Cops Take 1,000 Rounds of Ammo, 7 Guns From UCSB Student's Apartment
[There was a video here]
At the same time as 20,000 students gathered for a vigil honoring the victims of last week's mass shooting, cops seized 7 guns and about 1,000 rounds of ammunition from a 21-year-old Santa Barbara student who nearly shot a neighbor through the wall of his apartment.
On Tuesday, deputies were called about 2:30 p.m. to an apartment in the 6500 block of Pardall Road after a resident reported a bullet being fired into their home, the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office said in a press release. Deputies found that the bullet had been shot through the wall from a connecting apartment, narrowly missing the resident.
Deputies went next door and questioned 21-year-old Kevin Tym, who allegedly admitted that he was playing with his legally-owned Glock 17 and accidentally fired off a 9mm round.
During a search of his apartment, deputies found and seized seven firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, including a high-capacity assault rifle magazine.
The guns were legally owned, but it's remarkable that a 21-year-old—who just became eligible to own handguns and could only own long guns after turning 18—amassed such a collection in such a short time. Much of his trove could have been bought or bestowed by family.
But then again, if he comes from a gun family, it's worth asking how they managed to give him all those guns and failed to teach him better than to "accidentally" load a round, pull the trigger, and nearly lodge a hot slug into a neighbor.
We've said it before, but it's worth repeating: If "guns don't kill people," then there are no "accidental" discharges. Just terrible gun owners.