RED-ALARM Red-Flag law alert!
Brandon Wagshol a 22-year-old student at Central Connecticut State University. On Friday, he was arrested in advance of possibly thinking about committing a crime, after he was anonymously reported for posting a meme on social media. The anonymous tip claimed that the meme proved he showed an interest in committing a mass shooting. Wagshol’s attorney claims he never made any comments on social media, and that he was arrested for posting the meme.
The 22-year-old college student has been arrested, banned from his college campus and indefinitely suspended.
The judge in the case is refusing to allow Wagshol to post the required $250,000 bond until after his court hearing.
He has not committed a crime.
Let that sink in.
Brandon Wagshol was just arraigned in Norwalk Superior Court. His bond was kept at $250,000, and the judge ruled he can only post it at the courthouse after a hearing. That way the prosecutor can put conditions on his release. @News12CT pic.twitter.com/RNl5UVOUZx
— Marissa Alter (@MarissaAlter) August 16, 2019
From Big League Politics– “What I understand is that he didn’t make any comments on Facebook, but there may have been other memes, as they call them, that he might have reposted,” said Darnell Crosland, who is representing Wagshol as his attorney.
In addition, Wagshol’s firearms were seized under Connecticut’s red flag law – in what will become the new status quo across the country if federal lawmakers get their way. The firearms found in Crosland’s home were legal and registered to his father, but were taken anyway.
“I drove to Halstead New Hampshire from Norwalk CT in about 3 hours to acquire 30 round magazines and ammunition to circumvent what I viewed as an unconstitutional restriction on the second amendment,” Wagshol said in his witness statement.
“I purchased 4 30 round magazines and 120 rounds of 300 Blackout ammunition for firearm training. I plan on building an 80% rifle kit which I purchased online from Ceratec, in California. I plan on completing the 80% firearm at my friend Alex’s house in Easton. I did not have the intention of committing any mass shootings at all whatsoever,” he added.
“He made it clear to the police officers that he thought he was doing everything correct,” Crosland said. “He wasn’t trying to hide from the police and he gave a full statement for about an hour.”
“We have placed Brandon Wagshol on interim suspension pending further investigation. He is also banned from campus at this time,” the university said in a statement.
Local CT-12 News reported on the Wagshol case:
Red flag laws have already been used over 1,200 times in Connecticut alone, according to News 12 Connecticut report. Legislators view this egregious violation of Wagshol’s rights as a victory for public safety.
