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Joseph Houseman, 'Open Carry' Advocate, Gets His Rifle Back After Tense Police Standoff

Pajama-Clad Gunman Gets His Rifle Back After Tense Police Standoff
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By 

Overnight Editor, HuffPost

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An armed Michigan man who got into a tense standoff with police last month had his rifle taken away, but authorities gave it back to him the very next day.

Joseph Houseman, a 63-year-old "Open Carry" advocate, prompted multiple calls to 911 when he stood in front of a Kalamazoo Dairy Queen with a rifle and shouted at traffic and passersby.

At least one 911 caller was concerned that Houseman may have been intoxicated.

When police responded to the scene, they found Houseman wearing what appeared to be pajama pants and carrying a rifle. When they tried to talk to him, Houseman gave the middle finger to the officers, grabbed his crotch and shouted about revolution, according to video of the incident obtained by the Kalamazoo Gazette and placed online at MLive.com.

A police officer repeatedly asked Houseman to put down his gun so they could talk, but he refused and accused the cop of "acting like a prick" and being in a gang.

At one point, when asked his name, Houseman identified himself as "Joe Schmoe."

After 40 minutes, Houseman put down his rifle, which was then confiscated by police. He also offered his real name and said he was sorry.

"I apologize. I have a bad attitude because we're losing our rights," he said.

When Houseman refused a breathalyzer test, officers decided not to give him his gun back. Instead, he was told to come to the police station and claim it the next day. He did, and his gun was returned.

Although the incident occurred in May, the video of the standoff was just obtained by the newspaper under the state's Freedom of Information Act.

Michigan has "open carry" laws, and Houseman was not arrested or charged with any crimes as officials believe he was not "brandishing" the weapon, MLive.com reports.

Read the full report on the MLive website.

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Before You Go

Gun Laws Around The World
United States(01 of10)
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The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment affords Americans the right to "bear Arms," but each state has its own regulations. Photo credit: Whitney Curtis/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
United Kingdom(02 of10)
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Only licensed gun owners can buy and possess weapons in the UK. Hunting, target shooting or collecting are considered valid reasons to acquire a license, but self-defense is not. Civilians can't possess semi-automatic or automatic firearms, handguns or armor-piercing ammunition. Criminal offenders who have been in prison for more than three years are banned from having a gun. Photo credit: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
Australia(03 of10)
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Australians can only possess a firearm with a license, and licenses are only granted for hunting, target shooting, historical collection, pest control, and occasionally for occupational reasons. Civilians can't keep semi-automatic rifles or shotguns, and gun ownership for self-defense is not permitted.Photo credit: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
Mexico(04 of10)
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Mexican law allows civilians to possess handguns and semi-automatic assault weapons, but only with a license. Valid reasons to request a license are hunting, target shooting, rodeo riding, collection, personal protection, or employment. Applicants must pass a background check and renew their licenses every two years.Nearly 70 percent of weapons found at Mexican crime scenes can be traced back to the United States, according to CNN.Photo credit: LUCAS CASTRO/AFP/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
Russia (05 of10)
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Russians must prove that firearms will be used for hunting, target shooting, historic collection, personal protection or security in order to get a license.License applicants must be 18 years old and pass a background check. Licenses need to be renewed every five years. Photo credit: DMITRY ASTAKHOV/AFP/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
China(06 of10)
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Chinese citizens are not allowed to posses firearms. Exceptionally, the government issues permission to own a firearm for hunting, sports shooting and animal control. Penalties for illegal selling of weapons ranges from three years in jail to the death penalty. Caption: Police display guns they seized from illegal traders at Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau on January 26, 2005 in Chengdu of Sichuan Province, China. (China Photos/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Canada(07 of10)
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Canadians can possess handguns, but need authorization to carry them. Possession of automatic weapons is prohibited (except when the weapon was bought before 1978) and semi-automatic weapons are tolerated in exceptional cases. Applicants for a license must pass background test, must follow a safety course and be certified by a firearms officer. Licenses are up for renewal every 5 years. Caption: Rifles are lined up as athletes prepare to compete in the women's Biathlon 4x6 km relay at the Whistler Olympic Park during the Vancouver Winter Olympics on February 23, 2010. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Brazil(08 of10)
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Brazil has strict gun laws. Gun holders need to be 25, have no criminal record and attend safety courses. Licences are granted for reasons of hunting, target shooting, personal protection and security and must be renewed every three years. Caption: A policeman holds a seized machine gun at Morro do Alemao shanty town on November 28, 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (JEFFERSON BERNARDES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Japan(09 of10)
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As the Atlantic notes, few Japanese own a gun. Civilians in Japan are only allowed to have a firearm for hunting and with special permission for target shooting. License applicants need to pass a shooting range class and a background check. Licences have to be renewed every three years. Caption: A soldier of Ground Self Defense Forces' Central Readiness Force (CRF) walks past rifles prior to the inauguration ceremony of the CRF at Asaka camp in northern Tokyo, 31 March 2007. (TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Germany(10 of10)
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German civilians need to have a license to buy and hold firearms. Applicants need to be 21, pass a background check that assesses reliability and suitability and applicants under the age of 25 need to pass a psychological exam. Licenses are up for renewal every three years. Caption: A gun lies outside a branch of Postbank bank after an attempted robbery that left one guard dead October 29, 2007 in Berlin, Germany. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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