Live Like a Refugee

From ChareltonHest:

Here is what seems to be a tragedy in how a gun-owner is run out of the country due to the indoctrinated hysteria that "higher education" is injecting into students. That's the way I see it at this point. I've been following this since I first saw it posted on ARFCOM, and here is what I know so far...

This concerns a one Robert Walker II ("Buddy Walker"), student (former student that is) of Marietta College in Ohio. Basically, he is a gun enthusiast who was found to have 3 weapons and 1k round of ammo in his car on or near college grounds (seems an officer spotted a barrel). His car was searched, unfortunately at his consent. And then a his grandmother's home where he was staying, again with consent, where more weapons were found. The guns were displayed on TV, Mr. Walker was suspended permanently, and ultimately charged with a 4th degree felony concealed weapons charge.(1)

What is most upsetting is the hysteria surrounding this whole non-incident... In articles like "MC Students React to Discovery of Weapons"(2) and "Authorities find guns in MC student's car"(3), students are shown assembled in a meeting, some still in pajamas, being fearful, talking about "Virginia Tech", demanding the college keep them safe, and one woman calling out that Mr. Walker should "never come back". One local attorney and gun enthusiast had this to say: “This seems like it is a tremendous over-reaction. This week I’ve seen prayers on campus and kids afraid to go on campus..” -Bill Burton(4).

Both police and the college are saying there was no threat or "sinister plot". The Washington County Sheriff, Larry Mincks, said it was a "storage and transportation problem" and that Buddy is a "gun enthusiast"(4).

The background on this student, as reported in the news, is that he has only one past charges against him -a concealed weapon charge- for leaving a 9mm handgun in his glove-compartment(5) (So?) and he was on police radar because an "anonymous informant" had sent a picture to them showing Mr. Walker with a firearm while at a party(6).

Well, the last we know about this, is that it seems Mr. Walker has fled the country...probably to Madrid, Spain where his parents live. "'If he would be located in Spain, it's starting to involve the State Department, the US Attorney's Office and the probability of an extradition back from Spain is probably pretty remote for an F-4 violation,' says Sheriff Mincks." (5)
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1.) http://www.wtap.com/news/headlines/15374481.html

2.) http://www.wtap.com/home/headlines/15332411.html#

3.) http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/501864.html

4.) http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/500655.html

5.) http://www.wtap.com/news/headlines/15608172.html

6.) http://www.wtap.com/news/headlines/15406856.html