Recently in Gun control Category

This from a Tony Bell press release:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY -- During the month of May, D.I.S.A.R.M officers confiscated 109 weapons - including 56 handguns, 7 assault rifles, and 27 rifles/shotguns, over $1.8 million in illegal drugs, and arrested 142 probationers during 1,609 unannounced searches of residences, persons, vehicles, and businesses, announced Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. 

ROWLAND HEIGHTS -- The first day of the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff's Station's "Gifts for Guns" programs was a success Friday, officials said, as more than 105 guns were collected.

The event was held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at a parking lot at 19725 Colima Road, near Fairway Drive.

Those who turn in handguns, rifles and shotguns received $100 gift cards from local vendors.

Assault weapons fetched $200 in gift cards.

The program will continue Saturday at the same location from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

People turning in guns remain anonymous, and no questions are asked.

The San Dimas Sheriff's Station plans to hold their own gifts for guns program on Saturday, April 25*.

ROWLAND HEIGHTS -- Sheriff's officials will be exchanging gift cards for guns next month in an effort to make local neighborhoods safer, authorities said.
The "Gifts for Guns" exchange will take place April 3 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and April 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at a parking lot at 19725 Colima Road, near Fairway Drive, sheriff's officials said in a written statement.
Those who bring guns, unloaded and in their trunks, will receive their choice of gift cards from a variety of local retailers and grocery stores while supplies last, officials said.
Gift cards worth $100 will be given for most handguns, rifles and shotguns, while $200 cards will be exchanged for assault weapons, officials added.
No questions will be asked, and participants will remain anonymous.
For more information, contact the sheriff's Walnut-Diamond Bar Station at (909) 595-2264.

* Photo: A Gifts for Guns exchange in Compton in December of 2008, in which a record number of guns were collected. (Courtesy of the Associated Press)

Possibly prompted by the faltering economy, sheriff's officials collected a record number of guns this this year -- about 1,000 --  in the annual "Gifts for Guns" program in Compton.  While in past years, most participants asked for Best Buy gift certificated in exchange for their weapons, this year grocery gift cards are the most popular.  Participants received a $100 gift card for each working gun turned in, and a $200 card for every assault weapon.  Here's the story from the Associated Press:

COMPTON -- A program to exchange guns for gifts brought in a record number of
weapons this year as residents hit hard by the economy look under the bed and in closets to find items to trade for groceries.
The annual Gifts for Guns program ended Sunday in Compton, a working class city south of Los Angeles that has long struggled with gun and gang violence. In a program similar to
ones in New York and San Francisco, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department allows residents to anonymously relinquish firearms in return for $100 gift cards for Ralphs supermarkets, Target department stores or Best Buy electronics stores.
Turning in assault rifles yields double that amount.
In years past, Target and Best Buy were the cards of choice, with residents wanting presents for the holidays.
This year, most asked for the supermarket cards, said sheriff's Sgt. Byron Woods.
"People just don't have the money to buy the food these days," he said.
Deputies were counting the weapons collected and expected to gather about 1,000. Authorities said 590 guns and two hand grenades were handed in during the last weekend in November, more than the total collected in any year and eclipsing last year's 387 guns.

The gun, and several others were seized as part of the county's DISARM program, officials said.

Reporter Brian Day attended an Antonovich press conference downtown Monday morning, but had some difficulty getting answers to a couple of key questions.

Like, why does Antonovich care about stuff that happens outside the Fifth *Supervisorial district?

How many guns of this caliber have been seized in the San Gabriel Valley?

Unfortunately he didn't get answers to those questions. Just a nice photo of Antonovich with a ton of guns.

*I've corrected this post. As Tony Bell points out below, Supervisor Mike Antonovich represents the Fifth Supervisoral District. My bad. The rest stands. Officials told Brian the guns came from the 77th Precinct, which is outside the Fifth District.

I would still like to know how much of the money and guns that were seized as part of DISARM came from the San Gabriel Valley?

Instapundit provided brief synopsis of the West Covina 9-1-1 mystery on his Web site Friday with a link to the Cato Institute's take on the case -- essentially that Hsiao Hsu would have survived the attack that took her life if she was carrying a gun.

Of course, she'd have to be walking around the house armed, because (based on what we know) she probably wouldnt' have had time to dig the gun out, load it and shoot her attacker or attackers.

Anyway here's a snippet from Cato:

A California woman was shot to death as she pleaded with emergency dispatchers to come and help her. Her death will not make the network news programs this evening, but this is the latest reminder that we must take responsibility for our own safety and not rely on the police.

Bill Masters, a libertarian and sheriff of a Colorado county tells the residents of his county, “It is your responsibility to protect yourself and your family from criminals. If you rely on the government for protection, you are going to be at least disappointed and at worst injured or killed.”