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31 December, 2009

GA: Self Defense Shooting Leaves One Man In Hospital: "Ronnie Crawford, 49, was shot early Wednesday morning after Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigators say he attacked his roommate. The incident happened around 1:00 p.m. at the Augusta Lodge, on Gordon Highway. Investigators say say 64-year-old Martin Smiley told Crawford to leave, when an argument started. That’s when they say Crawford went after Smiley with a cane. Smiley shot at him, hitting him in the hand and thigh. Smiley will not be charged, but Crawford, who is a convicted felon, will."



NC: Elderly mother Shot Son In Self Defense: "Joel Hill at the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office say 50 year old Michael Varnadore got into an argument with his mother Mary Jean Varnadore Monday night that resulted in a shooting. The report says Varnadore shoved his 70 year old mother onto a bed at her home on Star Circle in Cowpens. Deputies say the mother shot Varnadore in the leg. They say Varnadore was treated and released for Upstate Carolina Medical Center and was arrested and charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature."



Louisiana: One home invader shot, other escapes: "18 year old Jeremy Bell was shot to death in an altercation with Martin Gobert. Shreveport police Gobert say was the victim in this case. Detectives believe Bell forced his way in Gobert’s front door after his cousin, Jerome Hughes knocked to draw him out. When Gobert came to the door, police say Bell forced his way in and began beating him with an assault rifle in an attempt to rob him. After a struggle, Gobert is believed to have wrestled the weapon away from Bell and turn it on his attacker. Hughes fled, and is still on the loose. Detectives have recovered evidence from the crime scene including the rifle believed to have been used in the shooting, and have issued a warrant for Hughes’ arrest, charging him with one count of home invasion. The bond is set at $250,000. Martin Gobert was beaten severely enough to require hospitalization, but he is expected to recover. Shreveport Police detectives have not charged him in connection with the fatal shooting."



Court restricts Taser-happy police: "A federal appeals court this week ruled that a California police officer can be held liable for injuries suffered by an unarmed man he Tasered during a traffic stop. The decision, if allowed to stand, would set a rigorous legal precedent for when police are permitted to use the weapons and would force some law enforcement agencies throughout the state — and presumably the nation — to tighten their policies governing Taser use, experts said. Michael Gennaco, an expert in police conduct issues who has conducted internal reviews of Taser use for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and other agencies, said the ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals prohibits officers from deploying Tasers in a host of scenarios and largely limits their use to situations in which a person poses an obvious danger. "This decision talks about the need for an immediate threat...Tasering for "passive resistance" is out the door now... The unanimous ruling, issued Monday by a three-judge panel, stemmed from a 2005 encounter in which a former Coronado, Calif., police officer, Brian McPherson, stopped a man for failing to wear a seat belt while driving".



30 December, 2009

OK: Man Found Not Guilty Of Shooting After "Standing His Ground" Speaks: "Mark Abshire was charged with shooting with intent to kill in 2007 and his life turned upside down until his trial a few weeks ago. The jury found Abshire not guilty, that he was acting in self defense. It started after vehicles had sped through the neighborhood for the second time and a neighbor's wife, hollered at them to slow down. Two cars came back to Abshire's house, cussed his wife and attacked his neighbor. He says he sprayed pepper spray, pulled his gun and told them to leave. A third car pulled up, so now he was facing six angry, drunk men while his wife was on the phone to the sheriff. "When we told them they need to leave, they were still screaming we messed with the wrong people and didn't know what we'd done," Abshire said. "One guy started reading the house numbers off my house and said we don't care if the police are coming, we'll burn your f-ing house down and kill everybody in it." Mark says he turned to look at his wife, when Robbie Case tackled him, knocking him to the concrete, cracking his teeth. "Starting pulling me by the throat into the ditch, choking me while he friend was kicking me, I finally managed to get his hand off my throat, drew my gun and shot him," Abshire said. He fired again; Case was hit in the chest and the back and paralyzed. Abshire was arrested and sat in jail 18 days before being charged with shooting with intent to kill." [Why was he charged? Hostile police?]



TX Police: Homicide Was "Likely" Self Defense: "Orange Police say it appears the shooting death of a 17-year-old boy in Orange nearly 2 weeks ago is a case of self defense. Authorities say Jayrious Green was shot and killed late Saturday night on December 19 in the 1800 block of West Barkins Street. Police say it appears Green was planning to sell drugs to a 28-year-old man but decided he would try to rob his customer instead. Officers say a struggle resulted with Green eventually getting shot by his own gun."



Utah: Mountain Lion Shot after Killing Family Dog: "Elain Jorgenson walked outside her house to feed her dog only to discover her 11-year-old Yorkshire Terrier mauled to death, bloodied and in nearly an unrecognizable state. She turned around and took two steps back to find a Mountain Lion hissing at her. Reeling in shock, she turned and ran into the house calling out her husband. “So I’m yelling at him ‘please get the gun’; he shoots it, we call 911 to let them know what happened.” The couple is from Peoa, a small town just northeast of Park City, nestled in the mountains. Wildlife experts call this an isolated incident, but warn those to be safe and try to keep pets inside as much as possible this winter. “This situation was a young juvenile cat, first winter on its own in my estimation…looking for food in the winter,” Jorgenson says."



Revolvers versus pistols again: "It’s my belief that in hunting, a revolver is superior to an automatic. If you have a dud or a misfire, you simply pull the trigger once more and a new cartridge rotates into place. An automatic can get you killed when you’re 2 feet from an angry bear or when a 300-pound hog comes charging out of the brush. The old revolver works every time and will never let you down. Fortunately, I have never had to fire a gun at another human being, and I hope I never do. Unfortunately, there are antisocial people out there who can and do harm their fellow humans. Some occupations are dangerous, and so are some neighborhoods, and there can be times when you need a handgun for self-defense. If that’s the case and you feel you must carry a gun with you, that’s where the automatic pistol earns its keep. They are convenient to carry and, with proper training and lots of practice, a most effective self-defense weapon."



29 December, 2009

NE: No charges for Omaha biz owner in fatal shooting: "Prosecutors won’t file charges against an Omaha business owner who shot and killed a suspected burglar over the weekend. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine says he believes the shooting was justified. The owner of Bazar Latino who shot the man has not been named.Police say 23-year-old Jesus Franco was found dead Saturday morning. His body was in the snow about 30 feet from a south Omaha business that had reported a burglary. The owner told officers he fired his gun during a confrontation with a suspected burglar, who then fled.”



FL: Man kills daughter’s boyfriend: "The Seminole Sheriff’s Office said a man shot and killed his daughter’s boyfriend on a Seminole County street. The Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened just after 3 p.m. at the intersection of Dodd Road and Biscayne Drive. Officials said the man was Orlando Regional Medical Center where he died. Several witnesses at the scene said the two men were arguing before the shooting and that they believe the father shot in self defense. ‘He pulled out a gun that he had with him, that he carried most the time, and shot him from the hip in the stomach,’ Dykey Phillips said.”



La. Judge: Pair can claim justifiable homicide in drug-related killing: "A state district judge has ruled two Hammond men may claim they were justified in killing a Clinton man during an alleged drug deal this summer. Twentieth Judicial District Judge George H. Ware Jr. said the state will have the burden at a trial of proving beyond a reasonable doubt the slaying of Jeral Wayne Matthews Jr., 21, was not justified. An East Feliciana Parish grand jury indicted Anthony Manzella, 19, for first-degree murder and Andrew Robertson, 23, for principal to second-degree murder in Matthews’ July 24 death. A third man, Johnny Barnes, 27, of Jackson, also was indicted for principal to second-degree murder. Clinton police said in July that Manzella and Robertson came to a house in Clinton to buy drugs from Matthews and Barnes, but during the transaction Matthews allegedly struck Manzella in the head with a rifle butt. Manzella responded by pulling a .40-caliber handgun and shooting Matthews, Clinton Police Chief Eddie Stewart said. District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla argued earlier this month a section of the law dealing with justifiable homicide precludes its use as a defense when a drug deal results in a person’s death. Manzella and Robertson are invoking the reasons of self-defense and preventing a violent felony — an armed robbery — to justify the homicide, the opinion said. The ruling means self-defense will be a viable response to the state’s claim that Matthews was murdered, said J. Garrison Jordan, Manzella’s attorney. “It’s clearly a self-defense situation,” Jordan said Monday."



Proposed WA semi-auto ban blames law-abiding gun owners: "A proposal to ban so-called ‘assault weapons’ in Washington State shifts the blame for recent violent crimes from the perpetrators to every law-abiding gun owner in the state, holding them and their firearms responsible for crimes they did not commit, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today. ‘This is a proposal by three vehemently anti-gun rights state lawmakers who are exploiting two recent murders in an effort to push a political agenda they have had for several years,’ said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb.”



28 December, 2009

Louisiana: One dead, one wounded in shooting at fireworks stand: "One person was killed and another seriously wounded Friday night as a fireworks stand operator shot at three suspects who attempted to rob him and another person. According to Capt. Matt Davis with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, two people – and man and a woman – were closing the Crooks’ Fireworks stand at the corner of South MacArthur and Jeff Davis drives around 6:20 p.m. when they were approached by three young adults. Davis said all three were armed with handguns. One of the two operators opened fire with their own weapon. One suspect was killed at the scene, another was wounded and the third escaped. The wounded suspect was taken to a local hospital in serious condition, and the third suspect was captured a short time later, said Davis. Davis said the injured suspect was in surgery, and his wounds were not believed to be life-threatening. Police still were on the scene late Saturday, and officials were not releasing any names yet. Officials also would not say late Saturday which stand operator had fired on the suspects."



Indiana: Pizza Hut employee shoots would-be robber: "A Pizza Hut delivery person shot a man who allegedly tried to rob the store Wednesday, according to police. A police report said Spencer Simmons, 44, attempted to rob the Pizza Hut on Broadway Street at about 11 p.m. Wednesday. The report said Simmons pointed a .25 Raven Arms semi-automatic handgun at the store’s cashier and demanded money. The cashier loaded about $720 into a small bag. Simmons wasn’t aware that a delivery man, Michael Shaker, had heard the commotion and snuck to the back as well, the report said. “Seconds later, Simmons left the register area, and walked to within six to seven feet of his location,” the report said. According to the report, Shaker gave Simmons a verbal warning but Simmons “lifted and swung his gun up towards” Shaker. Shaker fired one round from his personal 9mm Kel-Tec, hitting Simmons in the back of his head, the report said. Sgt. Bill Casey, a spokesman for the Anderson Police Department, said Simmons was transported to Wishard Memorial Hospital in Indianapolis but did not know the man’s condition Thursday. Charges have not been filed against Simmons, but he is in the custody of police at the hospital, Casey said. Casey added that Shaker was licensed to carry a handgun."



New Mexico: Alleged intruder shot and killed at apartment complex: "Las Cruces police say they are investigating a fatal shooting. Just before 8 a.m. Sunday, police were called to the Telshor Manor Apartments where two suspects attempted to break into an apartment. Investigators say a resident of the apartment was apparently startled awake, grabbed a handgun and opened fire at the intruders. At least one of the bullets struck one of the intruders as he was located outside on the west side of the apartment complex. Police say that man was pronounced dead at the scene but his identity has yet to be determined. They are still searching for the other intruder, who fled the scene."



Texas: Would-Be Burglar Shot, Killed: "Kirby police Tuesday said a man at home heard something unusual at his sliding glass door in the 2800 block of Von Braun Avenue around noon. “That caused him to go to investigate,” Kirby police Chief Kevin Bois said. “He saw at least two people trying to make entry into the home.” Bois said the man did not want to be a victim of burglary like he was two years ago, so he grabbed his 9 mm handgun. "(An) armed homeowner (was) ready to defend his property and that’s just what he did,” Bois said. “So unfortunately we had a tragic outcome.” Bois said the resident shot and killed an unidentified 17-year-old man. Another teen was also shot and underwent surgery at Brook Army Medical Center. Police apprehended the third teen who they say acted as a getaway driver."



