Proposed US assault weapons ban to protect 2,200 firearms
19 Feb 2013 6:08 AM IST
The US Congress' latest effort to pass an assault weapons ban would protect more than 2,200 specific firearms, including a semi-automatic rifle that's nearly identical to one of the guns used in the bloodiest shootout in FBI history.
One model of that firearm, the Ruger .223 caliber Mini-14, is on the proposed list to be banned, while a different model of the same gun is on a list of exempted firearms in legislation the Senate is considering.
The gun that would be protected from the ban has fixed physical features and can't be folded to be more compact. Yet the two firearms are equally deadly.
‘What a joke,’ said former FBI agent John Hanlon, who survived the 1986 shootout. He was shot in the head, hand, groin and hip with a Ruger Mini-14 that had a folding stock. Two FBI agents died and five others were wounded.
Hanlon recalled lying on the Miami street as brass bullet casings showered on him. He thought the shooter had an automatic weapon.
One model of that firearm, the Ruger .223 caliber Mini-14, is on the proposed list to be banned, while a different model of the same gun is on a list of exempted firearms in legislation the Senate is considering.
The gun that would be protected from the ban has fixed physical features and can't be folded to be more compact. Yet the two firearms are equally deadly.
‘What a joke,’ said former FBI agent John Hanlon, who survived the 1986 shootout. He was shot in the head, hand, groin and hip with a Ruger Mini-14 that had a folding stock. Two FBI agents died and five others were wounded.
Hanlon recalled lying on the Miami street as brass bullet casings showered on him. He thought the shooter had an automatic weapon.
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