Missouri Republican Leaves a Loaded Gun In Public State Capitol Bathroom

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A Missouri House Republican staffer has become the poster boy for NRA intelligence by leaving a loaded gun in a public restroom on top of toilet paper dispenser in the state capitol.

Here are the details from The St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

A Missouri House staffer allegedly left a loaded gun in a public restroom in the state Capitol last week.

According to a Capitol Police incident report, a Kahr CM9 9mm pistol – later claimed by House Speaker Tim Jones’ legislative assistant Dave Evans – was found on top of the toilet paper dispenser in a men’s restroom in the Capitol basement Friday. The incident report states that the gun “was fully loaded with one round in the chamber and six rounds in the magazine.”

Capitol police returned the gun to Evans after Jones’ secretary Lisa Bondurant called to report that it was misplaced. The incident report states that Evans didn’t have paperwork for the gun with him, but he “offered a very detailed description of the weapon and the holster (and) was able to identify the weapon by the brand, caliber, color, size, the holster and the ammunition count and type that was in the weapon.”

Police say that no charges will be filed in the incident. It is legal in Missouri for legislators to carry their guns in the capitol, but Evans showed the dangerous side of this foolish law. What would have happened if a child would have gotten a hold of the gun? Since Evans left the gun in a public restroom, anybody could have found it. Was it really necessary for Evans to be carrying a loading gun in a building that already has armed security?

For being a negligent idiot, Dave Evans should lose his concealed carry permit. No responsible gun owner would ever leave their weapon on top of a toilet paper dispenser in a public restroom. The whole incident is mind boggling. Any Missouri parent should think twice about sending children on tours of the capitol if there could possibly be loaded weapons laying out in public. People like Dave Evans represent the Republican way.

Republicans are protecting your Second Amendment rights while making every public space a little less safe, one unattended loaded weapon at a time.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association