Guy pulls gun on TV Crew

[Hoosier1816]

Yes, the guy looks (allegedly) like WT. He pulled a gun, he didn't point it at anyone (that I saw) or wave it. Basically, they didn't have any story for the original reason for being there, so they ran with this. Bad timing or good timing depending on who one is.

 

[IndyGunner]

Actually it absolutely is Aggravated Assault according to Arkansas Law. In his case it is a Class D Felony.

Assault - no contact has to be made (i.e. a swing and a miss would be considered assault)

Battery - contact is made (a swing and a hit is battery. We had similar laws when I was a LEO in GA)

Defining Aggravated Assault in Arkansas

• Assault in the third degree: Encompasses acts that intentionally create apprehension of physical injury to the victim.

• Assault in second degree: Encompasses reckless acts creating substantial risk of imminent physical injury to a victim.

• Assault in first degree: Encompasses reckless acts creating substantial risk of imminent death to a victim, assaults via strangulation or attempted strangulation.

• Aggravated assault: Encompasses assaults involving extreme indifference to human life, which create substantial danger of death to a victim intentionally, intentional displays of firearm and other deadly weapons.

It is obvious from the video that he grabbed his firearm in order to intimidate the news crew, which would be considered "substantial danger of...serious physical injury". By adding the "displays in such a manner that creates" clause it separates what this moron did from someone who is OCing and "displaying" their firearm in a holster on their hip or side.

So it not being in a holster differentiates it from brandishing?

As far as the tv crew, push buttons and things will happen, I just meant they arent faultless for making this situation (however poorly handled by the "gunman") happen.

 

[T-Mann]

So it not being in a holster differentiates it from brandishing?

As far as the tv crew, push buttons and things will happen, I just meant they arent faultless for making this situation (however poorly handled by the "gunman") happen.

1) When I talked about brandishing before, it was not in relation to any law, it was in relation to the difference between the phrase "pulls a gun" and "brandishing". Merriam-Webster defines brandishing as (verb 2) ": to exhibit in an ostentatious or aggressive manner". You don't brandish a firearm in a holster.

Arkansas has no specific Brandishing Firearm law (that I have been able to find), their law is 5-13-204 Aggravated Assault. This moron is in violation of this law....and maybe others.

2) The TV Crew was out "doing their job" reporting on a story that this "gunman" was only peripherally involved in. He was the one who pulled up "Dukes of Hazard" style and confronted the news crew. He, "the gunman", had only one intent when he arrived and that was to intimidate the news crew into leaving. When his aggressive behavior didn't have the news crew hauling butt out of the area, he resorted to escalating his intimidation by grabbing his firearm. It is not against the law to film or take someone's photograph out on the public street (i.e. paparazzi). I didn't see the news crew pushing this guys buttons...they were already pushed before he arrived in front of the news crew and then he pushed the confrontation with them.