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Gun Owner 'Open Carries' On the Rise in Easton

Man with rifle in bank parking lot leads to police response, but his actions were legal.

 

There's no law against carrying a legal gun in the open in Pennsylvania.

It's referred to as an "open carry," and it's something Easton police say is on the rise in the city. 

But what if your open carry takes you past a bank's drive-thru window? Well, that's when the police show up.

This isn't a hypothetical situation. It's what happened to West Ward resident Andy Novick Wednesday when he purchased an old .22 rifle in downtown Easton and then walked it back to his car, which just happened to be parked in the Sovereign Bank lot on N. Third Street.

Novick -- who occasionally blogs for this publication -- admits that he hadn't thought things through.

"All of the sudden I realized, 'We're in a bank parking lot. This is definitely not cool,'" Novick said.

Novick said he figured a panicked U-turn might be more alarming than acting casually, so he put the rifle -- which he said doesn't even fire -- in his trunk and went to run other errands. When he got back, the police were waiting.

"I told them 'It's a .22, and it doesn't work,' and they all relaxed," said Novick, who plans to restore the rifle.

Easton police Capt. Scott Casterline said Novick acted lawfully, 

But he also noted that the situation isn't that unusual.

"We are seeing more and more of it," Casterline said.

He couldn't give an exact number, but said it's something his officers have been noticing on patrol and have been reviewing as part of their training. Casterline did say he saw a man wearing a gun last year at the Easton Farmers' Market.

And he said he doesn't think the increase is in response to either mass shootings like Sandy Hook or any local gun murders. Rather, Casterline speculated that it's just a matter of people becoming more aware of the law.

Is he comfortable with more residents having guns in public?

"It’s something we have to be comfortable with to a point," Casterline said, which is why he said his officers train so that their actions don't violate people's right to carry.

Novick had been stopped by police once before, Casterline said, when officers spotted him near the 13th Street Dunkin Donuts wearing a BB gun on his waist. Novick says it's for protection against "knuckleheads" in his neighborhood.

Pennsylvania is one of 43 states where open carries are allowed. Only six states -- Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina, Illionois, New York and Florida -- allow no sort of open carrying.

OpenCarry.org, which tracks the laws around the country, rates Pennsyvlania as "open carry friendly." The state would get a "gold star," the website says, if not for Philadelphia's stricter take on the open carry law, and a law requiring permits to perform an open carry in a vehicle.

Open carries are not allowed in schools, courthouses, federal buildings, state parks or prisons, according to the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.

Related Topics: Andy Novick, Open Carry, and easton police

Ronnie DelBacco

7:39 am on Friday, February 15, 2013

I too exercise my right to "open carry" occasionally. Those occasions are usually when I'm in like minded company or if I happen to be wearing an outfit that doesn't allow for concealment. The only other occasions when I "open carry" are events such as Heritage Day and other community day type events for the purpose of "educational conversation" on that very issue.

I've never been stopped or even questioned by police during these times, and my experience when carrying openly has always been very positive. Some people ask me questions, but most people don't even flinch.

Those of us who choose to open carry do use common sense. For example, I "cover up" most of the time especially in places like the bank and other such areas of higher security awareness just so I don't cause unnecessary alarm to others.

If responsible gun owners exercised their legal right to carry open on a regular basis more people would start to understand as they see peaceable armed citizens conducting everyday business that it isn't the gun which causes crimes, it's the criminally minded who cause the crimes.
It's time we phrase the conversation on these term, "Criminal violence", and "Crime control". It's a misnomer to use phrases like "Gun violence", and "Gun control" when what is really meant is by those terms is simply a deliberate agenda driven phraseology crafted solely to take away our "gun rights".

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Adam Fairchild

6:04 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013

Does "open carry" require a permit? If you are open carrying and decide to cover up, is it considered a concealed weapon and do you need a permit for that?

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Siobhra Aradia

8:13 am on Sunday, February 17, 2013

Open carry does not require a permit. However before you try it remember that laws are tricky. Once you get into your car the gun is not visible and without a concealed carry permit you could get in trouble. And in first class cities like Philly you do need a concealed carry permit to carry openly. And yes if you cover it in any way it is considered a concealed weapon.