27 December, 2009

TN: Black robber shot -- has Extensive Criminal History: "Thieves picked the wrong house to invade over the weekend. Two people came into Marcus Grier's home on Stockton Drive. The thieves were armed and told Grier to give them his money. But he is a registered gun carrier and had the gun on him. So, Grier fired at the two and shot at least one of them. A short time later a man named of Leon McKinney showed up at Erlanger Medical Center with gunshot wounds to his chest and legs. The second suspect is still at large. Leon McKinney is recovering at Erlanger Medical Center from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and legs. He is in serious condition. His is a name familiar to law enforcement. He's spent his adult life in trouble with police. His criminal history dates back to 2004, when he was only eighteen years-old. He's been charged with 21 offenses since, not including the most recent robbery-related charges. In July of this year, McKinney was accused of robbing a friend. She told police he held her at gunpoint and demanded money and when she tried to push him out, she said he fired at her. Court records show his history is even more violent. He pleaded guilty to attempted first degree murder in 2006. He was sentenced to ten years in prison, but was released for good behavior after serving only eleven months and twenty-nine days."



OH: Alleged Home Invader Wounded: "Occupants of a west-side home told police that the wounded man in the house had forcibly entered with a companion and a gun and was shot in self-defense. Police are sorting out what happened on Hadly Avenue Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, the victim of the gunshot was in critical condition at Mt. Carmel West and police were looking for a second person who was said to have run away. It wasn’t immediately clear if the occupants of the home had their own weapon or if the weapon used in the shooting was that of the home invaders."



Girls Just Wanna Have Guns: "Asked what they‘d like to receive for Christmas gifts this year, women respondents to a Consumer Reports Money and Shopping Blog survey they’d be “thrilled to receive boots, purses, pajamas and guns.” As further proof the gun sales boon is not wavering, data released this week by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 1,223,252 checks were conducted in November 2009, ranking the month in the top 10 for most NICS checks in the history of the system. Want more proof? The number of women participating in hunting and the shooting sports is increasing at an historic clip. Between 2003 and 2008, women who hunted with firearms increased an impressive 3.5 percent to 2.9 million, according to a new report released just last week by the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA). During the same period, women who participated in bowhunting rose 1.5 percent to 600,000. In the past year alone, the number of licensed female hunters in Louisiana increased a whopping 12 percent, reaching record numbers for the fairer gender in The Bayou State. Further, the number of woman taking firearms self-defense instruction and applying for concealed-carry permits has shot off the charts for most of 2009. Female enrollment in the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s “First Shots” Program has set new records all year... “The mama instinct is big-time,” said Mark Rutan, a salesman at Pinellas Park Bill Jackson’s Shop for Adventure in Pinellas Park. “Mamas want to protect their babies, and they will.”



You must be ready to kill: "Call it Reality and define it this way: If you are forced to shoot someone, they will probably die. And while I for one hope that shooting someone just makes them stop attacking me or someone else, The Reality is that–especially if I shoot them where everyone else says I should–if I do have to shoot them, then they will most likely stop their attack because they die as a result of the gunshot(s). So if you or me or anyone else wants to have a better chance of surviving not just the fight, but what will happen after the fight is over, we need to reach some sort of accommodation with this ahead of time. Because according to the last set of statistics I’ve seen, we’ll need to deal with Reality between 60 and 70 percent of the time, and no less than half the time, that we have to shoot someone in self-defense. Understand this: In the eyes of the Law, the gun is Lethal Force. Not ‘Stopping Force’–Lethal Force. Shoot someone, and it doesn’t matter to the Law that you just wanted to stop them; you have still employed Lethal Force. Deliberately shoot to wound, it won’t matter; you have still employed Lethal Force. (Shooting to wound isn’t guaranteed to just wound, either; people regularly die after being wounded in the arms or legs.) You don’t have to like it. You just have to acknowledge it".



26 December, 2009

NC: Wounded robbery suspect arrested at hospital: "A Black Mountain man who authorities say was shot by a clerk while trying to rob a convenience store was arrested at the hospital Thursday morning. The shooting was justified because the Kounty Line employee believed his life was in danger, said Lt. Ross Dillingham of the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office. Warrants were issued charging Roy Lee Tyson III, 32, of Rattlesnake Mountain Road, with two counts of attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon and felony fleeing to elude arrest. The shooting occurred about 6 p.m. Wednesday at Kounty Line at the intersection of Heywood and Hendersonville roads, Dillingham said. The suspect entered the store and approached the clerk to make a purchase, Dillingham said. When the clerk went to open the register, the man leaned over the register. “From where the clerk was standing, it looked like he had his hand in his waistband on a gun,” Duncan said. The clerk was able to draw a gun, a .357 Magnum, and fire one round at the suspect, Dillingham said. “I got him right in the chest,” the clerk said. “I'm the one that pulled the trigger.”



MO: Police Call Fatal Shooting Self Defense: "A confrontation that turned deadly Tuesday night near 34th Street and Euclid Avenue may have been a case of self defense, police said. Investigators said Reginald Waxter Jr., 31, was shot and killed Tuesday night near the 3400 block of Euclid. Police said Waxter approached another man and pulled him out of his car. Waxter pulled out a gun and shot the man in his leg, but the man was able to return fire. Officers said robbery might have been the motive, but they said the two men knew each other and had a history of personal conflict so there might have been other motives. Waxter died a few hours later at a hospital. Charges are not expected to be filed".



Typo in Law Establishes Mandate to Lock Gun-Toting Train Passengers in Boxes: "It may sound absurd. But President Obama signed a bill into law Wednesday that requires passengers who carry firearms aboard Amtrak be locked in boxes for their journey. It's a mistake in the law's wording. But for now, the clerical error is the law of the land. Earlier this week, Congress sent the president a massive spending bill that funded dozens of federal departments. Tucked into the transportation section of the legislation are safety requirements for Amtrak customers who carry firearms on board the government-backed train system. The bill Congress passed mandates that passengers with firearms declare they have weapons with them in advance and stow them in locked boxes while on the train. The bill text was correct when the House approved the legislation last week. The Senate followed suit Sunday, but somewhere along the line, the language that referred to putting the guns in locked boxes morphed into stuffing "passengers" into locked boxes."



New Year's gun rights resolution: Boycott an anti-gun company: "They say 13 is an unlucky number. I'll try to capitalize on that in today's 13th suggestion for Examiner.com's New Year's resolution special project. Let's make it unfortunate for any business that disrespects our right to keep and bear arms: I will boycott an anti-gun company. Which one? That shouldn't be hard to find. NRA lists "anti gun corporations/corporate heads" on their "National Organizations With Anti-Gun Policies" page (misrepresented by the antis as a "black list," typically disrespectful of a time-honored civil rights strategy). We have every right not to patronize a concern that gives aid and comfort to our enemies--which, face it, is what those who would rob us of our rights under force of state arms are."



25 December, 2009

A Gunowner's Ode to Christmas

What do firearms and this blessed holiday have in common? Well, for one, liberals don't like to talk about either

by S.E. Cupp



Christmas is coming. And for many Americans, that means opening gifts around the tree, big family dinners and Midnight Mass. No disrespect to Norman Rockwell - but Christmas always reminds me of shooting. Sure, I love seeing my family, gorging on the kind of food and drink that are usually impermissible during the other 11 months of the year and finding some fabulous little trinket under the tree. And every year I bring a batch of 'Cupp-cakes' to my local police and fire precincts.

But enough of Capra. If I'm honest, it's also about the gun. Almost a decade ago, my friends and I had a lovely Christmas brunch at Les Halles in New York City-a superb French brasserie where, rightly so, nearly everything on the menu once had parents. After enough pork belly, crispy duck and rabbit ragout to swell our ankles and give us heart palpitations, we exchanged gifts. In a small, unmarked envelope addressed to me was a gift certifi cate for a shooting lesson. I was thrilled. I went down to the West Side Rifle and Pistol Range, in the dank and gritty basement of a building on 20th Street, to cash in my gift. After the lesson, we took to the targets. I squeezed the trigger of the .22 at the paper bullseyes in front of me, and I was officially hooked. Over the years that followed, I took up skeet shooting and hunting, and eventually bought my own 12-gauge shotgun.

In recent years, the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas has been marked by a trip upstate for deer hunting, and (hopefully) a freezer full of venison follows. And every Christmas, I go back to the West Side range for an hour to shoot that .22, which always feels a little smaller and lighter in my hands. It's a simple Christmas pleasure, a total escape and my annual gift to myself.

And I'm not alone. For manyAmericans, the holidays wouldn't be the same without their guns. Maybe they're putting a turkey, a rabbit or some venison on the table for their families, or they're gathering the old gang together for thean annual winter hunt. Or maybe they're donating a deer to one of the country's countless collection and processing centers that feed hundreds of thousands of homeless and hungry every year. In New York state alone, since 1999 the Venison Donation Coalition has processed 337.51 tons of venison, or the equivalent of 2,700,800 meals served.

Between land conservation, deer population control and feeding the hungry, hunters are some of our most important humanitarians. And shooters, too. Studies prove that right-to-carry states have less crime, not more. According to the American Rifl eman's celebrated 'Armed Citizen' column, gun owners use firearms for protection as frequently as 2.5 million times a year, saving lives. And all of this is in jeopardy. President Obama is no friend to gun owners and hunters.

That's evidenced not only by his frightening legislative promises to make it nearly impossible to own a gun or even buy ammunition, but also by his nomination of anti-gun public health advocate David Michaels to the OSHA post and his appointment of Cass Sunstein, who thinks deer should be able to sue you, as regulatory czar. And with the economy down, the Obama administration is looking to squeeze some much-needed cash out of hunters and gun owners, via sweeping fines, taxes and fees. But it won't work.

In Idaho, lawmakers hiked the fee on out-of-state hunting licenses this year to raise money for the Fish and Game Department. As of October, revenue from tag sales was down 9 percent. States that want to raise revenue should be making it easier and cheaper for hunters, not harder and more expensive.

The Obama administration's elitist antagonism of American gun owners and hunters is just bad socio-economics. And it feels particularly mean-spirited as Christmas approaches. But good luck telling the grinches and scrooges of the liberal Left that, for many of us, Christmas just isn't Christmas without our guns. After all, Christmas, like the great American pastimes of shooting and hunting, is something you whisper about under your breath in liberal circles. On that note, I'm off to the range.

Source





24 December, 2009

Kansas Homeowner Shoots Man Trying to Break Into Pickup: "Wichita police are trying to determine if a shooting late Monday was in self-defense. It happened in the 1300 block of N. Emporia at around 10:30 Monday. A man told police he heard a crash outside. He got his handgun and went outside, where he found a 47-year-old man trying to break into his pickup. Police say the suspect then stumbled toward the homeowner. The homeowner shot the man once in the hip and called 911. Investigators interviewed the homeowner at city hall after the incident, and he was later released. Police say the case will be turned over to the district attorney in the next few days. The DA will determine if charges are warranted. The victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition."



CO: Acquittal makes shooting defendant's day: "Police and prosecutors did not think the “Make My Day” law gave a Colorado Springs man the right to shoot and wound a neighbor who smashed the man’s window with a beer bottle. But an El Paso County jury decided otherwise last week. As a result, Timothy Allen Barfoot is a free man. The verdict capped a nine-day trial in which public defenders representing Barfoot mounted a self-defense case based upon the 1985 “Make My Day” law that allows deadly force against someone who breaks into a home. According to the arrest affidavit, Barfoot told investigators that the incident started when he heard a man and woman arguing outside his apartment. About two minutes later, he heard pounding on the door of the next-door apartment and man shouting, “Let me in the (expletive) apartment.” Then he heard glass shattering next door. Barfoot said he looked outside and saw Manuel wrestling on the ground with a woman later identified as Manuel’s mother. Barfoot told police he yelled at Manuel who then started stumbling toward him. He said Manuel threw a beer bottle that shattered Barfoot’s window. After getting his Beretta .380-caliber handgun, Barfoot said he showed the weapon to Manuel, who he said continued to advance toward the window. Barfoot said he fired until the gun was empty and then called police."



