Agreed. But, how do you possibly confuse an SKS with an M4 style rifle?
I don't know, but how could TAG determine it wasn't an assault rifle without actually seeing the gun?
While some variants of the SKS have detachable magazines, the majority of SKS models have fixed magazines and hold only ten rounds at a time. The fixed magazine and low capacity means that this rifle would not be classified as an “assault rifle” under any of the current or proposed “assault weapons ban” legislation.
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2...ngress-baseball-shooter-used-sks-9mm-handgun/
That is interesting. They have made a determination because not all SKS guns have a detachable magazine, that the gun would not qualify, despite the fact that there are plenty such guns around, or that have folding stocks, etc. all of which would cause the gun to qualify.
As for the confusion of gun type,
One of he witnesses told CNN as I watched yesterday that he went over and saw the rifle and that it was an M1, not M4, but M1 and that they came with 10, 20, or 30 round magazines. The guy was fairly explicit. That was picked up here...
http://newburghgazette.com/2017/06/15/netanyahu-israel-stands-with-victims-of-shooting-attack-on/
The title used the term "legally purchased assault rifle," and then only in the text did it say "assault style."
Okay, well
IF it had any of those features listed, then by Virginia law, it IS an assault rifle. SKS is a semi auto centerfire rifle and there are variants that take 30 round mags. I have shot one. I have shot one that had a folding stock. They aren't rare. By VA law, that would be an assault weapon. It is fairly easy to quality under VA law.
I noticed truth about guns playing down the angle, saying it would not be classified as an assault weapon by any law...
While some variants of the SKS have detachable magazines, the majority of SKS models have fixed magazines and hold only ten rounds at a time. The fixed magazine and low capacity means that this rifle would not be classified as an “assault rifle” under any of the current or proposed “assault weapons ban” legislation.
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2...ngress-baseball-shooter-used-sks-9mm-handgun/
So here you have a pro-gun report making the same sort of stupid mistake y'all are ranting about the media. TAG has decided that the shooter's weapon doesn't quality because most SKS guns would not. They haven't seen the gun either, but made a determination.
This isn't a percentages game. Either it qualifies or it doesn't. Until the weapon is shown or described at length, complaining that the media is wrong is not with justification.
Folks always want to blame the media and while the media often reports incorrect information, they often are given incorrect information, like the assault rifle found in the trunk of Lanza's car at Sandy Hook, an identification made by the cops and reported by the media, but the gun turned out to be a shotgun.