Firearm Injury Archives - Patriot Firearms of Oregon

Colorado Springs Shooting

Just 1 week after America’s Midterms, another mass shooting occurs in the USA! On 11/19/2022 Saturday evening a shooter enters a nightclub in Colorado Springs Colorado, and open fires on patrons of the nightclub. The shooter killing and injuring multiple people with a rifle. Our sincerest condolences to those who lost loved ones and are injured from yesterday’s event. So, what stopped the shooting? It wasn’t local law enforcement; it was patrons of the nightclub grabbing a handgun from the shooter and pistol whipping him unconscious.

This eerily echos the same issues that America has been dealing with for over 40 years. This issue is gun-bans and gun control! While the left continues to push gun bans and gun control to the rest of the USA as the solution to ending criminal behavior and mass shootings; everyone on the right has been vocal about the lack of gun education and conceal carry as the solution to ending these events. What we do know is that: since 1934 when the first gun control bill was passed NFA Act of 1934, there has been over 300,000+ gun laws passed across the USA! Of those 300K+ laws, a majority of them have been passed since the late 1970’s to present day.

If we connect the dots between gun laws passed over the last 40-ish years, we have an increase in gun violence year over year. Theoretically, if there are more laws against guns (or whatever topic you choose), wouldn’t there be less gun violence or less common occurrences of these issues? This theory has been proven wrong, year after year! The left is willing to “trust the science” but won’t trust factual hard case evidence. Since we’ve proven that this theory of increasing gun laws prevents more gun related deaths is false, we can openly agree and state that these crimes are committed by criminals, and not law-abiding citizens. What’s the best way to protect your family or friends from criminals? Put a firearm between you and them!

CDC 1999-2017 Gun Deaths in USA. Graph Courtesy of Statista. (As of 2020 Deaths are at 45k+).

At some point, when will these people come to terms that their inability to take a gun education class or even entertain the idea of a concealed carry option, as their way of promoting a solution to preventing these horrific events from occurring! Also, worth noting that they are contributing to gun related deaths or active shooter incidents! How are they contributing to gun related deaths and active shooter incidents? If you remain unarmed and in the event of being in a life-or-death situation with a criminal who has a gun, you either become a victim and statistic or a survivor.

The graph above shows active shooter incidents in the US from 2000-2020. As you can see the incidents over time relatively keep spiking, year over year. In regard to today’s shooting, Colorado Ranks 10th in the US for 2022, by a pro left wing anti-gun policy websites. In other leading Anti-gun advocates websites, Colorado ranks between 11-14th place in States with Strictest gun laws, with an average ranking of 11th. One would understand that, if they rank near the top 1/5th in the US for highest gun laws, there would be less incidents over the past 20 years (with respects to those who lost their lives), but there hasn’t been the desired change the left-wing gun grabbers want. Additionally, the left leaning skewed data in the graph below doesn’t show violence or death by other forms of weapons (knives, baseball bat, hammer ect..) that surpass gun related deaths in place where states have strict gun laws (California, New York, Hawaii, ect..).

strict gun law states — Colorado ranks 10th in a 2022 state by state strictest gun law ranking.

Finally, more gun laws on law abiding citizens only harm innocent lawful people, they do not restrict or curb criminal behavior. Get educated, take a gun safety course to become comfortable with a firearm, and get your concealed carry license! By doing so, you become a proactive citizen to protect your constitutional rights, therefore becoming a protector to our communities and ourselves. Be part of the solution to ending mass shootings and criminal behavior, conceal carry! 40+ years of gun laws have only created more innocent deaths than the previous 206 years, for country that is standing tall on the words of freedom.

CLICK HERE – To read the New York Times Article of the shooting.

CLICK HERE – To read Pew Research Center Active Shooter Chart 2000-2020.

CLICK HERE – To read Statista Graph of CDC 1999-2017 Gun Deaths in US.

CLICK HERE – To read state by state strictest gun law state rankings.

CLICK HERE – To read more anti-gun advocate strictest laws rankings by state.

CLICK HERE – To read Yahoo’s article with photo of shooting.

Safeway Inc. Employees Not Allowed Concealed Carry.

In the wake of a terrible event last night in Bend Oregon, a 20-year-old shooter went into a Safeway grocery store and killed 2 innocent bystanders and injured 1 Safeway employee. The employee attempted to disarm the shooter, before being shot. His heroic act has saved others from being shot in killed in the Bend Safeway supermarket, that which allowed time for law enforcement to arrive on scene. Our condolences go out to those families who lost their loved ones.

This shooting brings out yet another conversation of our state leaders who make claims in attempts of wanting to fix and find a solution to end gun violence. Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley called out political parties, ethnic races, and responsible gun owners to “put an end to this madness”.

Jeff Merkley Twitter Statement 08/28/2022 in regard to the Bend Oregon shooting.