Tennessee: Homeowner kills burglar; second suspect charged: "A homeowner fatally shot a 19-year-old Rockwood man during a burglary, and authorities have charged an alleged accomplice in the break-in. Michael S. Johnson died at the Roane Medical Center of injuries sustained about 7:55 p.m. Sunday after he entered through a window of the home at 419 Old Valley Road, according to a report filed by Roane County Sheriff’s Office Detective Greg Scalf. Authorities arrested Preston D. Harvest, also 19, of Harriman and charged him with attempted aggravated burglary and vandalism. He was being held today in jail in lieu of $52,000 bond. According to Scalf’s report, the homeowner alerted authorities that someone had broken into his home and he believed he shot the intruder. Responding officers located Johnson and Harvest, but the report did not state where they were found. “Mr. Harvest admitted to RCSO deputies at the scene that he and the shooting victim had planned on burglarizing the resident’s home earlier that day, and added that later they had come back to the home and had attempted to force the homeowner’s front door open,” Scalf wrote in the report. Harvest said he waited outside as Johnson entered the home through a window. A few moments later Harvest said he heard gunfire. Scalf said crime scene investigators determined there was physical evidence confirming the homeowner’s version of what occurred and that Johnson was shot inside the home."



TN: State appeals guns-in-restaurants ruling: "The state attorney general’s office is appealing a recent court ruling that overturned a law allowing licensed handgun owners to take their weapons into restaurants that serve alcohol. Attorney General Robert E. Cooper’s office filed notice to the Tennessee Court of Appeals today. Davidson County Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman ruled on Nov. 20 that the law, passed by the General Assembly last spring over Gov. Phil Bredesen’s veto, was unconstitutionally vague. The law, which was in effect for about four months, allowed handgun carry permit holders to take their guns into restaurants and bars that served alcohol as long as they didn’t drink and the establishments’ owners didn’t post signs prohibiting them.”



23 December, 2009

Minn.: Police announce they will not charge homeowner who killed intruder: "He took the life of a Moorhead teenager who broke into his home and tried to assault him and today Moorhead Police announced they will not be pressing charges against Vernon Allen. Police say Allen acted out of self defense and that all the evidence, gun and interviews, was consistent. In June 20th, 17-year-old Joel LaFromboise entered three different homes in Moorhead. In the last one, Allen's, he walked in disoriented and took a swing at Allen. Allen retreated and LaFromboise took another swing. Allen then grabbed a gun from his room. The teenager took the gun's barrel tried to pull it away. Allen then shot him in the chest. Police have been criticized for taking a long time with this case and others have accused them of being racist. They say it had absolutely nothing to do with either: it has to do with evidence and what can or cannot be proven in a court of law."



Philippines: Meat dealer shoots man to death in self-defense: "In what he claimed to be an “act of self-defense,” a meat dealer at the Carbon Public Market shot dead a 19-year-old man yesterday dawn in the said area who was reportedly hurling stones at passing vehicles. Roberto Gonzaga, Sr., 43 years old, a resident of Tabunok, Talisay City, who has been in the meat-dealing trade in Carbon for the past 23 years, allegedly shot to death one Warren Dominguez, 19, of barangay Ermita at past 2 a.m. along M.F. Escaño Street as an act of self-defense. Chemar Entera and Jay Abadinas, both 18 years old, and neighbors of the victim told the police that they were walking on the roadside when they saw the victim throwing empty bottles and stones at vehicles passing by the area. A white Isuzu Elf delivery truck, with plate numbers YGW-678, driven by Gonzaga, who was with his wife on the way to the market, passed by and was also allegedly hit by a stone that the victim had thrown. It was also found out that the stone hit the left side mirror of the vehicle. Gonzaga, in an interview with reporters yesterday, said he first admonished the victim by asking him what’s wrong with him or what his problem could be. However, the victim without any word allegedly moved in an attempt to attack him which prompted Gonzaga to shoot the victim four times, hitting him twice in the right chest."



ID: Pharmacist who tackled armed robber fired: "A northern Idaho pharmacist who tackled a gun-toting robber and received a special award from the city of Coeur d’Alene has been fired for violating company policy. Jerry Gunderson said he was dismissed from the Shopko pharmacy late last month because he resisted the robbery. Gunderson later received a Citizen Appreciation Award from city leaders. Gunderson said he has since found another job at a different pharmacy. ‘It’s done, it’s in the past, I’ve moved on,’ said Gunderson. ‘My boss loved me, I know that. Someone 3,000 miles away decided to fire me.’”



Gun sales surge, violent crime drops: "When Obama was voted into office as president, the gun surge began. People started stocking up on their guns and ammo, mostly out of fear that Obama would start instituting anti-gun laws. Unlike what liberals would assume, though, there was also a drop in violent crime… at the same time as gun sales were skyrocketing. Preliminary statistics released by the FBI for the first half of 2009 show that violent crime continues a downward trend that began in 2006. The figures show crime falling in all categories–robbery, aggravated assault, motor vehicle thefts, etc.–with murders down a remarkable 10 percent from the previous year. The FBI statistics undermine a favorite argument of anti-gun groups and some mainstream media that “more guns equal more crime,” especially when you consider that the decrease in violent crime from late 2008 through the first half of 2009 occurred at the same time that firearm sales were surging. The most popular firearms selling at that time were handguns and modern sporting rifles (AR-style rifles)–two types of firearms that anti-gunners never miss an opportunity to demonize."



22 December, 2009

OK: Random shooter stopped by man with gun: "A man is in police custody after opening fire at a northwest Oklahoma City apartment complex near Hefner and Council roads. Police said the man started firing multiple shots in the parking lot of the Tammaron Village apartments around 4 p.m. Thursday. Witnesses said the man initially went into the apartment complex’s main office. When employees locked him out, he opened fire in the parking lot. As the man was firing shots, another citizen armed with a gun came around the corner and ordered the gunman to put his weapon down. The gunman dropped his weapon and ran into his father’s apartment and barricaded himself inside.”



SC: AG opinion causes Georgetown to reconsider illegal gun ban: "An opinion from South Carolina’s attorney general is forcing the Georgetown County School District to rethink an illegal policy that bans concealed weapons on school property. Henry McMaster told the district that the policy, which prohibits visitors, parents, teachers and students from carrying weapons on school property including parking lots — even with a concealed carry permit — was a violation of state law. That law was approved by the General Assembly earlier this year and allows anyone with a concealed carry permit to keep weapons locked in their vehicles on school property.”



British Shooters complain of 'hysterical' police response to legal field sports: "Shooting groups are reporting a growing number of cases where officers in armed response vehicles and helicopters are swooping on people who are legally shooting. In many cases, the shooters are arrested and have had their guns seized. They are sometimes locked up and have their DNA taken, before police accept their error. The Countryside Alliance has described as "hysterical", the "massive overreaction" by officers, while the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has warned that an incident could lead to a lawful shooter being killed by police marksmen. The problem has become so great, that the field sports' bible, Shooting Times, has launched an initiative – called the Campaign for Common Sense – to urge police to improve their dealings with field sports enthusiasts. The publication has also submitted a dossier detailing its complaints and proposals to a recent consultation by the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) on police firearm use. The magazine's news editor, Selena Masson, said: "The police response is completely out of sync with what is actually going on. They send helicopters and up to half a dozen police vehicles, at astronomical cost to the taxpayer. They manhandle shooters, throw them in the cells and take DNA fingerprints, despite the fact that these people have permission and all the relevant documentation."



Gun maker hails Utah's bid against fed regulation: "Alex Robinson wants his assault rifles on foreign battlefields and Utah gun racks alike, so a proposed Firearms Freedom Act exempting local-only sales from federal regulation isn't a game changer at his Salt Lake City machine shop. Then again, Utah is gun country. Armed self-defense true believers see life and death in every constitutional affront. Many applaud a message bill that would preclude federal regulation of any guns made, sold and kept within state lines -- even as they acknowledge that such a law's prospects in federal court are dubious. "There's absolutely no reason Utahns should be subject to some whimsical federal fancy created by media frenzy," Robinson said, blaming television crime dramas for part of the nation's gun aversion. People are entitled to any gun they want, he said, regardless of political swings. Utah lawmakers this winter will take up a proposal to enact gun-rights legislation already on the books in Montana that carves out the in-state exemption. Robinson Armament is one of a handful of Utah-based gun makers -- from a small-label derringer manufacturer to international household name Browning Arms -- potentially affected because they make and sell at least a fraction of their guns within the state."



21 December, 2009

IN: Jewelry Store Worker's Shotgun Blasts Scare Away Robbers: "Police are still searching for two men who robbed a jewelry store on the east side, prompting an employee to pull a shotgun and fire several rounds at them. The men, armed with handguns, robbed the Jewelry Doctor store in the 8500 block of East Washington Street at about 4 p.m. Monday. "The suspects … pulled out handguns with the intention to rob," said Indianapolis police Lt. Jeff Duhamell. "They demanded the owner open up the case that contained the jewelry." The men thought opening the case was taking too long, so they began using their guns to smash display cases. The robbers took some money and robbed a customer before another customer came in. "One of the suspects grabs him and pulls him inside," Duhamell said. "He starts fighting with them." An employee in the back of the store saw the commotion and came out with a shotgun, firing several rounds that did quite a bit of damage inside the store. Police aren't sure if either of the robbers was struck, but said they quickly ran out of the store and took off in a white Ford Taurus."



New Jersey jewelry store owner turns tables on robber: "A store owner in Plainfield, New Jersey, turned the tides on a would-be robber. In the 20 years Bong Chang’s jewelry store has been on East Front Street, it had never been robbed. Until Wednesday. His security cameras captured it all. Around 1 p.m., an armed suspect walked in, backpack in hand. He pulled up his mask, pulled out a gun and ordered Chang and a clerk to open the jewelry cases. The suspect could be seen dumping tray after tray, more than $100,000 worth of gold and diamonds. And the robber placed the gun on the counter to collect his loot. Bong noticed that too. And when the robber did it again, Bong seized the chance and went for the gun. “I have the gun in my hand, and I try to shoot him,” he said. “But it wouldn’t shoot, it had the safety on.” A struggle ensued, off camera. The suspect ran to a back office, but, realizing there was no way out, ran back and fought his way to the door with the clerk in pursuit... Police are still trying to track the robber down. If caught, he'd face several felony charges."



Pa.: Police say teen was trying to rob man when fatally shot: "A Brashear High School student fatally shot in an abandoned house in Mount Oliver on his 16th birthday last year had been trying to rob a man when he was killed, according to police. Homicide investigators have determined that Ralph Meadows, 31, was defending himself when he fired a .380-caliber handgun at LaRon during a robbery attempt. He has not been charged with any crime. Allegheny County police have arrested two juveniles, including LaRon's cousin, in connection with the shooting. Dontae Benton, 16, and Terrin Mangham, 17, are accused of attacking Mr. Meadows inside the house in the 500 block of Brownsville Road after LaRon lured him there for a drug deal. According to the criminal complaint for Dontae, Mr. Meadows told police that LaRon called him to buy marijuana. When Mr. Meadows came to the house with the drugs, a black male pointed a shotgun at him and said, "You know what this is," Mr. Meadows told police. A third person, armed with a handgun, also joined the fray. Mr. Meadows told police he managed to grab the gun, but LaRon continued to struggle with him. Mr. Meadows fell to the ground. When he hit the floor, the gun fired. The shot struck LaRon. He died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Terrin and Dontae were arrested the same month. In July, they were held for trial on charges of aggravated assault, robbery and criminal conspiracy. They have been charged as adults."



