Greensboro shooting victim knew estranged husband had a rifle

[Robb]

GREENSBORO — A High Point middle school teacher who was shot several times on Thursday tried unsuccessfully to obtain a domestic violence protection order, according to court documents.

At almost the same time, Laurrissa Armstrong’s husband was applying for a gun permit, according to the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office.

Armstrong, 62, was shot outside her Steeplechase apartment at 1404 Adams Farm Parkway in Greensboro about 7:50 a.m. Police believe her husband Bruce Armstrong, 61, is the person responsible.

Laurrissa Armstrong filed for a domestic violence protective order on July 29, according to court documents. In the filing, she stated she was divorcing Bruce Armstrong.

(snip)

A copy of the application shows she was turned down for the protection order because she failed to prove she was in danger. The ruling was signed Aug. 7 by District Court Judge Linda L. Falls,

The order also would have stopped Bruce Armstrong from buying a gun....

Read More: http://www.news-record.com/news/local_news/article_c4f992ce-1199-11e3-ae13-0019bb30f31a.html

This is why legislation that bars people from guns while protection orders are being considered is important. Yes, the guy would've eventually gotten his gun, because the judge is apparently an idiot -- but that's another day or two for the system to have caught up with her, for her to have relocated, etc. etc.

[sigmasix]

1. this is why the NRA supports re-arming violent felons

By arming violent felons and encouraging the stockpiling of arsenals the NRA is responsible for increasing fear among the electorate that causes deep problems with our political rhetoric.
The 2nd amendment has more to fear from the NRA than any left wing anti-gunner.

[madinmaryland]

2. Welcome to the gun-infested NRA wet-dream culture.

[billh58]

3. The NRA and

its Gungeoneer supporters would respond to this by saying that the school teacher should have been armed and prepared to defend herself. It's really her fault, they believe, for not having a CCW and packing heat like any normal, patriotic American would in her situation.

How dare she take her personal problems to the Justice system and waste taxpayer money like that!

[Squinch]

4. Even if she were able to get an order of protection, it is pretty meaningless

since our Supreme Court ruled that the police are not really under any requirement to enforce it. See Gonzalez v. Castle Rock. 7-2 decision.

[sir pball]

5. Well, it would have stopped him from buying from an FFL, not that that would have mattered.

Seeing as how he could have just picked up the local Penny Saver and bought one privately, no BGC (or gun show/internet) required. Which is precisely why I support requiring all transactions to be done via FFL, like I personally always do when selling. And would be perfectly fine with disallowing sales while a restraining order or DV charges are pending.

[Robb]

6. He went through the system to buy the gun.

He didn't go around it, he went through it. And if he'd been denied, there's zero question it would've slowed him down at a minimum.

[sir pball]

7. I know, and I agree he shouldn't have been able to.

I also think he shouldn't have been able to buy privately, either.

Honestly, I don't think simply blocking him from a checked sale would have made much difference, maybe slowed him down by a day at the most, but universal dealer transfers are beyond the scope of this thread. As is the mostly-unrelated assertion by the parent poster that LE isn't obligated to "back up" a restraining order - seemed to be an effort to distract from the issue at hand.

[Squinch]

8. But do you see what my point is in this? We are pretty much guaranteeing him a gun,

and the Supreme Court has ruled that the local police do not have to protect the wife from that gun even if she gets a restraining order.

So, no rule of law here. That's pretty significant. That's a hole in the social fabric that you could drive a truck through. All because of the gun hobbyists.