Sorry, what? “Tyler Smith, Tennessee’s top-rated basketball player, said he bought the gun that brought down his college [basketball] career because someone had threatened to kill his 3-year-old son,” tennessean.com reports. “He’s never said that before now. And he still won’t go to the police.” Something about filing a false police report perhaps? “Last November in Knoxville, Smith, who lived off campus, had much of his personal property stolen. The former Giles County High School star said he was about to call the police, but the threats came first. He said the first text message threatened his life. The second promised to kill his son. Smith said he knows who did it, but he never called the police. Instead, two days later, he bought a Taurus pistol for protection.” So that’s alright, then?
Tennessee is a “shall issue” state. Provided Smith bought the Brazilian gun legally (i.e. passed the NICS background check), a concealed carry permit would have been a piece of cake (TN is a “shall issue” state). Oh wait! “Smith pleaded guilty one month later to possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number.” Too bad I already fingered The Chicago Tribune as our Irresponsible Gun Owner of the Day.