More Deaths, More Convictions, More Murder-Suicides: VPC Concealed Carry Killers July Update

WASHINGTON - The conviction of a Tennessee concealed
handgun permit holder who murdered another man during an argument over how
close their SUVs were parked to one another, a “love triangle of
sorts” that ended in murder-suicide, and a 15-year-old killed with an
“unloaded” handgun by his friend are among the updates and
additions to Concealed Carry Killers, a Violence Policy Center (VPC) on-line
resource that tallies news reports of killings by concealed handgun permit
holders.

Since May 2007, concealed handgun permit holders have killed
at least 182 individuals--including nine law enforcement officers--in 26
states.  Of the 109 incidents that resulted in the deaths, in more than
half (58 incidents) the concealed handgun permit holder has already been
convicted or committed suicide after the shooting.  Of the 48 cases still
pending, the vast majority (43) are charged with criminal homicide, two were
unintentional shootings, and three are still under investigation.  In the
three remaining cases, two alleged shooters were deemed incompetent to stand
trial, and the final case involved a concealed handgun permit holder who was
also shot and killed during the incident.  Of the 109 incidents, 16 were
mass shootings where concealed handgun permit holders claimed the lives of 65
victims.

A summary of each of the 109 incidents is available at http://www.vpc.org/ccwkillers.htm,
clicking on each category leads to a state-by-state breakout for the incidents
with current known status. To review all killings by concealed handgun permit
holders, click on “Total People Killed by Concealed Handgun Permit
Holders.”  While the incident summaries of the few concealed handgun
permit holders eventually found not guilty of their crimes are listed on the
site, those numbers are not included in the VPC's totals.

Updates and additions for July include: 

o  In July 2010, Tennessee
concealed handgun permit holder Harry Raymond Coleman was convicted of second degree
murder and other charges in the killing of Robert “Dutch” Schwerin, 52.  During
a parking lot argument over how close Schwerin's GMC Yukon Denali SUV was
parked to Coleman’s wife’s Hummer, Coleman, then 60 years old,
retrieved his 45 caliber pistol from the Hummer and shot Schwerin in the
chest.  During the trial, prosecutors told jurors that Coleman and his
wife were not fearful that night, only angry, adding, “Poor Harry
Coleman.  He had to kill a man.  He wants to be the first man in
history to stick a gun in the mouth of an unarmed man, to stick it in the chest
of an unarmed man and then to shoot him to death in front of his children and
then call himself a victim.”  Coleman faces up to 25 years in prison
without parole. 

o  In January 2008, Alabama concealed handgun permit holder
Joshua Noel Jones, 22, shot and killed 15-year-old Daniel Wayne
“Danny” McKinnon.  While sitting in a pick-up truck with
friends, Jones “dry-fired” (pulling a gun’s trigger
presumably without a bullet in the chamber) his 40 caliber handgun.  The
loaded gun went off, killing McKinnon.  Jones was charged with
manslaughter, convicted, and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

o  In May 2007, Florida
concealed handgun permit holder Antonio Olo Duran, 40, shot and killed Richard
Scoggins, 39, and then took his own life.  Scoggins was the current
boyfriend of Duran’s ex-girlfriend, Maria Bautista, 44.  According
to press reports the three were “in a love triangle of
sorts.”  During an argument about “past relationships,”
Duran fatally shot Scoggins in the head.  As Bautista attempted to help
Scoggins, Duran struggled with her.  He then put the handgun in his
mouth.  As Bautista attempted to pull it out he pulled the trigger,
killing himself.  

Violence Policy Center Legislative Director Kristen Rand states, “The evidence is becoming
overwhelming that too many people who get concealed handgun permits are
homicidal, suicidal, or both.  The simple fact is the laws that allow the
carrying of guns in public need to be repealed--unfortunately, it is impossible
to do this before more people die." 

Because most state systems that allow the carrying of
concealed handguns in public by private citizens release little data about
crimes committed by permit holders, the VPC reviews and tallies concealed
handgun permit holder killings primarily as reported by news outlets.  It
is likely that the actual number of fatal incidents involving concealed handgun
permit holders is far higher.