Protesters urge gun shop owner to sign ‘code of conduct’

Gathering on Good Friday to show support for strict gun laws, several hundred protesters assembled outside a Kensington gun shop urging the owner to sign a "code of conduct" to deter illegal firearms sales.

An attorney for Larry Haney, owner of the Shooter Shop at Allegheny Avenue and Emerald Street, gave reporters a copy of a letter from the District Attorney's Office thanking Haney for his cooperation in combating illegal gun trafficking.

"Your efforts have helped to make our City a safer place to live and work," said the letter, signed by Albert J. Toczydlowski, special assistant district attorney.

Gun-rights attorney Jon Mirowitz said Haney was inside his shop, but was not granting interviews.

The store was the target of a demonstration in February by the same gun-control advocacy group, Heeding God's Call, but then only about 40 protesters and 40 gun-shop supporters were involved.

About 200 to 300 gun-control advocates showed up on Friday, and they were countered by more than 50 gun-rights supporters, who sang "God Bless America" and jeered the protesters.

Keeping them separated was a large contingent of police Civil Affairs officers.

Stephen Drachler, executive director of United Methodist Advocacy in Pennsylvania, came from Harrisburg to join the demonstration.

"Heeding God's Call has created a model that puts the onus on gun shops to do the right thing," Drachler said. "This is not difficult stuff and it's not about putting people out of business."

Heeding God's Call is urging gun shops to sign a 10-point pledge calling for shops to be more vigilant in spotting "straw purchasers" who buy guns in bulk for resale to criminals.

Last year, the group protested regularly outside Colosimo's, on Spring Garden Street. In the fall, the shop went out of business after more than 40 years, closing as part of a plea agreement after federal prosecutors charged it with selling weapons to gun traffickers.