MA: Gun permits surge in state: "The number of gun permits issued in Massachusetts surged by more than 15 percent over the past two years, reversing nearly a decade of steady declines and marking a pronounced departure for a state known for its antigun sentiment. The magnitude of the rise, evident in nearly every corner of the state, surprised law enforcement officials, and gun advocates and opponents alike. Some saw it as an echo of similar spikes across the country after President Obama’s election, when heavy gun sales were attributed to fears that he would impose strict new gun laws. But with more women and elderly residents signing up for gun classes in Massachusetts, many said the increase here has also been driven by worries about crime and a growing sense of vulnerability in the wake of the financial collapse and lingering fallout of the damaged economy. “I think it’s a sign of the times,’’ said Mike Burchman, who teaches gun courses in Hop kinton, where the number of permits rose 25 percent. “There’s a general insecurity, and people are looking for personal protection. In the past two years, I’ve seen a real shift.’’ The increase in Class A permits - the largest and broadest category of gun license - amounted to a jump of more than 28,000 statewide to about 224,000 as of last month, according to data provided by the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. The number had previously been dropping"



20 December, 2009

OK Jury acquits two men in “shoot or be shot” situation: "A Tulsa County jury acquitted two men Thursday of murder and robbery charges that stemmed from a fatal shooting 17 months ago. Jurors found Allyn Chatman, 23, and Ian Barnett, 24, not guilty of murdering Robert Lee Holmes Jr., 22. Prosecutors indicated that Chatman fired a shot that struck Holmes while Chatman was in a car in a parking lot at The Salvation Army’s North Mabee Boys and Girls Club, 3001 N. Cincinnati Ave., on July 14, 2008. Holmes, of Tulsa, was shot in the chest. He died at the scene. Chatman maintained that he acted in self-defense. His lawyer, Donn Baker, said Chatman faced a “shoot or be shot” situation when he shot Holmes, who also had a gun".



Iowa Gun Owners Gear Up for 2010 Legislative Session: "Since coming so close to passing the REAL Right-to-Carry bill in the Iowa House last session Iowa Gun Owners has continued to grow and expand our membership base across the state. This is great news as the more people we can involve the more pressure we can place on the politicians in Des Moines to support our right to keep and bear arms. The politicians now know that we will hold them to account if they vote in a way that jeopardizes our constitutional rights. With the 2010 elections coming quickly, and the anti-gunners hoping to save themselves from a possible anti-gun backlash, this will be a great year to press ahead for your right to keep and bear arms. As you know, our bill would allow anyone in Iowa who is not a felon or barred by federal law the right to carry a weapon for self-defense, openly or concealed, without having to first obtain government permission. We believe that this is what the 2nd Amendment intended and this is what we are committed to fighting for."



19 December, 2009

MD: Two shot in apparent home robbery try: "A Pikesville man shot two men who were apparently trying to rob his house Tuesday night, according to Baltimore County police. Both were expected to survive. One man was taken from the house to an area hospital for treatment, and police said they later found the other at a hospital after he fled the shooting scene in the 9000 block of Saracen Drive. The resident told police that he and another man were entering the house about 10:20 p.m. when they were attacked. The suspects and the resident knew each other, according to police, but the extent of their relationship was unknown. "It appeared the suspects were waiting for them and forced their way in behind them," police spokesman Lt. Robert McCullough said. No one had been arrested in the case, he said."



VA shooting ruled self-defense: "A Carrollton man will not be tried for murder in an October shooting after the Commonwealth’s Attorney ruled he shot in self-defense. Chad Andrew Kinney shot and killed Glen Bauwens, and shot and wounded Dennis Bailey, at a cemetery in Eclipse the night of Oct. 17. In a letter to Suffolk Chief of Police Thomas Bennett, Commonwealth’s Attorney Phil Ferguson said his office “will not proceed with a criminal prosecution in this matter.” Kinney was fully cooperative with police at the scene and with the investigation that ensued, the letter said, and the evidence at the scene supports his side of the story. An autopsy and medical investigation revealed both men who were shot were intoxicated at the time. Kinney told Suffolk Police he saw a large truck driving erratically on Bridge Road while he was on his way to his stepfather’s house. The two vehicles turned onto Eclipse Drive, with Kinney behind the truck. The truck had its turn signal on, and Kinney went around the truck because he believed it was getting ready to turn off Eclipse Drive. At that time, the truck began pursuing Kinney, and Kinney believed he had made the driver angry, according to the letter. Kinney then pulled into the cemetery to allow the truck to pass, and was going to leave the area after it left. However, the truck pulled in behind Kinney, completely blocking the cemetery driveway, according to the letter. Bailey and Bauwens got out of the truck and approached Kinney’s car, one on either side, yelling and cursing. Kinney then heard his driver’s side window “explode,” and believed it was from a gunshot. He shot Bauwens through his passenger side window and then shot Bailey through his broken driver’s window."



GA store owner justified in shooting robbers: "The District Attorney says a Bainbridge store owner who shot at a couple of robbers as they ran out of his store, was justified. After two men held a gun to Thomas Wright's head, pointed the barrel at his daughter, then stole his money he fought back with gunfire. "My daughter is what was on my mind I didn't want anything to happen in the store so I got them outside so I could take care of business out there," said Wright, owner of Port One Liquors. And that's what he did. "I waited until I silhouetted them against that transformer over there. The 2nd shot he fell down," said Wright. That's where the robber dropped his gun but it's unclear as to whether Wright actually hit him. "That night we checked all the area hospitals and are continuing to check and we haven't had any reports," said Sheriff Wiley Griffin. But the fact that Wright shot at all when the robbers were already out of his store and running away, raises the question, was he in within his rights? "It appears by all means that the clerk was justified by the use of deadly force," said Mulholland. In the video we hear the robbers threaten him verbally and physically threaten him and his daughter with a weapon. District Attorney Joe Mulholland believes he did what a reasonable person would do."



Terrorism and gun control: A perfect march: "The terrorist attack … at Fort Hood, Texas brought the lack of security at such a large military base directly into homes across America.Leaders of the pro-gun movement, and many soldiers, weren’t quite as shocked because they knew most military bases are considered ‘gun-free zones,’ …Whether [the] attack on American soldiers was sponsored by one of the bigger terrorist organizations is irrelevant since it gave terrorists a road map to complete similar attacks in the future. You can bet our enemies learned valuable lessons from his ability to kill so many of our best and brightest in such a short period of time. In one fell swoop, he taught terrorists where millions of Americans are essentially defenseless.”



18 December, 2009

LA: Man kills intruder: "St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne says a homeowner shot and killed a burglar in St. Rose. 21-year-old Michael Cockerham died on the scene. ‘Cockerham allegedly kicked down victim’s rear door to his residence while armed with a semiauto hand gun. Victim observed a laser light from what he believed to be a weapon shine through the opening of the damaged doorway at which time the homeowner fired a single shot from his weapon at the intruder,’ Captain Pat Yoes said in a news release. He says they have not filed any charges against the homeowner.”



MA: Road-rager gets shot: "The Porsche-driving, privileged scion of a national real estate magnate will be spinning his wheels under 24-hour house arrest after turning himself in yesterday for the road-rage shooting of a Milton firefighter. “He’s frail. You wouldn’t classify him as a tough guy,” Peter O’Connell, 66, told a Quincy District Court judge of his son and business partner Robert O’Connell, 40... Fasano remains hospitalized in critical condition. His girlfriend, Jennifer Bynarowicz, 34, told detectives the couple were returning from a family birthday party Saturday when a Porsche cut off her Jeep Grand Cherokee, which Fasano was driving. After finding $200 cash and “a small amount of cocaine” in the Jeep - and fearing Fasano was dying - police pressed him for a statement. He told them through tortured breaths he had been tailgating the Porsche when it suddenly braked in front of him. He admitted stepping out to confront the other driver, according to court records. Fasano, a Marine veteran, was arrested in 2007 on abuse and threat charges when a former girlfriend accused him of tearing their Weymouth apartment to pieces in a drunken rage. The case was dismissed in exchange for Fasano attending Alcoholic Anonymous, but not before cops accused him in court papers of assailing them with expletives and sexual and racial epithets."



GA: Riders armed, bus crimes drop: "The Georgia legislature in 2008 allowed concealed weapons permit holders to carry concealed weapons on public transportation, despite objections from MARTA, the public transportation system in Atlanta. Beverly Scott, MARTA’s general manager, called the bill “vigilantism.” The law took effect in July 2008. “Since July of 2008, there have been no news stories of blazing gun battles on MARTA, which would surely have been newsworthy events,” Ed Stone wrote. The overall crime rate dropped 33 percent from fiscal 2006 to fiscal 2009 (the first year of the new law). There have been no murders, three rapes and a drop in robberies since the law took effect. Instead of Charles Bronson, the bus company got Fred Rogers. Once again, an armed populace is a safe one.



Does the Second Amendment apply in Chicago?: "Chicago currently maintains that the Second Amendment should have zero authority over its gun control regime, arguing that the city should enjoy ‘the greatest flexibility to create and enforce firearms policy’ and that ‘Firearms regulation is a quintessential issue on which state and local governments can ‘serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country.” But of course the Supreme Court would never allow Chicago to try a novel ‘experiment’ like banning free speech, so why should the Second Amendment enjoy any less respect than the First Amendment does?”



17 December, 2009

NM: National Guardsman still in jail because of absurd bond: "In November, Richard Baca, a New Mexico National Guardsman who was home on leave from Iraq, got into an argument with Benito Lemos at a Las Vegas New Mexico intersection. Police reports revealed Lemos got out of his car and began attacking Baca. That's when police said Baca pulled out his gun and shot and killed Lemos. "This is a voluntary manslaughter case or a not guilty, because of self defense, it's one or the other and a jury is going to have to sort that out," said Jeff Buckles, Richard Baca's defense attorney. A judge agreed and lowered the charge from murder to manslaughter, but whether or not Baca acted in self-defense will be up to a jury to decide. Richard Baca is still behind bars on a $1 million cash only bond, that was for the murder charge. Baca's attorney says with lesser charge now on the table he's going to ask the court to reduce his client's bond." [This seems a gross miscarriage of justice. Benito Lemos, once a High School football star, a very large man not accustomed to loosing 'respect', left his Escalade SUV, to escalate a confrontation with the smaller Baca. He approached Baca's car, reportedly to "discuss" a traffic altercation. A scuffle reportedly ensued. At one point, Baca pulled his weapon and shot Lemos.]



MI: Evidence of self-defense is mounting in shooting: "Moments before he was fatally shot, police say Michael Robert Rajchel showed the handgun tucked into his pants. Adham Mofiid Abu Farha, 34, then fired multiple shots as the two men sat inside Farha's car in the driveway of his Pittsfield Township home the morning of Dec. 2, according to police. As investigators continue to seek a motive in the fatal shooting, they say evidence of Farha's self-defense assertion continues to mount. The shooting took place outside this home on Rockport Court on Dec. 2. "We've interviewed additional witnesses and got additional information that affirms Farha's self-defense assertion," Pittsfield Public Safety Director Matt Harshberger said. Around 8:30 a.m. Dec. 2, Rajchel showed up at Farha’s home at 2361 Rockport Court in the Arbor Creek subdivision on the township’s northwest side. They got into Farha's SUV, and multiple shots were fired as about 20 elementary students were waiting at a school bus stop across the street. Farha had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, police said. He had his handgun tucked into his waistband when officers arrived at the scene, police said."



Florida: Wheelchair-bound man shoots home invader to death: "Eyewitness News talked to a 62-year-old wheelchair-bound man who shot and killed a man who tried to force his way into his home. Gary Wroblewski says he was watching television in the Silver Springs Shores neighborhood off County Road 464 late Monday night when someone knocked on his door. Wroblewski slightly cracked open the door and found a man claiming he needed help with his broken down car. He says he was immediately suspicious of the man and his story. “So I went and got my gun. I held it behind the door and I opened the door,” said Wroblewski. Wroblewski says he tried to send the man away and suggested he go to another house or call AAA. He says that is when another man, this one wearing a mask, appeared out of nowhere and forced his door open. Wroblewski was knocked out his wheelchair but was able to hold onto his gun and shot the masked invader. “I fired three shots,” recalled Wroblewski. “Obviously you hit one of them,” said a photojournalist. “Yeah, severely,” said Wroblewski. Wroblewski says it took him ten minutes to get back into his wheelchair. Once he did, he went to a neighbor’s house and asked them to call 911. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has not released the name of the suspect who was killed. The other suspect got away. The sheriff’s office has not said whether the homeowner will face any charges. He is likely protected by Florida’s Castle Doctrine."



