Police: Man allowed to carry assault rifle along Lafayette roadway

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – An Indiana man who is protesting losing his driver’s license is now walking around town carrying an assault rifle.

It was a sight on Sagamore Parkway Tuesday that raised a number of eyebrows and drew numerous phone calls to Lafayette police.

Jim Sanders walked from his home in Mulberry to a Lafayette pharmacy and restaurant with his rifle strapped to his torso.

He said he’s walking in protest after losing his driver’s license in April after he refused to pay a fine for several infractions including failing to signal and possession of multiple licenses.

Lafayette police say as long as he doesn’t point his rifle or threaten anyone, he is within his rights to carry a gun.

Sanders said his license was unlawfully taken from him and that the public has nothing to fear.

“I have the right to do it for protection. I’ve got valuables on me, I’ve been walking on the highway and you don’t ever know who’s going to come up against you especially in the middle of the night,” said Sanders.

Sanders said he will walk in protest until he is given his license back.

Yeah...HE'S all there... :rolleyes:

And eventually this will lead to additional laws being proposed.

I support him and the second amendment. He done nothing wrong. At least as far as the weapon is concerned.

like IMPD issuing a new SOP that the presence of a gun is not PC for a stop?

I carry every day.I just dont advertise it..

Sounds like he will be walking for quite a while!

I live here! Haven't seen him but been told the BMV around the corner has guards at the door!

That would be best case. But, it'll end up with local ordinances being proposed against doing what he is doing.

You need to keep up on the gun laws of the state. No city or town can pass any local ordinances that are more strict than our state laws.

I think it was the city of Columbus that recently tried to do this until someone pointed out that they were attempting to break state law.

totally legal to carry a firearm into the BMV.

But don't believe things won't change in the future if gun owners start doing stuff like this. You'll see many more companies stop allowing open carrying on their premises. The tide is starting to change as the open carry "fanatics" have started to carry ARs into stores and such. Just not smart

THey have been doing that for years, youre being fed by the same lame stream media if you think this is something new.

Ms. Parks sat up at the front of the bus, Im guessing they were a ton of people like you wringing your hands in the shadows while she was sticking HER neck out.

I am with you Delaney NOT SMART,, Flaunting his rights regardless of what they are ,,there are other ways to protest from his list of infractions he could very well be walking the line between rational and insane...... losing his driver’s license in April after he refused to pay a fine for several infractions including failing to signal and possession of multiple licenses. what does he expect??

Dave , why do you even bother ? There are some folks that will never understand that just because something is legal it does not mean it is right .
Think of all the hunting that was lost in "city limits" because a few folks felt it was O K to hunt in peoples back yard and there was no law that said one could not do it .

Even the NRA is struggling with this issue of open carry by the groups in Texas. Shingle, things will change as situations like this continue. I've watched a number of other national hunting sites and there are a lot of hunters and gun owners that themselves have started speaking up that while they fully support open carry, they have no interest in having guys carry certain weapons openly in an eating establishment or at a Walmart or such. This isn't a media thing when you start having recognized national companies drawing the line on open carry. It will get worse and people who wish to flaunt the open carry will be the reason things eventually get restricted more and more.

Hopefully the next time someone that doesnt know the law gets butthurt and calls the police I hope its a hunter then all you guys can be up in arms about the interaction.

Dont ask and don't tell!

Now there are some here that have seen me carry a m1 in my golf bag but I just used it for a five wood!!.. Not a redneck though..

Dont ask and don't tell!

Now there are some here that have seen me carry a m1 in my golf bag but I just used it for a five wood!!.. Not a redneck though..

You guys ever think that it just may be the "antis" who are pulling these stunts?

The organizations in Texas certainly aren't antis but there could be cases like you suggest Weed.

Where did 'common sense' go in this world? :rolleyes:

The same place that the unicorn and the the tooth fairy went.. Common sense left the building.. It just doesn't exist..

Ben Franklin — 'The thing about common sense is that it is not all that common.'