YOUNGSTOWN Residents make fervent pleas for and against assault-gun ban

The hearing brought out raw emotions.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The stories had similarities; the viewpoints on gun laws did not.
Somebody shot and killed Lawrence Thomas' nephew, Justin Ferguson, 22, last year. The homicide, which involved a handgun, happened in front of the man's family in a case of anger and mistaken identity, said Thomas, a minister with the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Youngstown.
Thomas' point: "We are losing lives. Think about it hard."
Somebody shot Joe Kripchak's brother, Don Krpicak, a city police officer, in the head with a handgun during a drug investigation a decade ago.
Don suffered hearing and vision loss and is permanently disabled -- a life Joe describes as "up and down."
Kripchak's point: The shooting had "nothing to do with assault weapons."
Wednesday's public hearing in city council chambers on a proposed ban on possession or sale of assault firearms brought out raw emotion on both sides.
Thomas wanted council to consider that the law would keep such guns from being so available. Kripchak wanted council to consider that another law would do nothing to keep anybody safe from criminals.
Two hearings
More than four dozen people attended the unusual pair of hearings, arranged by Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st, council's safety committee chairman. Massive feedback on the proposed law led him to set aside two hours in the afternoon and two hours in the evening for public input.
Gillam expects council to act on the issue in July. The decision will be based on what is right, not what's popular, he said.
There is plenty to consider.
Gun supporters called for increased enforcement of state and federal laws, an end to plea-bargaining away weapons charges locally and holding judges accountable for the treatment of armed criminals.
Frank Krizan of New Middletown, a former longtime city resident, compared the proposed law to steps taken in Nazi Germany.
The will to kill is in a criminal's mind, "... not in the weapon or tool," he said.
John Stoffel of Connecticut Avenue called those who use assault firearms "gang-banging, murdering drug dealers."
Sees law as futile
The Rev. H. Lynn Bellows of Mabel Street said gun laws have no effect on criminals. "They will have weapons. You can count on that," he said.
Paul Black of Brandon Avenue called the ordinance offensive, a slap at veterans who fight for American rights.
"Criminals and drug dealers, by their very nature, do not obey laws. ... Law-abiding citizens will be forced to remove their firearms or relocate," said Jon Van Nest of Boardman, a certified firearms instructor and competitive shooter.
"Do we blame swimming pools for drownings? Do we blame matches for arson? Do we blame silverware for obesity? Then why are we demonizing an entire class of firearms because of the criminal acts of a few?'' asked Van Nest.
He threatened a lawsuit against the city if the ordinance passes, and concluded, "When you catch a criminal, throw him in jail. That's what works."
Arguments for a ban
Then, there was the other side.
"What we face in our community is a raging fire," said the Rev. Kelvin Turner, pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church. "In effect, what we're asking to do is to lower the temperature."
"Guns should not penetrate the exterior walls of homes and kill innocent bystanders," said Lori O'Neill of Chagrin Falls, president of the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the Million Mom March, which supports the national campaign against gun violence. She was referring to 3-month-old Jiyen C. Dent Jr., who was killed March 23 in his East Side home by an assault rifle bullet fired from outside.
Glorianne Leck of Wick Avenue, a Democratic precinct committeewoman, told a story about a police officer. She was going door to door when she saw a man put an assault-type firearm behind his car's front seat. She approached the nearby officer.
He said everybody has them and he could do little about it. The officer was frustrated, not indifferent, Leck said.
Leck said she doesn't fear handguns when she walks neighborhoods, but she does fear high-powered firearms.
"As a citizen, I'm concerned," she said.
rgsmith@vindy.com