Disposable Rocket Launchers Are So Not Eco-Friendly

ATF agents working off a tip raided a Port Lavaca apartment yesterday morning, and discovered a hefty cache of illegal weapons. Among these was an anti-tank rocket launcher.

Career criminal and hunting aficionado Paul Henry Ledwik, 31, was arrested on felony charges of possessing illegal firearms. The feds, assisted by the local SWAT team, also managed to seize a handgun, several rifles, and a few boxes of ammunition.

Authorities involved in the raid had "no idea" what the bizarre green metal cylinder was when they first charged into the room; the rocket launcher was later determined to be an "anti-tank device used to shoot explosives," said Calhoun Sheriff B.B. Browning.

"It's a shoulder firearm, a one-time rocket launcher," said Rick Miller, acting head of the Corpus Christi ATF office. "You use it once and throw it away. To my knowledge, there's no way to reload it. It wouldn't fire again."

It's unknown how Ledwik managed to acquire this military-grade weapon.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Allen Y Chen in News on September 26, 2007 3:33 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

guest

Oh that. I think that Browning is just stupid because

1. He didn't know what a rocket launcher is so I'm guessing he's not too familiar with US military re-sale through our nation's fine Army Navy stores, and

2. How the hell do you tell if something's been de-militarized which leads us back to #5?

But if you want me to answer your questions, you're going to have to answer mine as well.

Or you could just go to Banana Bay or Quanaset Hut or the ARMY NAVY store on Lamar North of 183 and ask them how they know their merchandise is de-militarized because I have never noticed any kind of "ex-military" markings on anything I've bought from those stores.

guest

oh i always forget the word "anyone" means "convicted felon."

wow.

guest

But that's just for the guns. I don't know if it's legal for a convicted felon to go into a Army Navy store and buy a couple of used grenades but personally, I don't see the harm in it unless they re-activate them.

guest

It's illegal to own because he's a convicted felon and can't legally buy firearms, Mrs. Spermypants.

guest

um, so he bought it legally but it's illegal to own? is that what you're saying, Miss smartypants?

guest

I read that, Mr. Smrtypants, but have you visited an Army supply store, ever? What makes a weapon demilitarized? Are the grenades they sell demilitarized? What about the boots and helmets? How the fuck can you even tell? Since you're the resident genius, maybe you can offer a little insight.

guest

Hey # 1:

Browning added, "Because it had not been de-militarized, it is illegal for anyone to own it."

That underlined text there in the first sentence? It's a link, yeah...