Aurora, Colorado Teen Walks On Busy Streets With Loaded Shotgun To Make People Feel ‘Comfortable’
As a result of the Aurora theater shooting, 12 people lost their lives and 70 were wounded, but a Colorado teenager decided to walk around that same town carrying a loaded shotgun on the streets.
18-year-old Steve Lohner is seen in a video being stopped by police who responded to 911 calls alerting them about the armed teen.
When the teen was asked why he is carrying a shotgun, he replied, “For the defense of myself and those around me” while he went to the store to buy cigarettes.
Lohner claims he was within his rights to openly carry a shotgun, but he refused to provide the police with identification or his full name, so they had no way of determining that.
“I simply carry this for the protection of myself and those around me,” Lohner said.
His shotgun is a Stoeger P-350 12 gauge, according to KDVR.
According to the teen, he’s on a campaign to call attention to open carry laws. “I feel like a lot of people now they see a weapon like that and they think, you know, James Holmes or Sandy Hook,” he said.
Lohner said he’s trying to make people feel more comfortable.
“It’s alarming to the citizens — alarming enough to where they call,” Aurora police spokesman Frank Fania said.
“He may be within his rights and legal, within the law to carry this gun but if we’re investigating it and he refuses to cooperate that may violate other municipal laws,” Fania said.
Lohner said, “The police treat open carry like you’re a criminal until proven innocent.”
And open carry activists refusing to abide by laws by providing identification — a simple task — is a burden on law enforcement.
“It ties up our resources whether you’re right or wrong,” Fania said.
Lohner said. “If enough people were to lawfully open carry in those areas and do it in a safe and lawful manner then these people would end up feeling comfortable around it.”
Lohner faces a misdemeanor obstruction charge for refusing to show his identification.
KDVR spoke with Lohner’s mother and she told us she is concerned about his safety. The teenager says he intends to continue his open carry walks.
Watch courtesy of KDVR:
The video of the teen’s encounter with police:
viva_democracy August 4th, 2014 at 10:47 am
He’s an idiot. He’s trying to force his hobby on others. He also thinks he’s above the law.
Most of these idiots are dolts who will probably be dead within 5-10 years by their own gun.
Anomaly 100 August 4th, 2014 at 10:57 am
I was reading the comments on YouTube. It’s amazing how ridiculously stupid Open Carry activists are. One suggested he sue the police. OMFG, the stupid burns.
fantagor August 4th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Open Carry is a phenomenon of the Obama presidency. Second another Republican gets into office, never I hope, we will won’t see or hear from these zealots until another Democrat gets in office to clean up the GOP’s newest batch of catastrophes.
mea_mark August 4th, 2014 at 10:54 am
How long before somebody thinks he is the bad guy with a gun and ends this tragically?
tiredoftea August 4th, 2014 at 11:00 am
Smoking and open carry, a big bag overflowing with stupid.
Ron Jackson August 4th, 2014 at 11:15 am
And yet another small penis open carry right wing gun freak,showing the world that they are bitter over the fact that they can not get laid
MIAtheistGal August 4th, 2014 at 1:18 pm
I never asked this idiot or any other ammosexual to protect me. Just stop.
madashellnow August 4th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
Why is it when there is a legal gun involved and a non-criminal the liberals go crazy? Too bad they don’t get that upset about Doctors performing abortions, killing babies, when the mothers cannot control their sexual urges enough to take precautions. And of course that is legal too.
mea_mark August 4th, 2014 at 2:38 pm
to take precautions — you mean like run the gauntlet of protesters at planned parenthood to get birth control. We are pretty mad about that and we are doing our best to keep the RWNJs at bay so that women can be responsible. If only all people were sane …
Anomaly 100 August 4th, 2014 at 3:25 pm
There’s nothing legal about not complying with the police. You see, that’s why he was arrested. You don’t need to connect the dots to figure it out.
Herb Sarge Phelps August 4th, 2014 at 3:30 pm
Here in Arizona where Gabby Giffords was shot and others killed we had a man who had a gun on him that day. He came out of a store and saw the carnage, pulled his gun and pointed it at the lady who had grabbed the gun so the shooter couldn’t get it again. Fortunately he didn’t shoot her, but he said he was just a hair from doing so because he didn’t realize she was not the shooter. Does that make you feel safe to know someone with less judgment than he had might shoot you if you try to get the gun as this lady did? If so then you are either living In a fantasy world or you need to be under mental health treatment.
jasperjava August 5th, 2014 at 12:00 am
“the mothers cannot control their sexual urges”
Thank you for confirming that right-wing so-called “pro-life” zealots are actually concerned about controlling women and imposing their sick repressed sexual “morality” on them.
Herb Sarge Phelps August 4th, 2014 at 3:25 pm
The lack of reasoning among these people is alarming. More guns just increases the chances of someone who is a threat being able to walk among the people and open fire, with others carrying guns then more chances of the innocent bystanders getting shot or killed. I have to wonder about the judgment of those who think their carrying a gun like this is making people feel safe and certainly wonder if they have the ability to recognize when NOT to open fire. I certainly would not want to bet on them.
GunTotingLib August 4th, 2014 at 4:54 pm
The guy is a dick head for carrying a chambered shotgun on the street like that, BUT according to CO. law… http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/colorado/?app=00075&view=full&interface=1&docinfo=off&searchtype=get&search=C.R.S.+16-3-103 …A peace officer may stop any person who he reasonably suspects is committing, has committed, or is about to commit a crime and may require him to give his name and address, identification if available, and an explanation of his actions….So without articulable ” reasonable suspicion” he is proboly not required to ID himself.
jasperjava August 4th, 2014 at 11:57 pm
As far as I’m concerned, anyone openly carrying a gun should immediately fall under reasonable suspicion of being about to commit a crime.
Guns are weapons designed to tear holes in living tissue with the intent to kill or injure. There is no other reasonable conclusion to draw when you see an armed person who is not law enforcement: they may be intending to kill someone.
jasperjava August 5th, 2014 at 12:03 am
“For the defense of myself and those around me” while he went to the store to buy cigarettes.
If he was actually concerned about defending his life, he wouldn’t smoke.
Stan Ubeki August 5th, 2014 at 2:35 am
They should have tazed him with no questions asked. If I see one of the stupid little pricks in a restaurant I’m gonna take him down with a chair if I have to. I feel threatened you stupid little dickhead.