IL: Whistles instead of guns? "Thousands of Oak Park residents are being equipped with a simple device to help fight crime in the village. Police are passing out whistles that they are urging citizens to blow if they are victims of or witnesses to a crime. Officers distributed hundreds of the shiny whistles at two stations along the CTA’s Green Line in Oak Park on Friday and will be passing out more Wednesday along the Blue Line.”



16 December, 2009

RI: Brother with gun sends robbers flying: "Already charged in the case is Daniel Christian, 24, of North Providence. Christian and Doucette allegedly barged into the house and confronted Banville and Hamilton. He said the assailants ransacked the house and demanded money from Banville and Hamilton, who is the president of the Visiting Nurse Association of R.I. As Christian forced Hamilton into her kitchen, the police said, Banville told the other assailant that the money was at the house of his older brother, Nathan, who is a staff sergeant with the 126th Aviation Battalion out of Quonset Point. Banville called his brother while he and the suspect were on the way to Nathan Banville’s Coventry home. Nathan didn’t know what was going on, but he had a loaded pistol on him when the men arrived, Marcello said. The assailant and the brother got into a bloody fight, and the gun went off, sending the suspect running, Marcello said. Christian was arraigned on charges of burglary, kidnapping, assault with intent to commit felonies and conspiracy."



Chicago: Bystander stops shooting spree: "Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Joe Lattanzio said Amison arrived at his father home in the 1600 block of S. 19th Ave in Maywood at 12:20 a.m. on Saturday and shot his father in the neck. Witnesses and Amison told police that he was angry because “he believed that his father had been having an affair with his wife,” Lattanzio said. Amison then drove to Reed’s home in the 5300 block of S. Marshfield Avenue in Chicago, where he shot and killed Reed just an hour later, Latanzio said. Amison has confessed to the killing, Lattanzio said, and a bullet recovered from Reed’s body matched a gun recovered from Amison when he was arrested 40 minutes later at a South Side strip club. Amison threatened employees and patrons at The Factory,” 12054 S. Doty Ave., before stealing money from an employee, firing his gun, and being shot in the leg by a “concerned citizen,” Lattanzio said."



Court won't revive gun lawsuit: "The Supreme Court has turned away a new challenge to a 2005 law that gives gun manufacturers immunity from lawsuits by shooting victims. The justices on Monday refused to hear an appeal from Hector Adames Jr. to revive his lawsuit against the Beretta U.S.A. Corp. over the accidental shooting death of his 13-year-old son. The Illinois Supreme Court threw out the lawsuit, citing the federal 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. Adames' son, Josh, was shot and killed by 13-year-old Billy Swan, who found his father's Beretta and removed the magazine containing the ammunition. He pointed the gun at Josh and pulled the trigger, not knowing that a bullet remained in the chamber. Adames sued Beretta, saying the gun did not have the proper warnings or a safety mechanism that stops the gun from being fired without the magazine in place."



15 December, 2009

Pa.: Man shot and killed by off-duty officer during robbery: "A man shot by an off-duty police officer Saturday night during a robbery died yesterday morning, police said. Dennis Dooley, 24, of the Hill District died at UPMC Mercy, Uptown, shortly after 1 a.m. He had been shot in the chest around 5:30 p.m. Saturday by a 17-year veteran of the city police bureau after pointing a gun at the officer in a Hill District bar, police said. According to police, Dooley and another man entered Larry's Bar in the 2000 block of Fifth Avenue wearing masks. One woman was behind the bar, and another was in the back of the building helping the off-duty officer repair a bathroom door. The woman behind the bar ran into the bathroom and told the officer, who has not been identified, that the bar was being robbed. Dooley followed her. Dooley forced open the bathroom door and raised his gun toward the officer, police said. The officer had already drawn his gun after being told of the robber, and he fired three times, hitting Dooley in the upper left chest, police said. Dooley and the other masked man ran out of the bar. Dooley collapsed two blocks away, at Forbes and Jumonville, police said. His gun was not recovered. Deputy Chief Paul Donaldson said the officer was justified in shooting Dooley. "Absolutely," Donaldson said. "The officer fired in his own self-defense."





Pennsylvania: Teacher pulls a gun to stop an attack outside the school: "Criminal justice instructor Michael Minto was leaving the Kaplan Career Institute in Swatara Township on Monday night when he spotted a man being stabbed, police said. Minto pulled his gun and ordered the attacker to drop his knife, police said. The attacker fled, and authorities said Minto’s actions likely saved the life of Dillon Mitchell, 30, of Harrisburg. If Minto had not intervened, “We might be talking about someone who died,” said Deputy Swatara Township Police Chief Jason D. Umberger. “There are not many citizens out there that would have the courage to take that action. Police were looking on Tuesday night for Kevin Forde [above], 29, of North Sixth Street, Harrisburg in connection with the attack. Forde is charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault. Umberger said Mitchell left the 5650 Derry St. school around 10:30 p.m. with Ayanna Carter, who is Forde’s wife. Forde approached them and an argument started, leading to the stabbing, Umberger said... Umberger said Forde was on probation or parole and has a history of assault and terroristic threat charges."



NJ: Quadriplegic man finally permitted to have and fire gun: "After a two-and-a-half-year legal battle — and 30 years of longing — Jamie Cap, a Manville resident, is now permitted to have and fire a gun. … the 46-year-old was rendered quadriplegic after being tackled during a high school football game. Cap is physically unable to hold a gun or pull a trigger. But he missed the thrill of hunting and firing a weapon — something he said he started in his youth. After some research, he found that there was technology that would allow him to experience shooting again. The only way a person can buy a gun in New Jersey is to have a firearms purchaser identification card … Cap first applied for the ID in May 2007. He waited until December 2008, to find that he had been rejected.”



14 December, 2009

Louisiana: Man shoots and kills would-be robber: "A man walking from his driveway to his front door shot and killed another man who was attempting to rob him at gunpoint, according to Sheriff Newell Normand. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. at #34 Azalea Lane in Marrero. Normand said a couple was walking to their home when three men approached them and attempted to rob them. The man, who was also armed, shot the suspect, who was taken to the hospital, where he later died. The other two suspects fled on foot. The identity of the suspect who was shot is being withheld pending next of kin notification. Anyone with information in this matter is asked to call our Homicide Division at 364-5300 or Crimestoppers."



Texas: Armed intruder killed at apartment: "An armed intruder was killed Friday night in a possible case of self-defense, Houston police said. The man forced his way inside a unit in the 12900 block of Whittington around 9:20 p.m. and showed a pistol to those inside, Police Department spokesman John Cannon said. “He specifically aimed the pistol toward two people when a third person in the apartment retrieved a pistol of his own,” Cannon said. The third person said he shot the intruder because he feared for the safety of everyone in the west Houston apartment, police said. The intruder died at the scene. Police said they have no motive for the break-in. The relationship between the intruder and the people inside the apartment is unknown, Cannon said. Authorities have not released the identities of the shooter or the dead man."



AK: Gun taken to a knife fight: "Eric Suggs was originally charged with attempted murder after police say he shot Joseph Brown, Jr. outside Chilkoot Charlie's in Spenard following an argument with another man who had a knife. Those charges have since been reduced. Suggs' friend says he was only trying to defend himself after Louis Spencer came after him with a knife. "He was clinching the weapon as he came out yelling we're going to f*** these n******* up," said the friend who did not want to be identified. Police haven't filed any charges against Spencer, but he remains a person of interest. Police say Friday morning, just before 2 a.m., Suggs and Spencer got into an argument of some kind. Witnesses report Spencer had a knife in his hand and his cousin, Joseph Brown, Jr. jumped into the middle of the argument acting like he wanted to fight. Police say Suggs then pulled out a gun and started firing hitting Brown multiple times in the stomach and arm. Suggs allegedly stashed the gun in a car and took off. Police say one of their K-9 units had to take Suggs down. Friends of Suggs say he has a family and they want to get him home for Christmas. "A man who tried to defend himself is in jail because somebody tried to attack him with a knife," the friend said." [It was a mistake to flee. It makes the cops assume guilt]



Is it moral to use deadly force in self defense?: "This is a subject you must thoughtfully consider before you make the decision to arm yourself. Are you willing to take another's life in order to save your own or that of a loved one? If you believe that it's morally wrong, then don¹t get a gun. For that matter don¹t arm yourself with a butcher knife or baseball bat, either. But if you believe that its morally right, then the best tool is a firearm. Even some people who would deny you the right to have a firearm for defense, agree: "If that were my wife, would I want her to have a .38 special in her hand? Yea." These words were spoken by Dr. Arthur Kellerman when asked what he would want for his own wife if she were assaulted. Dr. Kellerman has written a number of anti-gun health advocacy articles in the New England Journal of Medicine. (Tennessee Law Review, Spring 1995)".



13 December, 2009

CA: Shootout at jewelery store: "Bennett's desperation steered him to the Alamo Jewelry Mart, where authorities say he tried to rob owner Oscar Herrera at gunpoint, pleading that he had to do it to save his home. The Dec. 3 confrontation escalated to a shootout that left both men seriously wounded. Flynn said it was unclear why Bennett opened fire but he shot first, striking Herrera in the chest. Herrera stumbled into a backroom to retrieve his .357 revolver and returned fire, wounding Bennett in the wrist, mouth and neck, where a bullet lodged in his spine. Herrera was also hit a second time, in the abdomen, before making his way out of the store and into the arms of a passer-by. Responding sheriff's deputies summoned an ambulance to take Herrera to the hospital. Bennett stayed inside the store, held a gun to his head and threatened to kill himself, Terry said. The standoff lasted about an hour before deputies talked him into surrendering. He is in critical but stable condition at a hospital and was charged last week with attempted murder, robbery and commercial burglary. Herrera was expected to be released sometime this week."



GA: Wounded homeowner; dead attacker: "For the second time in the last three months, a man has been attacked outside his east Cobb County home. On Thursday night, the homeowner was involved in a deadly shootout outside his house on Glasgow Road in Marietta. Cobb police spokesman Joe Hernandez told WSB's Mark Alewine two armed men ambushed the victim and his wife around 8:30 p.m. as they arrived home and got out of their car. The homeowner was wounded and is being treated for non-life threatening injuries at Wellstar-Kennestone Hospital in Marietta. One of the suspects who was shot was pronounced dead on arrival at Kennestone. The other was shot and eventually went to the emergency room at Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta."



Texas: Robbery Suspect Fatally Shot at Repair Shop: "A would-be robber is shot to death by a tire store owner in north Houston, and officers are searching for three suspects who got away. The shooting took place after 8 p.m. Wednesday at the 11100 block of Bauman Road. Police say four men tried to stage a robbery at the El Mante Tire Shop at the 11000 block of Bauman Road at approximately 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. The store owner, who has a license to carry a concealed handgun, drew his weapon and started shooting. One robbery suspect died in the shop, but three others escaped in a black Mercury Mountaineer with chrome rims. They were also able to steal some property, but police would not say what was stolen. Houston Police Department homicide detectives are investigating the shooting."



