An article in the Journal Times in Racine, Wisconsin on May 13th
stated:
RACINE =97 The local gun shop that briefly gained notoriety with an
assault rifle raffle has closed =97 leaving behind at least a few
unhappy customers.
Store owner Terry Jackson opened Drop Zone Surplus and Gun last summer
at 2501 Douglas Ave. The shop was Jackson=92s next main venture after he
abandoned his nine-month experiment in running Belle City Pawn, the
city=92s only pawn shop at the time.
Drop Zone recently closed, and Jackson did not return phone messages
asking for comment. However, Racine Police Department Detective Bill
Warmington said Jackson told him the store is permanently closed and
he is leaving the area.
During its brief existence, Drop Zone created a blast of publicity,
especially in August when Jackson raffled an AK-47 semiautomatic
rifle. He said the event raised $1,000 for AmericanSnipers, a national
organization comprised largely of law enforcement and past and present
military organizations that work to supply sniper equipment for active
military personnel.
The raffle brought criticism from gun control advocates including then
city alderman Pete Karas, a board member for the Wisconsin Anti
Violence Effort Educational Fund, a grass-roots organization dedicated
to reducing gun violence. Karas questioned the wisdom of holding a
raffle that would put an assault rifle =93on the streets of Racine.=94
It's quite amazing the level that gun dealers will often stoop to just
to get publicity for their gun business, regardless of the impact on
community safety or the message they send. Pete Karas and WAVE, a
Freedom States Alliance affiliate, strongly advocate for restricting
cop-killing assault weapons being sold in Wisconsin and across the
country. The notion of raffling off an AK-47 assault rifle for
"charity" was rightfully called out by the media and WAVE.
But more galling is that "Drop Zone" is also accused of ripping off
its own customers.
Bryan Pelz, a Kenosha County deputy, won the drawing for which Jackson
sold 100 tickets at $10 apiece.
Following that, Jackson announced at least one more gun raffle,
offering as the prize an AR-15, a handgun or a $300 store credit. The
proceeds from that event, like the first, were to go to charity.
With the store now closed, at least three people complain they did not
get guns or money from Jackson that rightfully belonged to them.
Rodney Finley of Racine filed a police re****t on April 28 alleging
theft by fraud at Drop Zone. About two weeks earlier, Finley said, he
paid $250 there for a .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun. When the
required 48-hour waiting period elapsed, the store was closed.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Finley said no one from Drop Zone had
contacted him despite the police re****t.
Jim Woolrage of Caledonia said he was another victim. Woolrage said he
had two guns at Drop Zone on consignment: a .22-caliber pump rifle;
and a .22-caliber pellet gun.
Woolrage said Jackson told him that both guns were sold and he was
awaiting payment =97 but as of Monday Woolrage was still waiting for his
money.
Jim Graham of Racine said he had a similar experience with a .38-
caliber Rossi revolver he placed on consignment at Drop Zone. Graham
said Jackson had his name and number, but he has not been contacted
about having the gun returned to him.
What is the gun lobby's fabled line, that gun owners are "law abiding
citizens?" Since when is it okay for a gun dealer to steal from their
own customers?
This is just one more example of why gun dealers need to be better
screened during an application process "before" they are approved for
a federal firearms license, or FFL. Clearly, "Drop Zone" should have
been more closely monitored after its pawn shop closed after only nine
months of operation before opening its gun store.
Gun owners and NRA members should know that oversight and regulations
of fraudulent gun dealers would help protect them. But it's doubtful
that the gun lobby would like to let that secret out. To the gun
lobby, it's better to look the other way when unscrupulous gun dealers
engage in illegal or unethical activity and rip their customers off.
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