NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK — Busted, inebriated, and now facing federal charges. That’s what happened when a retired NYPD man tried to break through a security cordon outside the Trump Tower in Manhattan. He alleges he did not intend to use his legally concealed handgun against the presidential candidate and insists he broke through security because he just didn’t like being told where he could walk.
The New York Daily News is a trash newspaper if there ever was one but in the original article, they attempted to get statements from Anthony Shark, 54, after he left the Federal Courthouse.
He was one of the very few people inside New York City that has a permit to carry a concealed handgun and it was very likely that his time served on the police force was a major justification for that issuance. Trump, thankfully, is another one but during a presidential election, he has the Secret Service providing his backup.
Shark, however, was not dissuaded. After he left the jewelry shop where he works as security, he proceeded through a security cordon set up by Secret Service to protect Trump’s approaching motorcade.
“Shark then attempted to push through the [United States Secret Service] agents that were blocking his path,” the complaint says. “USSS agents attempted to restrain Shark whereupon he resisted, flailing his arms, clenching his fists, and grabbing at agents. While resisting USSS agents, Shark repeatedly grabbed at and held on to at least one USSS agent.“
Now who the heck knows what was going through Shark’s mind when, at 10 p.m. at night, he attempted to break through armed security. What is known is that he was arrested and charged with assaulting and resisting arrest from the United States Secret Service.
Welcome to Federal charges, pal. And that concealed carry permit? That’s gone permanently.
That’s a whole lot to sacrifice to make a statement. Whether that statement is as Shark says it is or it was another statement, that will be left up for the judge to decide.
Irresponsible concealed carriers make a bad name for us all but this particular example reflects an underlying dirty nature to the favored issuance of handgun licenses to former NYPD.
The right to bear arms is a Second Amendment protection against tyranny, abuse, and provision for the means of self defense. No where in that is there a clause that “only my buddies get issued one”.
The people of New York City and the five burroughs have to put up with a lot of crime and violence because the only people who carry guns are either thugs or police.
Retired police have the option of pursuing a permit that is valid in all 50 states. The Law Enforcement Officer’s Safety Act is a really cool provision that allows retired and active duty law enforcement to carry concealed in all fifty states. This especially comes in handy in places like New York City, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore where local state and district structures amount to an out-right refusal to issue to the common man.
Well, Shark can look forward to losing that privilege and being stuck like the common man in NYC once again — with no gun.
