Davich: Stolen gun may raise red flags for better safekeeping

Carl Le'Ellis Blount Jr. certainly identified himself from a photograph while being interviewed by Lake County police detectives, according to a probable cause affidavit. "Is that something in my hand?" asked Blount, the alleged killer of Gary Police Patrolman Jeffrey Westerfield on July 6. The 25-year-old was being shown a picture image from a security video taken outside the day care center at 2545 Harrison St., Gary, a couple blocks from the crime scene. The still image, time-stamped in the early hours of July 6, revealed a guy wearing some of Nike gym shoes. Blount clearly understood it was him in the photograph, but was that "something" in his hand the firearm he used to allegedly shoot and kill Westerfield? And where can it be? That's the $20,000 question, contemplating the re-upped reward that's still on the table for this on-going case . Anyone with information can telephone (800) 750-2746. Several "cooperating witnesses," including the defendant's half-brother, discussed with authorities concerning this case. They pieced together the days, hours and minutes before the killing of a policeman and family man gunned down on his 47th birthday. "Several thousand hours" were put into this investigation, I'm told, collectively from multiple departments and agencies. And it's not over yet by a long shot. "We'd go to the ends of the earth to help a fallen brother and their family," said one detective with this case. After weeks of investigating, the affidavit is exhaustive, methodical and thorough, formally filed under the name of Lake County police detective Joseph Hardiman, who reacted to the call that apparently tired Sunday morning. Yet, as another detective noted, "The affidavit just has a tiny portion of the facts which were presented." Quite simply, only enough facts needed to get the ball rolling into court, appease the people's interest, and to start the creaky wheels of justice. They haven't located it. Yet. The gun was reported stolen on Sept. 25, 2013, while its owner was working at an apartment complex in Indianapolis, according to a police report. He still had in his possession all the accessories for the firearm, including a red cable gun lock, which suggests when it was stolen the firearm was not locked in, I am thinking. "It was got and possessed by an apparently responsible individual whom it was stolen from," said a police detective close to the case. I attempted contacting the Cicero guy, who by all accounts is a responsible gun owner, too, to hear his ideas on this issue, this case and, on a broader level. Certainly, no one could imag womens nike free 5.0 pink gray.ne a firearm legally purchased would be stolen and used to kill a policeman. Did he leave that gun in a locked car? A fast glove box? The man did not return my call. I do not blame him I wonder what his first reaction was when authorities told him that his stolen gun was used for this kind of purpose. I wonder if his habits were altered by it about carrying or storing his weapons. I wonder if any red flags were raised by this case with other firearm owners. Additionally, I wondered that handgun got during the past year to Gary from Indianapolis. I do not know but, according to the probable cause affidavit, police used a picture from Blount's cellphone to identify the gun. And Blount's half brother, Dontae Blount, has a cell number with a 317 area code, from the Indianapolis area. Coincidence? cheap nike blazers low. "In light of the spike in crime in the town of Gary," the press release notes, revealing the apparent. I am thinking that nowhere in that press conference will be talk of responsible firearm owners whose weapons get stolen and used by thugs to kill cops. But if any lesson can be extracted from this "senseless, senseless murder," as Lake County Sheriff John Buncich place it, maybe it is one about keeping privately owned firearms more protected. Yes, guns do not kill people, people do. But I wouldn't desire to be second guessing myself for years to come if I did -- or didn't -- c nike free powerlines 2.rrectly fasten a deadly weapon that was used to kill an innocent person, let alone a cop on his birthday.