Early this morning Oregon Senator Ron Wyden took to Twitter by stating “I’m willing to work with anybody who’s sick and tired of mass shootings to find solutions that put an end to this gun violence madness once and for all“. Well, if that’s the case, hey Ron Wyden, I’m willing to work with you, but you’re not willing to work with me!

Well kudos to the Oregon Senators for wanting to find a solution to end gun violence! However, they’re calling on the wrong persons to find a solution to this specific issue. Political parties can take some of the blame but are not the solution. It’s flat out discriminate to call on specific ethnic races to be part of the solution, when everyone should be part of the solution! Responsible gun owners are not the problem but may be a part of creating the solution. Now that we’ve addressed these fallacies.

Albertsons – Safeway policy for customers.

What our senators are failing to mention is Safeway’s company store policy! Not to mention the lack of accountability and discipline of prosecution for crimes that occur in our great blue State of Oregon (which is a big part of the issue we find among many left leaning states, and nevertheless part of the issue to solving gun violence). We must hold society accountable for their actions to promote healthy societal morals.

Safeway Inc. store policy in regard to firearms is for complete disarmament of customers and employees, except for law enforcement (due to legal reasons, we cannot post the direct link for Albertsons Co./Safeway Inc. company policy on guns – just google search it). Also, the Albertsons Company (Parent company of Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, and Pavilions) has a strict employee gun policy, that doesn’t allow any of its employees (cashier, dock workers, truck drivers ect…) to have a firearm on the companies work premise and in & on company property, even with a concealed carry license. Anyone who is found to be in possession of a legal firearm on company property will be terminated!

We have question for Safeway! Will the Albertsons Company provide security personal to their employees, or will they continue to neglect employee and customer safety?! Who is protecting the customer? Who is protecting the employee? Safety is the topic of concern here, Period.

If our Senators want to find a solution to the gun violence, they should turn to the companies they lobby for, and to the politicians they endorse to promote the Second Amendment. To encourage company employees to get their concealed carry licenses and have the right to carry on work premises without the discrimination of termination of employment. This is part of the solution to ending gun violence! If that Safeway employee in Bend Oregon could have legally concealed carry, there may have been 1 less death or injured in last night’s fatal criminal acts of violence. We can’t stop criminal behavior, but we can protect ourselves and environment from being a victim of those crimes. Don’t be a statistic, be proactive in defending your rights!

CLICK HERE – To read full article provided by KPTV Fox 12.

CLICK HERE – To read Safeway Customer Store policy.

CLICK HERE – To find Gun Business Directory including Gun Free Zones

Strictest Gun Control Initiative in Oregon & USA

Sign from Lift Every Voice Oregon rally 2022.

Ballot Measure 114 formerly (Initiative Petition 17 or IP17) also titled “Reduction of Gun Violence Act” will hit the ballots for Oregonians this November, and it will be one for the records in Oregon! Oregonians will be facing numerous election options for: a New Governor and the Nations only state for the strictest gun control measure (I.P. 17) to be voted on this fall of 2022. Well let’s dissect what we are about to talk about!

What is an “initiative or initiative process” in Oregon? “The initiative process gives direct legislative power to the voters to enact new laws, change existing laws, or amend the Oregon Constitution. Any person may be a chief petitioner of an initiative petition”. So, for an initiative to go onto a ballot to be voted on, the threshold of validated persons must meet above 100k signatures in 30 days.

Last month an anti-gun left leaning group, by the name of “Lift Every Voice Oregon” recruited paid workers and volunteers to get I.P. 17 on this fall’s election ballot. The election division office for the Secretary of State of Oregon had affirmed that Lift Every Voice Oregon group, have obtained enough signatures which were validated. Meaning the fate of all of Oregon Pro 2A constitutionalist who believe in the United States Constitution and more so Second Amendment, will be at the hands of Multnomah, Washington, and Marion County voters.

(Picture tiles of Anti-2A Oregon Representatives that support I.P. 17.)

What’s included on I.P. 17? Here’s what we really want to know, and what it would ban and/or require! The petition currently requests a ban on: Magazines that carry more than 10 rounds. The petition calls for “regulation of sale, purchase and otherwise transferring of all firearms and restriction of the manufacture, import, sale, purchase, transfer, use and possession of ammunition magazines to those that hold no more than 10 rounds will promote the public health and safety of the residents of this state and this Act shall be known as the Reduction of Gun Violence Act”.

Snippet from Secretary of State Reduction of Gun Violence Act I.P. 17.

The stinger here is what the petition wants as requirements! I.P. 17 would require gun owners to: 1) get a permit to purchase any firearm – which cost not more than $65.00, 2) complete a gun safety course, 3) pay a fee to purchase any firearm, 4) provide personal information, 5) submit fingerprints, 6) pictures of the gun owner that purchase or transfer a firearm, 7) pass a criminal background check, 8) serialize gun parts & ammunition magazines, 9) have a lock box in your vehicle to transport your magazine and/or firearm, and lastly 10) Oregon State Police to create a firearm database with purchasers.