Gun rights ignored by cop and judge: "Pennsylvania state law protects the right to open carry outside the secured areas at the airport. So Mr. Ross was acting well within the law when he removed his handgun from his luggage and began to holster it as he walked out of the airport. But an officer of the Allegheny County Police Department took issue with a civilian attempting to keep and bear arms. The officer had such a problem with it that he illegally arrested David Ross for violating a local county ordinance which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court had invalidated a decade ago. State law trumps local county ordinances and since Pennsylvania protects open carry, Allegheny County cannot violate that right. Since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court had ruled on this issue a decade ago, you'd think the judge would correct the error of the arresting officer and apologize for the mistake, right? Wrong. David Ross was convicted, even though he clearly explained the situation to the judge, and was forced to hire an attorney to appeal the case. Well, Mr. Ross's appeal was heard last Friday, November 9th, and this time he got a judge who actually understood the law. In a victory for the Second amendment, David Ross was acquitted of all charges"



12 December, 2009

AK: Road rage incident ends when gun comes out: "A gun-brandishing driver involved in a road-rage incident in downtown Wasilla on Wednesday was stopped by Wasilla police officers, weapons drawn, at a Tesoro gas station just outside city limits. No charges were filed. Manrique said the man's actions fell into the category of self-defense. No one was injured, he said, describing the whole road-rage encounter, in a word, as "stupidity." Under a new city policy, he couldn't name either man involved. Everything started with a heated argument at the crowded intersection of the Parks Highway and Main Street just before 3 p.m., police said. One man -- the 24-year-old with the 10-millimeter Glock -- thought the other man was tailgating him, Manrique said. The other guy, who had his two children in the car and was apparently responding to an emergency call from his wife, got out of his car and started yelling, telling the first driver he was going to beat him up. "He felt in fear," the officer said of the 24-year-old. "He showed him he had a handgun. Told him he was going to use the handgun and stick it up his you-know-what."



Colo. shooting self defense: "The Mesa County DA's Office will not file any charges in last month's shooting death of 42-year-old Crystal Nash. Nash was shot in the driveway at 3007 Rood Avenue, near 30 and D Roads November 1st. A man in his 20's was also shot during the incident but suffered only minor injuries. Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger has determined the shooting was in self defense, but does not fall under Colorado's "Make My Day" Law. The investigation reveals an intoxicated Nash, armed with a .9mm handgun, confronted a neighbor at his home, accusing him of calling Sheriff Deputies. According to authorities, the neighbor asked Nash to drop her weapon, she refused and started to bring the handgun up. Investigators say that's when the neighbor shot Nash 9 times. In a letter sent to Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey, Hautzinger writes: "I regret the death of Ms. Nash and extend my sympathies and condolences to her family. By declining to file criminal charges here I do not intend to condone or endorse anything that happened; I certainly believe that neighborhood disputes are usually better resolved without firearms being involved. Under the totality of the circumstances present here, however, I cannot in good conscience file any sort of criminal charges."



New York: Wounded Jewelry Store Owner Detains Robbery Suspect: "A Nassau County jewelry store owner was shot in the torso as he faced three would-be robbers and, amazingly, was able to detain one suspect until police arrived. At 7:11 p.m., three suspects — a woman and two men — attempted to rob Papandrew Jewelers, located at 11 Sunrise Highway at Franklin Avenue in Valley Stream. One man, Edward Hamilton, 24, of Brooklyn, produced a handgun and the store owner retrieved his own gun from behind a display case, according to police. The two exchanged gunfire when Hamilton jumped over the display case. The store owner sustained a gunshot in the torso. Hamilton and Gloria Cortes, 20, of Brooklyn, who was posing as a customer, fled the store. The injured store owner was remarkably able to roll onto the third robber — Bryan Kenner, 28, of South Ozone Park, and hold him until police arrived at the scene. At 8:53 p.m., Lynbrook detectives found Cortes at a parking lot on Rockaway Avenue and West Jamaica Avenue in Valley Stream. Bureau of Special Operations Officers were able to located and arrest Hamilton at his home at 10:25 p.m. Hamilton was acting as the group's lookout. The store owner was taken to South Nassau Communities Hospital, where he is listed in stable condition."



Indiana: Apparent robber fatally shot by homeowner: "State police say a southern Indiana homeowner fatally shot one of two men who had entered his house in an apparent robbery. Police were searching Wednesday for the second man, who fled from the house near the Washington County city of Salem after Tuesday night’s shooting. The homeowner told investigators that a man knocked on the door asking to use the telephone. As that man came inside, another man wearing a mask entered as well. The homeowner said he retrieved a gun and shot the first man. Police identified the slain man as 36-year-old Ronald L. Chastain of Salem.



11 December, 2009

WA: Woman fires shot to scare away intruder: "A woman fired a shot to scare off an intruder in her Hilltop home early Monday, Tacoma police reported. The intruder wasn’t injured and fled out the back door. He hasn’t been found, police said. The incident occurred just after 12:30 a.m. Monday in the 2100 block of South L Street. The woman was in her living room when she heard noises at the back door, police reported. She got her gun from her bedroom, went to investigate and found a man standing in her kitchen, police reported. The woman yelled and fired a shot, which hit the dishwasher. The man fled. Officers searched the area for him, but no arrest was reported. The intruder was about 6 feet tall and had a medium build. He wore a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt with the hood up, police reported. No other information about the man was available."



Texas Dry Cleaner Shoots, Kills Robber: "Two people tried to rob a Spring dry cleaning business, but the shop’s manager didn’t let them succeed, KPRC Local 2 reported. Harris County sheriff’s deputies said Nam-Duong Nguyen, the manager of the $1 Cleaners in the 18600 block of Kuykendahl Road, saw two people approach the store at about 6:35 p.m. Monday. Nguyen said the two were wearing all black and he saw them pull masks over their faces. The two crouched down and approached the front door, Nguyen told investigators. Nguyen said he saw the two reach into the waistbands for an object. Nguyen, who has a concealed handgun license, pulled out his gun and fired toward the men about three times, investigators said. The two tried to get away, but only one of them actually did. One of the men collapsed and died behind the northeast end of the strip center where the dry cleaning business is located, deputies said. The person had been shot, detectives said. There was no identification on the body, officials said. “The (second suspect was) possibly wounded … still on the loose,” Sgt. Robert Shields said. “We got the hospitals on notification to alert us. We haven’t received any reports back from the hospital.”



Guns soon could be checked in on Amtrak: "Gun-toting Amtrak passengers are one giant step closer to being allowed to travel with firearms in their checked luggage, as lawmakers included a measure to lift a railroad gun ban in a catch-all spending bill …The omnibus spending bill … is considered must-pass legislation, and that makes the new Amtrak gun rule as close to a sure bet as there is on Capitol Hill.Travelers with firearms have long faced disparate treatment on trains and airplanes. Airline passengers can transport firearms in checked baggage, but Amtrak currently prohibits guns anywhere on its trains.This is an important victory for sportsmen and gun owners across the country, and it affirms congressional support of the Second Amendment.”



World’s Lightest Shotgun — from Benelli: "Sleek. Beautiful. Italian. She’s the lightest auto-loading shotgun in the world. And she’s coming January 19, 2010. On that day, the launch of Benelli’s newest shotgun will be revealed at the SHOT Show and simultaneously unveiled on the Benelli USA website. Evoking grace and beauty, the female form has inspired artisans since the dawn of time, and does so no less today. With Benelli’s newest offering, Italian designers have blended art and function in a way that every sportsman will appreciate. “At just under 5 pounds, this is lightest shotgun on the market, chambered in a gauge that many skilled hunters and sportsmen will find not only a delight to handle, but wonderful to shoot.” said Stephen McKelvain, Benelli USA’s VP of Marketing & Communications. “Benelli combined striking gun art with reliable function, the hallmark of all our products.”



10 December, 2009

GA: Man Pulls Gun on Would-be Robber: Two who robbed an elderly Clayton County man got more than they bargained for, after they bluffed their way into the man's home. Police say the victim surprised the men by pulling out his own weapon. Homeowner Bill Dowis said he sells firewood out of his home. The two suspects bought wood from Dowis Tuesday. Dowis said one of the men asked to wash his hands and when he returned he pointed a gun at Dowis. While one of the men went through the home looking for money, Dowis said he pulled out his own pistol and shot at one of the men. Dowis said he shot at the man twice more as he fled the house to a waiting car."



Off-Duty Officer Shoots Robbery Suspect: "An off-duty police officer shot a robbery suspect in Hampden this evening. Two men were trying to rob Hampden Discount Liquors on Falls Road when a customer ran out of the store and yelled to the off-duty officer that there was a robbery in progress, according to Baltimore City Police Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. The officer entered the store and saw one suspect holding a gun to the store clerk. The officer shot the suspect. "This was right place, right time for this officer, and he saved some lives here tonight," Guglielmi said. The second suspect fled the store while the officer called for backup. The suspect was apprehended a few blocks away from the store. The shot suspect was taken to Sinai in critical condition. No one else was injured. It was later discovered that the two suspects were also involved in two other robberies on Friday evening... Karim Abdul, 16, of the 4700 block of Wakefield Road, has been charged as an adult. He is suspected of being involved in 3 separate robberies on Friday night."



DC Court ruling could affect out of state gun buys: "You can buy a car from an out-of-state dealer and pick it up there. You can buy a house in another part of the country, as speculators unwisely did during the real estate bubble, sight unseen. But even though the Second Amendment protects an individual right to own firearms — and presumably to buy them — you can’t purchase a handgun while you’re visiting another state. A gun rights group has sued the Justice Department to overturn this prohibition, which became law as part of the Gun Control Act of 1968, and the case is now in front of U.S. District Judge James Robertson in Washington, D.C.”



Beyond The Concealed Carry Gun: Arming for Home Defense: "Of course, we cannot walk the streets of modern America with a large caliber rifle like cowboys in the Old West. For concealed carry, handguns -- and even compact handguns -- are the norm. However, how many of us get so focused on our latest concealed carry gun that we rely on that same gun for defending our homes -- where size and concealability doesn't matter. I am afraid many people who read this magazine are content to have their designated home defense weapon be a Smith & Wesson Model 60 snub-nose, or a Kahr PM-9, or a similar sub-compact pistol. I believe this because there was a point in time when I did the same thing. Much of the topic of choosing a home defense weapon is beyond the scope of this magazine, but my hope in this article is to get all of you thinking about the proper weapons for defense of your home and family. When it comes to the effectiveness of firearms, larger is usually better. Larger guns have larger bullets -- one key to effective stopping power. Big bullets make bigger holes, which tend to incapacitate living targets faster. While there certainly can be overkill on this issue, and you need to be mindful of over-penetration issues in an urban environment, there is no reason to have a home defense weapon of a minor caliber."



9 December, 2009

MO: Home invader shot: "A gunman suffered a shotgun wound to his face today after he allegedly barged into his ex-wife’s house firing shots — and met another gunman. The man’s injuries are not believed to be life threatening. Police said that for more than a year, the man had been shooting at the boyfriend when their paths crossed. Today, about 3:35 p.m., the ex-wife and her boyfriend saw the ex-husband on her block. The ex-wife and boyfriend scurried to get into her home in the 4900 block of Agnes Street. The ex-husband allegedly shot at the home, kicked open the front door and continued shooting inside. A man inside with a shotgun returned fire and chased the ex-husband outside, where he fled. Police found the ex-husband’s holster at the scene, but did not find his gun. The ex-husband turned up at a hospital and was arrested. Police said the ex-wife, her boyfriend and the shotgun-wielding man were not injured. Four children inside, ages 2, 7, 11 and 13, also escaped injury."



Alaska joins legal battle to ensure Right to Bear Arms: "At the direction of Governor Sean Parnell, the State of Alaska announced last week that it has joined the legal battle to prohibit state and local governments from denying individual Americans their right to bear arms, which is provided under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. Attorney General Dan Sullivan, along with his counterparts in three dozen other states, recently signed on to a friend-of-the-court brief in the case of McDonald v. City of Chicago, now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. Alaska had previously joined other states in successfully petitioning the court to hear the case, in which Chicago firearm owners challenge a handgun ban in the city.”



