I thought I'd post this as an addendum to the subject article, to tickle the discussion...:
54 guns, ammo seized from Ludwig homeCache of weapons found in Lititz family's house includes three assault rifles, shotguns and handguns.
By Janet Kelley
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - David G. Ludwig obviously had access to guns.
Police have charged the 18-year-old with shooting and killing his girlfriends parents on Sunday.
But investigators didnt know just how many guns the young man had available to him until they searched his familys Warwick Township home.
More than 50 weapons including three assault rifles, plus numerous shotguns, handguns, rifles, scopes and bullets were confiscated from the Ludwig home on Sunday, according to court documents.
The weapons were confiscated along with the young mans computer, when detectives searched the Ludwig home at 422-A W. Orange St., Lititz.
Searching the suspects home was one of the first things police did after responding to the call to another Warwick Township residence on Sunday morning.
Inside that home, at 15 Royal Drive, Lititz, police found the bodies of Michael and Cathryn Borden, both 50. Both had been shot once in the head, police said.
But Ludwig and his girlfriend, the Bordens 14-year-old daughter, Kara Beth, were nowhere to be found.
Police said the Bordens disapproved of their younger daughter dating Ludwig and had called him to their home around 7 a.m. Sunday to discuss the situation, after learning she had been out all night with him.
Neighbors said when Ludwig arrived, Michael Borden told him to leave a red duffel bag he was carrying outside.
The bag, neighbors said, contained several handguns and a knife.
Ludwig complied with the request, apparently, but allegedly had hidden another handgun inside his clothing.
(Blogger's comments)........................On Monday afternoon, the car was stopped in Indiana. State troopers placed the young man under arrest and both he and Borden were flown back to Lancaster County on Tuesday.
Ludwig was placed in prison, she was turned over to family and friends.
Ludwig lived with his parents, who police said have been extremely cooperative with the investigation.
Police said nothing about the large cache of weapons, which numbered 54, that they confiscated from the Ludwigs home.
Among the list of guns listed in the court document were three AR-15 rifles, commonly known as assault rifles, which are the civilian version of the U.S. military-issued weapons.
Several of the rifles and shotguns, some pump-action, had scope attachments and were in cases.
Police, who also confiscated numerous rounds of ammunition, did not say where in the home the guns were found.
Many of the weapons were handguns, according to the list, including several .22 caliber and .38 caliber Smith & Wesson handguns, several 9 mm Ruger pistols, a Taurus .357 caliber and a Glock .45 caliber handgun.
Friends have said that Ludwig and his family hunted. While police were searching for the missing teens, investigators mentioned that the family had suggested they look at their hunting cabin in Juniata County.
Ludwigs parents, Gregory and Jane, issued a statement Wednesday, asking for prayers and apologizing for the incident.
We are so truly sorry any of this has occurred, and are grateful for the great care being given to the Borden family, the Ludwigs statement read.
This town has suffered great tragedy, the Ludwigs continued, asking the public to pray for all who have been stunned by these events.
Ludwigs father, friends said, is a pilot for a commercial airline and his mother home-schools her children, including the defendant.
Even Nancy Grace is horrified by this.
Now, I'm not an anti-gun person, but this family had more weapons than a Blackwater mercenary team. Who, outside a gun dealer, needs 54 weapons in their home. Were the North Koreans going to overrun their farm?
We are talking a collection reaching $100K in value, alone.
Look, if I lived in a farming area, I'd own a couple of weapons. But 54? For what? To arm my militia unit? Thousands of rounds of ammo.
Now, if this was a non-white family, we'd be talking about their armed compound and the whole family would be in custody until every one of those weapons were checked for ownership.
This kid thought he could cart off some of the family's weapons, blow someone away and get away with it. I mean, he came loaded to play El Mariachi or something.
I wonder what values he was taught by mom at her home school. Kill or be killed?
Something went very wrong here. This kid's values, combined with the self-imposed isolation, created a moral world where violence to obtain one's goals was acceptable.
54 guns is a lot of guns and he allegedly killed those people execution style.
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*FW Comment:Occurrances like this are tragic. A hot-headed and impulsive young man, a pretty young girl, and parents trying to draw the line. But as sad as it is, I personally don't follow the argument that people shouldn't be allowed to have sizable collections of whatever they like.
Should families be limited to one set of silverware because once upon a time someone used a steak knife to harm someone else?
Should people not directly involved be punished for the crime? That's the case here. The entire family collection was confiscated because the boy harmed someone. The police already had the murder weapon in their hands and they still robbed this family of their property. Further, they make an overt attempt to demonize the household, to associate the entire family and to place the fault on their lifestyle. Are they
all guilty because he did it?
Being personally offended by rude speech, not having the government snoop in your personal business, a lack of guaranteed safety, these are equally benefits and cautions of living in a free society. When you wake up in the morning and step out of your front door, you are opting to take the chance.
How many guns is too many?
IMO, it's not a question that deserves either an answer or the energy of speculation in a free society. No honest body should have the authority to place such a limit on free men.
