Vermont Man Handcuffed, Detained by Police for Legal Open Carry

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Vermont Man Handcuffed, Detained by Police for Legal Open Carry

National Guard veteran placed in police cruiser for doing nothing illegal

Adan Salazar
Infowars.com
August 1, 2013

A Vermont man is upset after he was handcuffed and detained in a police squad car for doing little more than walking down the street with a handgun clipped to his belt, harassment many see as a stark infringement of the man’s personal rights and Vermont’s open carry laws.

Video - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

26-year-old Joshua Severance, a National Guard veteran, says he was stopped by police Monday and questioned as he walked down the street to his father’s apartment. Severance says his pistol was made all the more visible as his shirt was off due to hot weather.

“There was a cruiser sitting there parked, and it saw me. I had my firearm on my side, had my shirt off because I was hot, minding my own business just walking along, cops saw me,” Severance told WCAX.com.

“I can see pulling somebody over and asking them to look at the firearm or check the serial number to see if it comes back stolen,” Severance related, adding, “but putting somebody in handcuffs and throwing them in a cruiser and treating them like a criminal from square one– I don’t agree with.”

After police ran a background check and confirmed that Severance was in legal possession of his firearm, they explained their treatment of him as a vigilant response to recent shootings that have taken place in the neighborhood.

They also argued that the detainment was justified as it is uncommon to see armed citizens wandering about.

“In this particular neighborhood it is not commonplace to have people walking down the street with firearms, either rifles, shotguns or handguns. It was suspicious; it was out of the ordinary,” Rutland City Police Sgt. John Sly told the local CBS affiliate.

“Sgt. Sly says Severance was not breaking a law, and in Vermont gun owners can legally carry a firearm, concealed or not,” reported WCAX’s Ali Freeman.

Police also disturbingly stated that these types of stops were not at all “out of the ordinary and are routinely conducted.” According to WCAX, Severance was set to meet with the Rutland City Police Chief Wednesday to discuss the legality, or illegality, of the stop.

Infowars reached out to Severance for comment and will update this article with his response.

As Infowars has highlighted in the past, these types of stops violate the spirit of the Second Amendment, especially in states where it is legal to carry firearms openly.

In the video below, an open carry citizen schools police in Portland, Maine after they stopped him without suspicion of criminal activity. Police are seen nervously putting gloves on right before the law-savvy citizen cites the exact laws which officers are in the process of violating.

 

Isn't that the " freedom and unity" state? They really need to find freedom again.
 

No, Vt. is the Green Mtn. State. Might also be noted that Rutland is the drug and crime capital of this state. It's mid-state location, and central transportation hubs, road, rail, and even air, make it the center for heroin, cocaine, crack, and other medicinals. Several shootings, and corruption have everybody on edge, the city Is trying hard to come back, and somebad decisions and rountines have been instituted, and that is stepping on rights, I don't agree with it, and it's a shame when your governed by fear, and not the rights given under the Constitution, of both the state, and the Federal Govt.
 

Sorry GM, I was referring to the state motto. But if I were walking through a rough area, I might wear it on the outside, to deter the encounter first.
 

If more citizens would legally walk around armed then they would be use to seeing it.......... If I was him I would get as many of my friends to start walking around open carry..................
 

If more citizens would legally walk around armed then they would be use to seeing it.......... If I was him I would get as many of my friends to start walking around open carry...........

Thats what they do in New Hampshire around keene and manchester.Theres a group of activists based in keene NH,they always have,what they call, open carry litter pick up.
 

I much prefer concealed carry. That way the bad guy can't get the drop on you. Is the open carry legal with a loaded weapon? Just curious.
 

I much prefer concealed carry. That way the bad guy can't get the drop on you. Is the open carry legal with a loaded weapon? Just curious.

Yes it is legal to have it loaded in ever state I know of, not much use in unloaded gun..... Carry loaded with safety on.

I personally prefer open carry, let them know from the start you are armed.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 

We are lucky here in Vt., with the exception of Burlington, we can carry loaded and concealed, or open as you wish.....without needing any permits. How long this will continue with the new influx of progressives and liberals, but even our liberal Governor has said he will sign no gun control bills, and all those introduced this past year never saw the light of day....still a ray of hope!
 

GMD. Congrats on the CM status.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 

Over zealous cops can be a real problem too and in light of the Trayvon Martin fiasco I'm sure they wanted to be overly careful this guy was not a George Zimmerman wannabe(roll eyes). It stinks that people who obtain their carry permits can't just be questioned without all the drama.
 

Your required to carry your permit if your carrying your weapon, all he should have had to do was show his permit period.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 

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I've never been cuffed when I'm asked for my fishing license. They ask to see it, I show it and they leave. This should have been the same thing.
 

In VT., there is no permit to show.....we don't need one to carry concealed.
 

That's really even the more odd it is that this man was treated in this way.Maybe there is more to the story than we know.
 

It was more likely an overly cautious officer, like I said before, Rutland has had a rapid influx of drugs, and their related crimes. My experience here in the state is that the police are playing catch-up all the time, and just now have been getting the aide, and technology that they need to fight the new breed of criminal. Violent crime while rising in the state, still is less than some other places......do to the lower population, and the fact that the bad-guys don't know whos carrying, and can't hack a site to get a list of permit holders. In this state it holds, " that the next loud noise you hear will be me"
 

You are probably right Gary.Thing that gets me though is people who believe in Second Amendment rights often carry things way too far,such as the case as this guy right here in Nashville. I saw him a few years back at Radnor Lake,one of the sites mentioned in this article and it did scare me and I know it would other citizens who don't know the difference between an AR RIFLE loaded for bear or one that is 22 caliper. People like this often do more harm than good in promoting the Second Ammendment.

Gunman vows to continue carrying AK-47 to parks | Nashville City Paper
 

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Its all in the medias wording,whats the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word gunman.

Gunman vows to continue carrying AK-47 to parks......Sounds sinister doesnt it.

How about..... Law abiding citizen vows to continue carrying AK 47 to parks.
 

You've got a valid point RJC with how the media words stuff but still,I don't think most people are ready to see people toting an AK -47 or AR 15 without being alarmed and thinking that the person is over the top.Just my two cents worth I guess.
 

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