Local Stories by Local People
updated: Jan 30, 2013, 8:18 PM

A woman was arrested at a Santa Maria courthouse security checkpoint with a loaded semi-automatic handgun in her purse.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 369241	2013-01-30 08:33 PM
How do you not know a handgun is in your purse?
SHOREBIRD	2013-01-30 08:50 PM
When your head is full of air.
COMMENT 369257P	2013-01-30 10:15 PM
with all the talk lately about gun law reform maybe she thought that it was OK now to carry.
COMMENT 369346	2013-01-31 08:29 AM
The 2nd amendment says the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, so that means you can carry any gun anywhere any time, according to the "gun rights" folks. Only, it doesn't mean that at all ... the 2nd amendment isn't even about guns, it's about "arms", from the Latin "arma", (there is no singular; you can't "bear an arm"), which are weapons of war carried into battle. Google Garry Wills + "keep and bear arms" for a good article on the intent of the 2nd amendment, with direct quotes from founders from the original discussions about it.
COMMENT 369373P	2013-01-31 09:55 AM
346-sounds like she would have been ok carring a bazooka.
COMMENT 369410P	2013-01-31 11:03 AM
every year over 100,000 people are injured or killed by firearms in the united states. the nra lobby and their political puppets will tell you this is because we don't have enough guns. 40% of gun sales are conducted without a background check through the gun show loophole, they'll also tell you we need to focus on enforcing the laws on the books instead of closing this obscene back door for criminals. to me this is a clear statement that the nra is an enemy of the state and hates american citizens.
COMMENT 369459	2013-01-31 01:04 PM
Looks like the anti-gun folks are rising based on the comments..okay...seems the lesson is clear...don't be packing when you go to courthouse even if you're in SM.
COMMENT 369533	2013-01-31 03:29 PM
410 you are misinformed if you think over 100,000 are killed or injured by firearms. The number is closer to 35,000 about the same for car accidents. FBI.gov has a program called UCR and you can look up stats for all crimes by crime area or whatever you want. Accoording to the FBI violent crime is down 49% since 1995. Not quite what you would think if you watch mainstream media. We should make more laws because look how good it works for drugs? The 2nd amendment was written for these times. I agree with background checks for all guns but you must remember crooks and criminals don't follow rules.
COMMENT 369536	2013-01-31 03:30 PM
Which is why they buy a lot of their guns at gun shows and through private sales where background checks are not required currently. See how this works?? It's not complicated.
COMMENT 369610	2013-01-31 05:56 PM
3% are sold to felons at gun shows - get a grip - sellers can lose their license and livelihood - I see the gun show in the LA area set a record for attendance and sales - stock up so U can go to the Glass Factory - which by the way just got completely cleaned up.....those messy little gun owners and their fun ------
COMMENT 369621	2013-01-31 06:29 PM
610, stock up while you can? How irresponsible can you get? What is wrong with some of you people?
COMMENT 369630	2013-01-31 07:27 PM
and their fun.....really not so much, with being little and messy...
COMMENT 369732	2013-02-01 07:36 AM
Only a misdemeanor? Deciding whether to prosecute? You got to be kidding! I want jail time for her.
COMMENT 370035P	2013-02-01 04:48 PM
533, over 30,000 are KILLED by firearms. another 70,000 are injured. "In 2008, there were 78,622 nonfatal firearm injuries in the United States." i am not misinformed. it's an EPIDEMIC. we are the only country in the western world with such a prolific gun problem.

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