Gun Control Issue Reveals a Changing Canada: "Like public health care, Canada’s tight gun-control laws help distinguish the country from its powerful neighbor to the south. But as Canadians commemorated the 20th anniversary of one of the country’s most notorious shooting sprees on Sunday, their Parliament was on course to eliminate one of its most significant gun-control measures. A long-gun registry, which requires the registration of rifles and shotguns, emerged largely from public revulsion over the massacre in 1989... The law’s looming demise has revived the national debate over gun control and, with the wounds of 1989 still tender, raised deep questions about Canadian identity. The law has been controversial since its approval in 1995, and there are competing theories as to why it suddenly appears doomed now. Perhaps most surprisingly, the debate has pitted the Conservative government, which generally promotes a law and order agenda and wants to get rid of the law, against the police, who resoundingly favor keeping it." [It's cost a motza and achieved nothing]



Gun control on campus: "Colorado is at the center of a national debate concerning gun control, revolving around moves to ban guns at two of the state’s universities. The most recent move comes as a proposal by Colorado State University’s public safety and president’s cabinet to ban students from carrying guns on campus. Their recommendation flies in the face of the students’ will, with the governing body voting 21-3 last week in support of keeping CSU a conceal-and-carry campus. As the debate in Fort Collins continues, Students for Concealed Carry on Campus is currently appealing a lower Colorado court decision that dismissed a suit filed last year by the group seeking to overturn the University of Colorado’s gun ban.”



8 December, 2009

CA: Gun battle erupts at robbery: "A gun battle erupted in Long Beach Sunday night when a store clerk fought back against two men robbing his place. It happened around 8 p.m. when two armed men entered the store in the 6700 block of Long Beach Boulevard and demanded money from the register and the customers inside. One of those customers says the owner grabbed a gun and chased after the robbers. "He took off after, I guess he had a gun that he stashed over there, and he took off after. And I heard the shooting--bam, bam-- you know, the shooting. I stayed inside. There was no way I was going to go outside at all. No way," described robbery victim Ramon Magallon. The clerk and customers were not hurt. It is not known if either of the robbers was hit in the exchange of gunfire, but both escaped on foot and are still at large."



GA: Shooter gets shot: "Security guards shot and killed an unruly patron at a College Park nightclub, police said. The shooting occurred at Oceans 66 at 5058 Old National Highway early Sunday, College Park Police Sgt. Eddie Atkins told the AJC. Jeffrey Bing, 27, died from a gunshot wound, the Fulton County Medical Examiner told the AJC. Bing, of College Park, entered the club with a gun. When the security officers questioned him about the gun, he got unruly, police said. “He started shooting at the security officers and patrons,” Atkins said. Guards fired back, striking and killing Bing, police said. Atkins said detectives are still investigating the shooting. As of Sunday evening, no charges had been filed. Witness statements corroborated the security guards’ story, police said."



MD: Machine gun shooter bashed: "Shortly after 3:00 am on Sunday morning, police were called to investigate a shooting at the Sheraton City Center Hotel in downtown Baltimore. The investigation revealed that a group of approximately 20 young adults, all from Baltimore, were having a party in 2 rented, adjoining hotel rooms. During the party, a fight between two males broke out. 19 year-old Raymond Woodland of Baltimore shot 19 year-old Marquis Johnson also of Baltimore in the face with a Tech-9 semi-automatic weapon. Johnson was transported to Shock Trauma in serious condition. Woodland is currently on probation until 2012 for earlier drug charges. Following the shooting, Woodland was disarmed and beaten by Abdullah Omar and Dominic Anderson. After Abdullah and Anderson disarmed Woodland, they held him down and beat him so severely that he had to be transported to the hospital and is in critical condition. In addition there was an additional victim who suffered minor facial lacerations as a result of the scuffle for the weapon. Homicide detectives have investigated the incident and interviewed numerous witnesses and people of interest. Attempted murder, assault, and illegal weapons charges are forthcoming against Woodland, Abdullah and Anderson."



A tale of two frauds: "In a blazing triumph of ignorance, stupidity, bigotry, and junk science, members of the Colorado State Board of Agriculture—by bizarre historical accident, the governing body for Colorado State University—have decided they would rather see a coed raped in an alley and strangled with her own pantyhose, than see her with a gun in her hand.Regrettably, they have made this indefensible decision, not just for themselves, but for thousands of students, faculty, visitors, and staff who must now brave the hazards of a well-advertised criminal free-fire zone, simply to attend classes, do their jobs, move from one location to another on the campus, and return home again each night. Screw democracy, screw the republic, screw the Constitution, screw the Second Amendment, screw decent common sense and decades of established scientific fact regarding the vital necessity and efficacy of armed self-defense. We might as well just call the place “Screw U.”"



7 December, 2009

GA: Store employee fatally shot; store owner exchanges fire with robber: "One man was killed Friday night during an east Atlanta liquor store armed robbery, and the suspect was injured in a shootout that followed with the store owner, police said. Just before 10 p.m., a man walked into the Moreland Package Store at 15 Moreland Ave., and pulled a handgun on the clerk, demanding money, Atlanta police Det. Lt. Keith Meadows said. The 21-year-old clerk was shot in the stomach and buttocks, and later died at the scene, authorities said. "A second employee in the back heard the clerk shout, ‘I've been shot,'" Meadows said. "He came out to the front with his own gun." The second employee, who Meadows said was the store owner, exchanged gunfire with the robber, shooting the perpetrator in arm and leg. The suspect fled on foot was arrested a block away on Mortimer Street by officers in the area responding to a report of shots fired, Meadows said. Authorities have not named the man who was killed, pending notification of his next of kin. The suspect was taken into custody pending charges, but no charges were filed against the store owner, police said."



OK: A man shot and killed as he broke into woman's home: "Billy Dean Riley, 53, of Sparks, was drunk and high on some type of opiate at the time of his death on Friday, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department. Deputies said Riley crashed a vehicle near the home of Donna Jackson, 57, between 12:30 and 12:50 a.m. Friday. Riley went to the back door of Jackson's home nearby and started to break in. Jackson told authorities that she picked up a shotgun and called 911. "There's a man at my back door. He's trying to get in," she said to the dispatcher. "He's close to the door. I'm going to go ahead and get the gun out." "She told him that she was armed and that she had called the police and that he needed to leave," said Lincoln County Sheriff Chuck Mangion. In return, deputies said, Riley started screaming vulgarities at the homeowner. He picked up a patio table and threw it through Jackson's glass patio door. The dispatcher told Jackson that she was advised to defend her property if she needed to. Jackson said she fired one shot into Riley's chest when he started to enter the home. Riley was pronounced dead by a medical examiner at about 1:50 a.m."



The crime of disarmament: "Those who are willing to commit acts of violence are rarely intimidated by the possibility of criminal prosecution. This fact is demonstrated daily. In the paradoxical world of disarmament politics, outlaws are rewarded for their criminality while harmless individuals are penalized for obeying the law. The result is both predictable and proven: gun control encourages gun crime. While we needn’t look farther than our own neighborhoods, England provides a stark example of our future if gun control advocates get their way. In a 2002 Reason Magazine article, Gun Control’s Twisted Outcome, Joyce Lee Malcolm documents the escalation of violence that has rocked England under rigid gun bans".



Anti-gang gun law in Chicago: "Gang members caught with loaded guns would face mandatory prison time under a new law signed Thursday by Gov. Pat Quinn and hailed by Chicago authorities as a unique tool for fighting street crime. The statute sets a minimum sentence of three years and a maximum of 10 years behind bars for unlawful use of a weapon by a gang member; under previous law such an offense was punishable by probation. Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, who pushed for the measure, said she believes it is the first state law to include gang membership as an element of the criminal offense. At a news conference with Quinn and Mayor Richard Daley, Alvarez predicted the law will withstand any legal challenges alleging it unfairly targets a particular group of people. "There could be a challenge to anything. We can't predict that. But we feel confident," Alvarez said. Daley likened the law to federal criminal statutes targeting organized crime. The statute defines a gang as any group of at least three people with a hierarchy that engages in a pattern of criminal activity. The law specifies it is not necessary for prosecutors to show the criminal group has a name, insignias, colors, territory or other symbolism commonly linked with street gangs in order to apply the law to members. "If they're on a corner throwing up a gang sign or wearing the colors, it's pretty self-evident," Alvarez said. "There's a lot of self-admittance on the police reports themselves, tattoos, prior history. There's a lot that comes into play to support the fact that they are members of a gang." Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the group is not taking a position on the legislation because the definition of "gang" in the statute has withstood court challenges in DuPage County"



6 December, 2009

MI: Evidence points to self-defense; man who was shot was armed: Investigators say they’ve uncovered evidence that a Pittsfield Township homeowner was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot another man outside his home Wednesday morning. Both men were armed when they got into a dispute, police revealed this afternoon. The shooting took place early Wednesday on Rockport Court in the Arbor Creek subdivision. The accused shooter, Adham Mofiid Abu Farha, 34, was released from the Washtenaw County Jail this afternoon as police continue to investigate the shooting outside Farha’s home in the Arbor Creek subdivision. Police say Michael Robert Rajchel, 28, of Van Buren Township, came to Farha’s home at 2361 Rockport Court, on the township’s northwest side, before 8:30 a.m. He was carrying a loaded semi-automatic handgun, Pittsfield Public Safety Director Matt Harshberger said. The two men got into Farha’s SUV, and numerous shots were fired. About 20 elementary students were waiting at a school bus stop across the street. Farha, who had a concealed weapons permit, fired multiple shots, Harshberger said. It does not appear Rajchel fired his gun, Harshberger said. He declined to reveal whether Rajchel had a concealed weapons permit. Farha was arrested just outside his home when officers got there. He was held in the Washtenaw County Jail until this afternoon. Washtenaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Burke said the prosecutor's office has asked detectives to continue investigating before a decision is made on any possible criminal charges."



CA: Fresno Homeowner Holds Black Burglars At Gunpoint: "Two burglars are behind bars, put there by their intended victim. According to Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims, just before 10:30 p.m. a homeowner returned to his house on the 5000 block of W Belmont to discover the door ajar and the lights on. He peeked inside and saw a man rummaging through his things. The homeowner pulled out his handgun and entered the home pointing it at the burglar. He ordered the man to the ground, firing a warning shot at him when he attempted to move. As he did this, another burglar appeared from the hallway causing the homeowner to order him to the ground as well. While holding both suspects at gunpoint, the homeowner called the Fresno County Sheriff's Department, who arrived a short time later. Deputies found some of the victims property on the suspects, as well as in their car. Deputies were also able to connect the suspect to a prior robbery at the home last month. The suspects have been identified as 53-year-old Clarence Leon Dews and 45-year-old Archie Anthony Dews. Both men have been charged with burglary and possession of stolen property. In addition to the charges, Dews was found to have 3 outstanding arrest warrants for traffic related crimes and be on felony parole."



Colorado State University To Ban Self Defense: " Colorado State has been rattling it’s empty saber scabbard for years about a “No Firearms Policy”, but this week the (bad) idea reached a fevered pitch. After the CSU Faculty Council (read: Liberal, freedom-hating professors) recommended to CSU President Tony Frank to ban firearms on campus, the student government quickly stood on the side of freedom and asked Frank to leave the policy as it is (i.e. permit holders, including students, can carry). Then, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden, himself first elected as sheriff solely due to the concealed carry issue (the previous RINO sheriff had refused to issue permits), publicly told CSU that his office (which controls the only jail in the county) would not enforce any ban on permit holders, wouldn’t participate in detaining any valid permit holders, and his jail would not hold them. He also added that he didn’t think CSU had the legal authority to enforce a ban that is contrary to state law. And, despite a barrage of letters and calls from State Legislators, citizens and CSU Alumni, the CSU Board of Governors today recommended to President Frank (who makes the final decision) to ban all firearms on campus."



Arizona Man Served 3 Years for Self Defense Shooting: "An Arizona man who spent nearly three years in prison for justifiably shooting a man in self-defense is now free and clear of all guilt in his case. This week the Arizona Supreme Court let stand the state appellate court’s decision to overturn Harold Fish’s second-degree murder conviction. The National Rifle Association provided assistance in this case. In 2006, Harold Fish was convicted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Grant Kuenzli. Fish encountered Kuenzli and his vicious dogs while hiking on a trailside in Coconino County in May of 2004. After Fish fired warning shots at the aggressive dogs, Kuenzli tried to attack him, and Fish was forced to shoot him in self-defense".