Well let’s think about this for a moment and reflect what we all just read! I know sounds silly right? Well, this is a moment that common sense just went right out the front door! Have any of these 120k+ validated signatures of persons ever purchase a firearm? Probably not! Well in the State of Oregon you must provide personal information, pay $10 fee for a firearm background check, submit fingerprints, have a valid and unexpired Oregon state ID, and successfully pass a state and federal background check with every gun purchase! Firearm dealers in the state of Oregon must provide Oregon State Police daily with their transaction logs of who and what was purchased along with photographs of the firearms; and must verify all the above. FFL dealers have very stringent laws to follow, and they do that while crossing their t’s and dotting their i’s.

That covers 6 of the 10 requests for I.P. 17. Now that we’ve addressed a majority of the petition, the remaining 4 requests and magazine ban presents the idea of a power grab and a way to create more tax revenue for the state and a means to further burden law abiding gun owners. Please understand, were all about following laws, safety, and being a resource of information.

However, a fee to purchase a firearm, a fee for a permit, and permit to purchase a firearm encroaches on the second amendment “the right of people to keep and bear arms”. It creates a barrier of entry for those who wish to practice their God given right to bear arms! We also wonder, would a glove box in your vehicle count as a lock box to transport your magazine or gun (one can’t help but laugh)!

This barrier mentioned above is more so present for a prospective buyer, that goes through all the legal steps to purchase a gun from a dealer, whose name is free and clear of felonies and convictions. This measure is a solid form of preventing gun ownership, which is a gun ban and not gun control. All of these “requirements” which are done through creating additional obstructions in the name of “gun control” get passed down to law abiding State of Oregon gun owners, and not criminals who will act in an illegal manner regardless of laws put in place. Lowering the magazine capacity will still not affect criminal activity, it will put law abiding citizens at a severe disadvantage for a given situation where deadly force would be justified use.

The writers of I.P. 17 gives insight to their true intentions, by listing methods already in use for: buying, selling, and transferring a firearm. They write I.P. 17 in a great way to create a blanket or cover for what’s really on the agenda, banning guns. This is done to get the masses of population who have never purchased a firearm or care to take the time to learn gun laws, through fabricating a disinformation campaign, to get those into believing that these methods of firearm background checks are currently not in use, when in reality they already are and have been for decades!

We advocate for proper gun storage, laws, gun safety courses, and for individuals to go get a concealed handgun license frequently. It’s a great way to practice safety, learn your rights, and understand firearm functionality!

History teaches us that lessons from the past 20+ years: all of these initiatives and acts have created a stigma for public and private firearm safety class availability. That which of the past, would be offered as an alternate after-school activity along with other firearm related activities; but no longer are available due to lack of resource funding; and educators who do not wish to be criticized and blacklisted for being part of gun safety advocacy, as the gun control solution. One would call it going against the tide so-to-say. So, to be blunt and translate for those who can’t read in-between the lines; these acts, petitions, and gun ban/control formed laws, create an educational barrier for the availability for understanding firearm safety to the general public. Which puts us in the predicaments that we are currently facing today. ALL OF AMERICA CAN RELATE TO THIS!

Portland Police Bureau Interactive Reported Shooting Incidents 2019-June 2022.

Oregonians are known for passing the buck, and not accepting responsibility for their actions (not all of them but quite a few). Maybe it’s the 9 months of rain that’s caused this behavior. Regardless of the external environment, we are responsible for ourselves, the internal environment and culture we promote, for creating logical reasoning, and how we vote! A vote for in favor of I.P. 17 is not accepting responsibility for the current issues, we as the Nation are facing today! Treating a symptom in hopes of curing the root cause, will never get the results we desire. Holding those accountable for their actions, and reasonable disciplinary measures are needed to recreate a safe general public environment. We’ve moved away from holding those accountable, which is one of many parts of the root cause, that we currently deal with and visually see on a daily basis.

Modern examples of treating symptoms in hopes of curing the root cause are: Defund the police, now in an emergency, 911 dispatch wait times are anywhere between 20 minutes to 1 hour, up to 3 hour wait times for non-emergency. GUN VIOLENCE has surged 155% since 2020. Decriminalization of hard drugs in hopes of getting addicts recovery help for sobriety, less than 1% sought help, and our streets in Portland are littered with needles everywhere. Heroin alone in Oregon is killing our loved ones at a higher rate than gun violence. If one includes: Meth, crack, cocaine, and fentanyl, hard drugs are killing our loved ones 44% higher than gun violence in Oregon.

Oregon Health Authority 2019- May 2022 Opioid death comparison.

Firearm bans and gun control will not work, to curb violence. As a nation we need to educate our citizens with facts and firearm comfortability, create awareness so these disinformation campaigns are easily identified and come to a halt (which is done through firearm educational safety and knowing your state laws and processes), and finally standing ground for your rights. If you don’t stand up for your civil liberties, they will be slowly taken away from us with the grounds of “promise to return how it was”, but we all know that will never happen. Like a 1-time tax, it will always be renewed and burden the law-abiding citizen.