Mr. Joe Costello:

My deepest sympathies go to the person about whom the Deputy was speaking. I cannot imagine how traumatising a situation like that would be. It is totally repugnant to any target shooter or law-abiding citizen. I would make the point, while not wishing to be insensitive, that if someone walked in my front door and pointed any kind of firearm at me, I would be more worried about the fact that they were pointing a firearm rather than the type of firearm it was, its shape, colour and so forth. I can understand that the person relating the story to the Deputy said that it was an assault rifle. In a way it is a moot point, because it could have been a single barrel shotgun or a piece of pipe with a handle on it. It might not have been a real gun, but it would have had a very traumatising effect. I understand the public safety aspect. However, it is no basis for deciding what type of firearm or what the appearance of something is or whatever.