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THE FOCUS SINCE THE
CONNECTICUT MASSACRE HAS BEEN ON
WHETHER TO BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS,
BUT FAMILIES OF LOCAL VICTIMS
SAY THAT WILL DO LITTLE TO STOP
THE VIOLENCE THAT REGULARLY
SHATTERS NEIGHBORHOODS HERE.
THEY TOLD "24-HOUR NEWS 8"
THAT VIOLENCE OFTEN COMES BY WAY
OF MUCH SMALLER WEAPONS.
KEN KOLKER IS *** WITH THAT
STORY.
BRIAN AND SUE, LOCAL POLICE
SAY THEY RARELY COME ACROSS
ASSAULT WEAPONS LIKE THE AR-15.
MORE OFTEN, IT'S A HANDGUN
TUCKED IN A WAISTBAND.
GET.
DON'T MAKE NO DIFFERENCE.
FOR THE MAN WHO KILLED
VINCENT LONG'S DAUGHTER AND
STEPDAUGHTER MONDAY IN A
DOUBLE-*** SUICIDE, IT WAS A
9 mm HANDGUN.
DETECTIVES ARE INVESTIGATING HOW
MARVIN GOT IT.
GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DENIED HIM A
PERMIT TO LEGALLY BUY A HANDGUN
FOUR YEARS AGO BASED ON
QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS MENTAL
STABILITY, QUESTIONS RAISED IN
EARLIER INVESTIGATIONS INCLUDING
A MISDEMEANOR DOMESTIC ASSAULT,
A CONCEALED WEAPONS CONVICTION
IN 2009 SEALED THE DEAL.
HE WAS A CONVICTED FELON WHO
COULD NOT LEGALLY CARRY A GUN.
THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN
HIS POSSESSION IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
SO FAR THIS YEAR, THE KILLERS
IN 12 OF GRAND RAPIDS 15
HOMICIDES USED FIREARMS, ALL
HANDGUNS.
THEY GOT THE HANDGUNS IN
THEIR POCKET THEY CAN WALK
AROUND WITH EVERY DAY.
JUST UP AND DOWN THE STREET
CASUALLY EVERY DAY.
LIKE ME AND YOU.
BUT THEY'VE GOT GUNS.
POLICE RECOVERED THE GUNS IN
ONLY TWO OF THE CASES INCLUDING
MONDAY'S DOUBLE *** SUICIDE
OUTSIDE A COUNSELING CENTER.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN 100%
DIFFERENT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD HAD A KNIFE
OR ANYTHING, HE COULD HAVE --
THEY COULD HAVE FOUGHT BACK.
IN GRAND RAPIDS, IT'S MORE
THAN JUST HOMICIDES THAT TELL
THE STORY.
CRIMES INVOLVING HANDGUNS JUMPED
TO MORE THAN 370 THIS YEAR, MORE
THAN ONE A DAY.