The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "fire arms" ...
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"Disposable Soldiers"
Reporter Joshua Kors exposes the story of Sergeant Chuck Luther who was severely injured by "mortar fire while serving in Iraq." His injury took the form of intense headaches that caused his vision to black out. He was asked to sign documents that claimed he had a "pre-existing condition," and when he refused, he was locked in a closet for more than "a month, with armed guards enforcing sleep deprivation." Finally, Luther signed the documents, which stripped him of disability benefits and long-term medical care.
Tags: Iraq; disability; fraud; Camp Taji; U.S. Army; Fort Hood; medical care; pre-existing condition
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South Dakotans No. 1 in permits to conceal guns
"The story was the culmination of a major First Amendment project that involved the collection of more than 41,000 state-issued permits to carry concealed weapons. Analysis showed that South Dakota had issued more concealed weapons permits per capita than any state."
Tags: guns; concealed weapon permit; fire arms
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Armed and Dangerous
WKMG found the State of Florida issuing concealed weapons permits to people who were prohibited by Federal and state law from even possessing guns because they were involuntarily committed by judges to mental institutions or drug-and-alcohol-treatment centers. The politically potent National Rifle Association and its allies have stifled any discussion in Florida about using public records to check on the mental health of the gun buyers. They claim the information is private, but this investigation shows how easily it could be done--if wanted to. This tape also looks at cases of mentally ill patients who have walked into public places like churches and opened fire to kill people.
Tags: TAPE; gun; National Rifle Association; NRA; mental; Florida; weapon; concealed weapon; permit; judge; mental institution; drug treatment; alcohol treatment; public records; mental health; gun buyer; privacy; concealed weapon permit; drug and alcohol treatment; psychotic disorder; concealed weapon permit holder; concealed weapon permit program; US Marshall Service; kill; concealed firearm; scheme; mental health record; health record; Florida legislature; gun control law; mentally ill; killing
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Stinger Sting
Dateline NBC used undercover footage to expose arms brokers trying to buy Stinger missiles and other weapons here in the United States. Supposedly, these brokers have ties to Osama bin Laden, and can be heard referring to Americans as "the enemy". The idea for this story came from a previous Dateline NBC investigation ("Trail of Terror"), which "exposed the activities of arms brokers and other alleged terror supporters operating in the United States."
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Cowboy Constables
Reporters from The Morning Call look at Pennsylvania state constables who are not fully trained though they are allowed to carry fire arms. As this report reveals, there is no one to oversee the working of the constables either. In a particular case two constables who were serving a parking ticket in a home, shot at three dogs, while there were toddlers around. This incident triggered this investigation.
Tags: constables; police department; police department in Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania police department; Victoria Dittrich; Greg Glass
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In the Line of Fire: Former Civil Rights advocate Norma V. Cantu now runs the federal office that investigates discrimination in schools. Her views and her office's tactics have some critics up in arms.
This story explains how one woman (Norma V. Cantu) is working to fight discrimination and ensure the survival of affirmative action programs. Norma V. Cantu is the U.S. Department of Education's assistant secretary for civil rights.
Tags: Norma V. Cantu; Norma Cantu; affirmative action; discrimination; education; schools; civil rights.
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Pros or Cons
A joint investigation by the Arlington Heights Daily Herald and WMAQ-TV in Chicago revealed "a ring of telemarketers who illegally solicit donations from private citizens for police officers and fire fighters. (The) stories found an organized ring of convicted criminals working at three telemarketing companies hired by police, fire and other charitable groups. State law bans ex-cons from working as telemarketers, yet we found that among those seeking contributions locally were people convicted of check theft, credit card theft, armed robbery and drug crimes."
Tags: Illinois; telemarketing; convicted criminals; police; fire; charities
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Blue-Light Special
The Riverfront Times reports on the Overland Police department's firearm turmoil. Not only did the department spend many thousands of dollars on guns for its 50 officers, including heavy assault weapons that had no practical purpose according to department officials, guns that were recorded as destroyed or scrapped for parts showed up in police vehicles and hunter-education programs. "Overland was buying and selling guns... so they were in the gun business. That's the bottom line," a former officer said. Discounts given to the department for gun purchases were extended to the mayor several other prominent Overland citizens. Overland also had problems with guns disappearing out of the evidence locker.
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Extreme Aspen
"..the citizenry of Aspen was stunned by the arrests of twelve teenagers for a string of burglaries, armed robberies, car thefts and home invasions...the robbery spree was relatively tame. No shots were fired, and the weapons used in the robberies were apparently unloaded...But the real shock was the identity of the thieves. They were Aspen's own - familiar faces from the slopes, the pedestrian mall, the bike trails. They were popular students or recent graduates of Aspen High, for the most part, including some star athletes and scholars thought to have exceedingly bright futures. One was the mayor's son."
Tags: crime; gangs; youth; daredevils; juveniles; robberies; adrenilin; ski town; trustfund
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Friendly Fire; An Apache Pilot Fights to Survive
Inside the Army details the struggle of an Army helicopter pilot to save his career after testing positive for marijuana use. Members of the U.S. armed forces must be tested for drugs an average of once a year. Testing positive for drugs generally means the end of one's career. In this case, however, evidence showed the test was badly flawed, a fact the Army refused to acknowledge for almost two years. (June 10, August 12, November 15, 1996)
Tags: Lardner Friendly fire an apache pilot fights to survive the army's war on drugs 18 pgs.