the ban may disappoint some collectors, it could safeguard millions of Jersey residents from the real threat that .50-caliber sniper rifles could fall into the wrong hands.
Watch video of Ed Bradley’s report on 60 Minutes, along with New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, as they demonstrate the destructive power and terrorist threat of the .50 caliber sniper rifle:
In New Jersey, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora’s bill to regulate powerful .50 caliber sniper rifles is now on the move as the legislation was voted out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Read this press release from Gusciora’s office:
Potentially Destructive Military-Grade Weapons Pose Security Threat to NJ
(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblyman Reed Gusciora sponsored that would ban the sale of .50-caliber rifles - powerful battlefield-styled weapons that would be devastatingly lethal in the hands of terrorists - was released today from the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
If enacted, New Jersey would join California as the second state to ban the sale or possession of these weapons.
Gusciora said his measure (A-2116) gained increased significance after six men were charged in May 2007 with planning an assault on Fort Dix with the goal of “killing as many soldiers as possible,” using military-grade weapons, like mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, and AK-47s.
“In a post-9/11 society, there is simply no reason for .50-caliber weapons to be available for civilian use,” said Gusciora (D-Mercer). “With the continued rise in gang violence across the state and the fact that New Jersey possesses numerous chemical plants and rail yards vulnerable to attack by .50-caliber weapons, we have a serious responsibility to stop these inherently deadly weapons from falling into the wrong hands.”
According to Gusciora, .50-caliber assault rifles are prized for their long-range accuracy capacity to disable or destroy parked aircraft, armored personnel carriers, rail tank cars, bulk fuel storage, and concrete bunkers in war zones.
The legislator said the measure would reduce the potential for such weapons falling into the hands of terrorists.
For quite some time, Gun Guys and Freedom States Alliance have been informing you about the dangers posed by the .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle: dangers to our police, to our travelers on airlines, to our elected officials, and to the national security. Unfortunately, with the exception of the State of California, these military high-powered weapons that can shoot with accuracy from over mile away are legal and readily available.
The Honolulu Police Department recognizes this and wants them banned in Hawaii. We support our law enforcement officials, and we certainly support the Honolulu PD in their efforts to try and secure public safety.
They called on lawmakers to revive a bill that would ban a powerful rifle in Hawaii.
The .50 Caliber sniper-style gun is much bigger than other assault rifles, so is its ammunition….
Police said it’s so destructive it’s not even practical for hunting.
“People have said that they can use this for hunting, but the damage that it’ll do to an animal is so tremendous that it actually vaporizes the area that it strikes,” said Maj. Greg Letcourt.
As usual, the gun lobby is opposing the position of law enforcement in Hawaii. Skeptics believe the legislature is likely to pass on the opportunity to ban a powerful rifle that terrorists and assassins consider their ideal weapon despite the threat to our national security.
Per the routine of the gun manufacturers, the gun “enthusiasts” and sellers come up with misguided reasons for not prohibiting civilian ownership of the .50 caliber sniper rifle, falsely claiming the weapon is never used in crimes, or that .50 caliber sniper rifles don’t threaten civilian aircraft taxiing on the runway, or during landing or takeoff.
Both arguments are totally and completely wrong.
Unfortunately for us Americans, the threat to human life and national security posed by the .50 caliber sniper rifle is not “technical”; it’s for real.
A local man was charged today in connection with a lengthy police standoff Tuesday, after which they seized numerous firearms from his house, including a .50 caliber rifle with ammunition capable of traveling more than a mile and piercing armor.
James E. Gasser, 47, of 348 Shailor Hill Road, was charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, first-degree reckless endangerment, risk of injury and disorderly conduct, state police said.
Every time a new more lethal firearm is introduced, the gun lobby claims that it is not used in crime, as a way of preventing legislation that regulates its sale and usage. They did this with assault weapons, and now assault weapons kill our police officers and our young people alike, in large numbers. Now, the gun lobby is claiming that the .50 caliber sniper rifle, a gun so powerful it can shoot an armor piercing round at accurate range up to at least a mile away, is not used in crime.
If we wait to do something about .50 caliber sniper rifles, the gun lobby will then say only criminals use them and “law abiding” citizens should be able to continue to have them. No, there hasn’t been a mass shooting committed with a .50 caliber. But does that mean we should wait until one happens to act?
We are asking you to do three things, right now, to stop this danger:
1) Sign our petition to show that you believe that the .50 caliber sniper rifle should be restricted to military and law enforcement personnel. We need a large number of supporters to have an impact.
2) Help us gain momentum in this battle by asking at least five people to sign the petition to keep .50 caliber sniper rifles from becoming a new member of America’s permanent gun arsenal.
3) Donate, even if it is just $5.00, to Freedom States Alliance to help our state groups continue their important work in working to make our country free from gun violence.
It’s time to dig in our heels and fight back on behalf of the safety of our communities.
A 60 Minutes report two years ago, after California passed its .50 caliber ban, had a New York City police sharpshooter demonstrating the destructive power of a .50 caliber rifle. From a distance of three football fields away, the sharpshooter was able to shoot holes in a half-inch thick piece of steel. And there are companies that make special explosive or fire-starting bullets for .50 caliber guns. We urge other state lawmakers to support Adler’s bill and keep .50 caliber weapons out of New Jersey. — Courier Post Online Editorial, April 15, 2007
This isn’t the first time this legislation has been proposed in Illinois. But enough, already. Let this be the last. The only mystery is why any legislator thinks such a monster of a weapon should be allowed, particularly in an age of terrorism.
Please, senators. Explain how a 5-foot-long weapon that can be used to attack chemical or industrial plants is worth defending for civilian use? Explain that to your largely suburban constituents, who generally support reasonable gun control measures such as these. There may be a handful of “sportsmen” who get their kicks by firing expensive, military-like weapons at small animals or targets. But to put their kicks before the public safety of millions makes no sense at all. – Chicago Tribune Editorial, March 29, 2007