Blackdemon

7:40 am on Friday, February 15, 2013

Glad everything turned out good. PA is one of the more friendly states for legal gun owners. I open carry in my neighborhood, but normally cover up when I go some place. Some people are not aware of the laws in their state. A lot of local police aren't aware either, or they just don't understand. A lot of people call a "license to carry firearms" a concealed carry permit, which it is not. It just means you may conceal, or have a loaded firearm (not a long gun)in your vehicle. We are far better than our neighboring states. Thank You

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Andy Novick

12:34 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013

anyone know where I can buy .22 long ammo...all of USA is out because of the gun craze!

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Ronnie DelBacco

1:43 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013

Try Sarco. I buy that exact round there

Ronnie DelBacco

5:40 am on Sunday, February 17, 2013

Adam,
Yes. To cover up requires a concealed carry permit. Getting in the car with it on requires a concealed carry permit. Go to opencarry.org for more info.

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Josh

10:38 am on Sunday, February 17, 2013

Be honest gun folks, are you just doing this to create attention to the gun issue? Because if you open carry in my town, you would run out of bullets before enough concerned parents and people had you cuffed, bloody and jailed. Think about how much fuel you are throwing onto the fire??

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Ken Fichtner

9:44 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Are you saying law people in your town are so ill-informed of the law and lacking self control that they would use violence on an individual for undertaking the lawful exercise of their rights?

If this is what you think of your neighbors I would move before they feel that your lawful exercise of your rights is not to their liking.

Joe Ruiz

11:44 am on Sunday, February 17, 2013

I am happy to hear that Easton is following state law. To often LEO;S wan't to enforce opinion and not the Laws.

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Jerry Corliss

1:09 am on Monday, February 18, 2013

@ Josh, do you live in PA? I've OCed all over the eastern half of PA and have never been cuffed, bloody, or jailed. I even <gasp> OC into banks and and do not have a problem. My reasons for OC are that it is more comfortable, more accessible, and I believe it acts as a deterrent. Contrary to your statement, it is not for attention and doesn't throw fuel on any fires. Mostly it is totally unworthy of note.

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Jerry Corliss

1:21 am on Monday, February 18, 2013

To clarify some of the material in the article and the comments PA does not have an open carry law. Under our system of law we enact laws to prohibit or restrict, not to allow. So the absence of a law prhibiting open carry mean it is legal.

Pennsylvania issues a License to Carry Firearms (LTCF). It allows carry in a vehicle, carry in a city of the first class (currently only Philadelphia), carry during a declared state of emergency, carry within 1000 feet of a school in this state, being loaned a firearm, and carrying concealed. It does not mandate concealment and you will not find the word "concealed" on it.

First class status is based on having a population of 1 million of more, and the requirement for a License to Carry in a city of the first class is part of state law. Philly (and other municipalities) have no authority to enact any laws on the ownership or carry of firearms. Only the state legislature can do that.

Most open carriers get a LTCF due to the vehicle and state of emergency requirements. You can carry openly on foot without a license, but most of us like to drive places and want to be able to carry during a state of emergency.

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Tom Coombe

9:07 am on Monday, February 18, 2013

Thank you for that clarification, Jerry. You're correct. I've edited the story so that it doesn't read as if there's a specific law legalizing open carries.

Sponge_bob

12:21 am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013

i am a business owner in Easton and yes i open carry there. i also welcome ALL legal carrier in my place of business. it is a given right and not a privilege. i get asked all the time "why do i need to carry a gun? am i looking to shoot someone with it?" all i have to respond to that is "why do you need a fire alarm at your house? are you looking to light it on fire?" i carry because it is a lot easier to explain to the cops why the idiot with a weapon on my floor is full of holes then for my wife to explain to my kids why daddy is not gonna be around anymore..

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Ronnie DelBacco

8:05 am on Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Sponge_bob,
Perfect answer! Thanks for that.
I use a similar response with fire extinguishers.
Logic and critical thinking are becoming extinct in our society and it is such a pleasure when I hear them deployed so responsibly.

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