Clarence Daniels walked into a Wal-Mart in Florida with a gun under his jacket. Another man, Michael Foster, spotted the holstered weapon, followed Daniels into the store, then jumped him. Foster put Daniels in a chokehold and told patrons the man had a gun. When the police arrived Foster was arrested for battery.
Daniels, it turns out, has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
Normally the story would end there, but this cut-and-dry case of one man attacking another over the perceived, and not real, threat he posed caught the attention of a leading anti-gun advocate.
Shannon Watts is the perfunctory head of the Michael Bloomberg front group “Moms Demand Action,” a small anti-gun group into which the billionaire Bloomberg pours millions. Upon hearing of the attack on Daniels, who was following the law, Watts tweeted:
Man arrested for tackling man with gun at Walmart. Because America. http://t.co/reEtSGvKr3 #gunsense
— Shannon (@shannonrwatts) January 21, 2015
Her tweet was misleading, to say the least, once you read the story she linked to. And the “Because America” part was downright confusing, unless Watts supports citizens being allowed to attack other citizens who are following the law. Twitter users let her know that attacking people in a Wal-Mart, or anywhere else for that matter, who are obeying the law is unacceptable.
Shannon, why are you upset that he was arrested? Do you want ppl just to attack lawful gun owners? #gunsense @shannonrwatts
— AMC (@Soldier1eaODGrn) January 21, 2015
@shannonrwatts So the letter of the law was followed and the guy tried to play hero in a crowded store was arrested for attacking a guy?
— Boo Radley (@BooRadl11994812) January 21, 2015
Because he assaulted a lawful gun owner who was doing nothing wrong, you twit. #gunsense @shannonrwatts
— Sheepdog (@jaycutlersux) January 21, 2015
@shannonrwatts So you’re promoting assault on someone who is observing his legal rights? You’ve lost it lady.
— Alas Babylon (@MikeBeRotten) January 21, 2015
@shannonrwatts Geez, are you really this stupid?
— JWF (@JammieWF) January 21, 2015
[h/t Twitchy]