An Iowa group that opposes gun violence got some good news and some bad news this week. The board raising money for the Quad Cities Law Enforcement Memorial organized a raffle, with the prize an assault-type rifle. Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence and an Illinois group objected, saying the weapon’s bullets can pierce a cop’s protective vest and many officers killed in the line of duty are killed by assault weapons. In exchange for dropping the prize, the groups offered to give the board a hunting rifle or shotgun to raffle off in its place. Thursday they learned the board would not accept the offer — but has agreed to cancel a planned raffle of a second assault rifle, even though the tickets had already been printed. The anti-gun-violence group thanked organizers for their courteous handling of the offer.
