Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Conclusive?

Linked before to the cop who had the magazine in her AR backwards. There was some disagreement about whether or not it was. Well, I found a better pic and am now almost 100% certain that magazine is in backwards.

Here’s the pic.
I'm not ready to reach the conclusion that it's even real...yet.

Some of you will recognize this story as one you've sent me in the past, and I've always begged off because I can find no reference to the story on the Internet or on the River Cities Daily Tribune website.

A while back I tried to get an answer from the bylined reporter, and sent him an email:
Mr. Porter, I have not been able to verify if the attached picture is real or Photo-Shopped. I imagine I'm not the first one to call to your attention that the officer in the photo has the magazine inserted backwards in her rifle.

Could you please verify if the photo is as appeared in your paper or doctored, the date of the story, and if it appears anywhere online (I've looked but can't find it)?

Thank you,
David Codrea

He never replied. I just left him a voice mail, so we shall see...

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saved the image and expanded the size. It's backwards.

In order to actually get it to stay in the mag well it was probably empty, as well.

Pretty threatening stance, what?

Anonymous said...

That IS how they always draw them in the anti-gun political cartoons...

David Codrea said...

I see it's backwards, anon. My question is, is it a genuine newspaper article that has been scanned?

Anonymous said...

It doesn't look quite right. Too long, unless it's a 40-rounder. The top looks more like a mag other than AR/M-16, though I'm by no means familiar with all the aftermarket mags out there, and the mag lips would appear to be right at the edge of the mag well, not as they would if the mag were inserted. The light looks wrong too. Should be more shadow on the side of the mag facing the camera; the rifle doesn't seem to be tilted to catch and reflect skylight from that surface. I'd say it's a Photoshop cut-and-paste.

Anonymous said...

Ry Jones has a video demonstrating that it is possible to insert a magazine in backwards and have it stay. Doesn't prove anything one way or the other about authenticity though.

Anonymous said...

Has anybody tried contacting the police department involved? They might be willing to 'fess up if asked nicely.

David Codrea said...

I emailed the Marble Falls PD, Mikee. I have a policy with law enforcement--the only way I talk to them on the phone is if I can record it--I need to be able to document who said what so there are no questions as to accuracy and truthfulness of my reports--absent that, I will correspond by email, as it creates a documented record of what we each said.

If I get a response, I'll do another post.

Anonymous said...

I easily verified that this is possible. If you try the technique I show in the video, you'd see it isn't even hard to do.

David Codrea said...

Of course it's possible to put a magazine in backward, Ry--that's not the issue here.

Sean said...

The standing unsupported firing position is the least stable and accurate of any. She is also easily vulnerable to return fire. The nice contrast of dark uniform and light skin makes for a good head shot.