Debunked: 'Gun used in Navy Yard shooting was an assault rifle.'

[Gary Cook]

On September 16, 2013, lone gunman Aaron Alexis fatally shot twelve people and injured three others in a mass shooting at the headquarters of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) inside the Washington Navy Yard in SoutheastWashington, D.C.[6][7][8] The attack, which took place in the Navy Yard's Building 197, began around 8:20 a.m. EDT and ended when Alexis was killed by police around 9:20 a.m. EDT.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Navy_Yard_shooting

This event quickly became a political issue relating to gun-control. Both sides of the debate had a lot to say about the event and what reflection it had on the issue of gun control.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein's opinion was made known in a public speech, the same day I believe. As part of the speech she claimed:

"This is one more event to add to the litany of massacres that occur when a deranged person or grievance killer is able to obtain multiple weapons -- including a military-style assault rifle -- and kill many people in a short amount of time."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/16/gun-control-debate_n_3937341.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

Although later it became known that the gun used was really a Remington 970 Express Tactical 12-gauge shotgun, at the time the information was that the gun was believed to have likely been an AR-15.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/16/us/dc-navy-yard-gunshots/index.html

Both the AR-15 and the shotgun are not assault rifles. It could be argued that an AR-15 is an assault weapon [a definition I don't like personally] but it is certainly not an assault rifle. Nor of course the actual gun that was really the weapon - a shotgun.


Therefore, I declare this claim debunked, of course albeit pending on any proven rebuttals.

 

[Sarcastro]

Do you pay attention to the dates in the articles you read? The Huffpost is from 9/16/2013 and the CNN is from the Navy Yard shooting that happened back in September 2013.

The gun used in yesterdays Fort Hood shooting was apparently a .45 Smith & Wesson semi-auto handgun.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/02/us/fort-hood-shooter-profile/

Lopez used a .45 caliber Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol that he recently purchased in the area, Milley said. He didn't know how much ammunition Lopez was carrying.

I haven't seen one mention of an assault rifle (or shotgun) being used.

Did I miss something here? Gary only mentioned the Navy Yard shooting, not the Hood shooting.

 

[Mick West]

Therefore, I declare this claim debunked, of course albeit pending on any proven rebuttals.

Unless you have a time machine, it seems rather pointless to debunk a claim that nobody makes any more.

 

[Soulfly]

Did I miss something here? Gary only mentioned the Navy Yard shooting, not the Hood shooting.

My bad, I guess I was stuck on the Fort Hood Shooting.

 

[Gary Cook]

Unless you have a time machine, it seems rather pointless to debunk a claim that nobody makes any more.

I would think it would encourage people not to create bunk. As there are people that will notice it. Even if it takes awhile, in my case. =)

 

[Pete Tar]

It could be argued that an AR-15 is an assault weapon [a definition I don't like personally

Aren't all weapons 'assault' weapons? Seems an accurate description of their function. What's the definition?

 

[Sarcastro]

Aren't all weapons 'assault' weapons? Seems an accurate description of their function. What's the definition?

Basically, "I saw it in a movie and it looked scary." The legal definition of "assault weapon" is rather ludicrous. You can have 2 identical guns. Same caliber, same clip capacity, same firing power, same rate of fire. If one has a barrel a shroud (A safety feature to prevent users from burning the hands on the barrel) it's an assault weapon. Is it capable of using a silencer (which hardly silences anything)? it's an assault weapon. Does the stock fold up for transport and storage? It's an assault weapon.

 

[Pete Tar]

What does the signifier 'assault' actually mean?

(nevermind, I see that's it's a highly contentious subject.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_weapon#Definitions_and_usage)

 

[Gary Cook]

It is political and legal, like the Wiki says.

Both are obviously artificial constructs. Whether they are really law or not is surely subjective.