"gunfight" and "exchange of gunfire"

[Joel S. Berson]

At 4/23/2013 07:41 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> > said they were being fired at.
>
>Like the National Guard at Kent State?
>
>A member of the SWAT team that arrested him told CNN this morning that they
>approached the boat with caution when he surrendered because "we thought he
>might have a weapon."

Jon, you know better than this.  They thought he might have a weapon
before they approached him.  That is not evidence -- on either side
-- about whether he actually did have a gun.


>There may have been a gun. But people are claiming there was a gunfight
>when, so far, nobody's reported a gun.

Both Victor and I have said there are "reports" he had a gun.  What
we perhaps lack (although surely others have, or can refute) is
reliable confirmation.

Joel


>Even if there *was* a gun, so far there isn't any, if you catch my drift.
>"Gunfight," etc., were the wrong words.

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