Friends of Arturo Gamboa say they don't believe he ever brandished the weapon. Instead, they believe the shooting was a deadly miscommunication — someone overreacting because he was open-carrying.

A self-described “peacekeeper” shot three times at Gamboa. At least one of the bullets hit Gamboa in the side. Another bullet accidentally hit and killed a 39-year-old protester.

So some rookie sees a guy peacefully walking around with an AR-15 and starts blasting? Open carry is stupid, carrying an AR-15 alone at a protest is stupid. But it’s still the dude’s right. Maybe the “peacekeeper” was an off duty HiGhlY TraINeD cop.

  • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    5 days ago

    Carrying a rifle in a firing position is not open carrying, it’s brandishing. In jurisdictions where assault and battery are separate, it is also assault.