5 December, 2009

MN: Victim and attacker both shot during break-in: "Two people broke into a St. Paul home and shot a man, who returned fire and wounded an attacker, police said. The attackers and victim appear "to have had some history for them to have targeted him," said Janet Dunnom, St. Paul police spokeswoman. The home's resident, Samuel Thomas Voorhees, was shot in the shoulder during the break-in about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday near Battle Creek Regional Park, Dunnom said. It was his 23rd birthday. The preliminary investigation has shown Voorhees' .40-caliber handgun was stolen, Dunnom said. Police found the drug Ecstasy in plain view inside the home, she said. The wounded suspect who was later arrested, Kevin Lemar Jones, 23, got out of prison last month in a robbery case. Police continue to look for the other suspect. The shooting occurred after two men kicked in the front door of a home in the 2100 block of Wildview Avenue, Dunnom said. Voorhees and his 22-year-old girlfriend were in bed when they heard "bang, bang, bang," she said. Voorhees grabbed a gun and went to investigate. He found nothing and returned to bed, Dunnom said. When the couple again heard noises, Voorhees looked out the bedroom door and saw two men coming down the hallway. Voorhees tried to close the door, but an attacker with a gun held it open, Dunnom said. The man fired, striking Voorhees in the shoulder. Voorhees returned fire, wounding one of the suspects, Dunnom said. A man who went to the Hennepin County Medical Center a short time later had a gunshot wound "consistent with the home invasion." He was identified as Jones. Police arrested him on suspicion of felony assault and parole violation at 2:15 a.m. Thursday, according to a Ramsey County jail log."



Nutty Leftist argument: "Said Bill Mann in The Huffington Post: " This weekend's tragic murder of four Seattle-area police officers has blown away one of the NRA and gun nuts' major -- if ancient and tired -- arguments... The four Seattle-cops were armed, and it didn't stop them from being shot. The "if-only everyone-were-armed" argument was crazy and reckless before this. Now it's been proven beyond a doubt to be absolutely ridiculous." Mann apparently missed the fact that Clemmons was indeed shot by one of the police officers he attacked. He would have stood a much better chance of getting away with these slayings had not the officers been armed and able to fight back. It is certainly tragic that they were unable to survive the ambush, but Mann's logic is certainly flawed. Even had Clemmons not been shot during the attack, a wound that very well may have eventually been fatal, claiming that one isolated incident proves self-defense is worthless is like saying if someone wearing a seat belt dies as the result of an automobile accident then we should give up on wearing seat belts at all. Try telling the rest of the nation's law enforcement officers that they might as well turn in their guns because defensive arms didn't save these four."



Sick Canada: "The right to self-defence does indeed exist in Canada. The Port Alberni store owner had every right to assume that the lives of his wife and himself were in mortal danger. The robbers were armed and a danger to the public. If there was no attempted armed robbery there would have been no need for any shots to be fired. Now our provincial government wants to make it illegal for decent citizens to have body armour. I am disgusted by the idea that decent people do not have a right to defend their lives and property from violent thugs. Not only should people like the store owner be allowed to have a gun (any gun) for defence, they should be wearing them on their hips, not being required to have them in safes when they are in the store. We do not have to be victims of crime in Canada."



4 December, 2009

PA: 84-year-old man fends off intruder: "Don Kaighn doesn’t want to be portrayed as a hero or a vigilante. “I was just protecting myself,” said the 84-year-old, standing next to a dresser mirror that was shattered during what appeared to have been an all-out gunfight in the bedroom of his Franklin Avenue home. All around the bedroom and out into the hallway, investigators left behind numbered stickers indicating where bullet holes were found. Kaighn, a World War II veteran and a longtime member of the National Rifle Association, said he was bruised and had pulled a muscle, but was not seriously injured. According to police, a woman knocked on Kaighn’s door around 9:45 p.m. Monday saying her car had broken down. She asked to use the phone. After speaking to someone on the phone in the dining room, the woman began walking toward the front door. Instead of leaving, she turned and sprayed Kaighn in the face with a can of starter fluid. She whacked him over the head with the can as he stumbled into the kitchen of the twin home, police said. When the suspect turned the kitchen table over, Kaighn reached into a drawer and took out a small Colt pistol he said he had purchased for his late wife. The suspect turned and ran upstairs, with Kaighn following right behind. He knew there were more guns in his front bedroom. “She was in the front bedroom with the lights out, so I couldn’t see her,” Kaighn said. “She said stop or I’ll shoot.” Kaighn said he fired, then the suspect returned fire. Several more shots were fired. Both Kaighn and the suspect missed their intended targets, police said. The suspect is described as a black woman, 25 to 30 years old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall with a thin build and a medium complexion."



North Carolina: Store Robbery Foiled By Shotgun Toting Clerk: "A would-be armed robber apparently had second thoughts when an employee pulled out his shotgun Monday night. It happened at the Salem & Sons Convenience Store on Sunset Avenue in Rocky Mount around 10:20 p.m. Police say employees were inside cleaning up, and saw a customer at the front door. They let the man inside, but at the same time another man came in as well and showed a black handgun in the direction of an employee. That employee immediately got his shotgun, racked the slide, and pointed it at the would-be robber. The robber then turned around and slowly left the store. Nothing was taken in the robbery attempt."



Alaska-carry legislation, be careful what you wish for: "Not only should we be careful in what we wish for, but we should be ever so diligent when drafting pro gun legislation. One of the greatest evils against the Bill of Rights is legislation that doesn’t pass the constitutional test. This can happen even when the legislators have the best of intentions. … Let’s review Alaska-carry and the infringement on a citizen to inform a police officer that you have a firearm and how you must allow the officer to disarm you for their safety. Maybe that sounds good on the surface but does it pass the constitutional test? Absolutely not!”



CSU student vote favors allowing guns: "Student leaders at Colorado State University voted overwhelmingly tonight in favor of a resolution asking school president Tony Frank to continue to allow people with concealed-weapon permits to go armed on campus. "I feel students have a right to have a measure of self-defense on campus," said sophomore Cooper Anderson, a student senator representing the College of Agriculture Sciences and a co-author of the resolution. "It's a fact that crime doesn't stop at the university's doorstep." He added the change departs from state law and current university policy. "We've had enormous support and expressions of concern from students about the possibility of not keeping concealed-carry on campus, said junior David Ambrose, another resolution co-author who represents the College of Business. Twenty-one members of the Associated Students of CSU Senate voted in favor of the eight-page resolution, three against and five members were absent or abstained. CSU is one of a few U.S. colleges that allow weapons carried by those with permits. Campus police, other safety experts and Frank's cabinet said in October that the campus should be gun-free except for security officers."



3 December, 2009

CA: Clerk Who Shot Robber Acted in Self Defense: "The U–Save liquor store on Tulare and Maple Avenues in Fresno was open for business the day after a store clerk turned the table on an armed robber. Police say 29–year–old Fernando Valencia and another man tried to rob the clerk at gunpoint Sunday night. Valencia had a semi–automatic gun, and so did the store clerk. "He had pointed the firearm at the business owner, at some point in time the business owner became fearful, when he found an opportunity to shoot the suspect, he did," said Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer. Valencia died inside the store. Valencia has a criminal history, which includes car–jacking, carrying a concealed weapon, and stealing vehicles. The deadly confrontation was all caught on surveillance video. The police chief says the killing looks to be an act of self defense."



WA: Woman who shot man at bus stop won't be charged: "A woman who shot a man in the chest in downtown Seattle in April was acting in self-defense and won't be charged with a crime, King County prosecutors said Tuesday. The 26-year-old man was shot in the chest but rushed to Harborview Medical Center and survived his wounds. The shooting took place after a bump on a Metro bus escalated into angry words, obscene gestures, and, finally, the man charging the woman even though she showed she had a gun. Prosecutors said in the statement that that Sara Brereton, 31, "acted in defense of herself, her children and her partner" by using "her legally licensed handgun." Brereton, her partner and four children got on a Metro bus on the afternoon of April 25. Emmanuel Salters was already on the bus. Salters moved to the front of bus near Brereton and stood next to her. The man swayed back and forth, then fell into Brereton. She pushed him away and said "excuse me." The two began arguing and swearing. She and her family got off the bus at Third Avenue and Seneca Street. Salters stayed on. Brereton and some of her family made obscene gestures at him. He demanded to get off the bus. He walked toward Brereton asking, "What did you say?" She told him to get away. When he was within 20 feet, she displayed her pistol. She had a concealed weapons permit. But Salters kept coming, getting to within a foot or two of her. He started spitting at her. Brereton shot him once in the chest."



SCOTUS schedules McDonald v. Chicago: "The U.S. Supreme Court has set a date to hear the landmark civil liberties case that will determine whether the Second Amendment prohibits state and local governments from enacting stiff anti-gun laws. Oral arguments in the lawsuit, McDonald v. City of Chicago, will be held on the morning of March 2, 2010. A decision is expected by late June or early July. It’s also worth noting the amicus briefs that have been filed in the last week or so in support of the Second Amendment Foundation and other groups challenging Chicago’s handgun restrictions. There are at least 30 of them — ably reposted at ChicagoGunCase.com — plus two unaffiliated ones filed by the NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund and the Brady Center.”



Gun privileges for bankers in NYC: "I just wrote my first reference for a gun permit,” said a friend, who told me of swearing to the good character of a Goldman Sachs Group Inc. banker who applied to the local police for a permit to buy a pistol. The banker had told this friend of mine that senior Goldman people have loaded up on firearms and are now equipped to defend themselves if there is a populist uprising against the bank. I called Goldman Sachs spokesman Lucas van Praag to ask whether it’s true that Goldman partners feel they need handguns to protect themselves from the angry proletariat. He didn’t call me back. The New York Police Department has told me that “as a preliminary matter” it believes some of the bankers I inquired about do have pistol permits. The NYPD also said it will be a while before it can name names."



2 December, 2009

FL: Catering Co. Owner Shot Man In Self Defense: "A Miami catering company turned into a crime scene Monday morning after police and paramedics rushed to help a man who had been shot. The man was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, according to Miami Fire Spokesman Ignatius Carroll. The shooting occurred sometime after 9 a.m. inside Yolene Catering on the 5900 block of Northwest Second Avenue. Yolene Francois, the owner, told CBS4's Tiffani Helberg that her husband shot a man in self defense. She said the man had worked for them briefly. He allegedly came in demanding money and picked up a chair as if to strike him. That's when the owner allegedly shot the man, Francois said. Miami-Dade police say the owner who shot the former employee won't face charges because he shot in self defense. The former employee who allegedly assaulted the husband may face charges."



Florida oldster Shoots, Kills Burglar: "Lake County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a fatal shooting at a home on County Road 561 in Clermont. According to officials, the homeowner, 70-year-old Russell Conrad, was awakened by the sound of his truck’s horn early Saturday morning. When he went outside to investigate, he found a man inside his truck. Conrad fired warning shots and ordered the man out of his truck twice. When the suspect finally got out of the truck, he ran towards Conrad. Conrad told officials he was in fear for his life so shot the suspect, killing him. The suspect has been identified as 32-year-old Steve Hilson. According to officials, he lives in the same neighborhood where he was shot."



OR: Intruder shot at apartment: "A person who kicked down an apartment door was shot and injured Thursday night, Gresham police said. Officers were called at 9:11 p.m. on Thursday about someone trying to kick in Nathan Brown’s apartment door in the 1200 block of East Powell Boulevard. Brown said his 2-year-old daughter was sleeping when he heard a loud noise. ‘I heard three distinct loud bangs like someone was kicking my door. It wasn’t like a knock, it was emotionally charged. It scared me,’ Brown said.”



Gun Rights as a Defense against Tyranny: "Our naive trust in the state often causes us to overlook the primary need for gun rights: defense against an oppressive government. As Justice Antonin Scalia asserted on behalf of the majority in District of Columbia v. Heller, in which the D.C. ban on handguns was declared unconstitutional, the right to bear arms, enshrined in the Second Amendment, preserves specifically the common-law right to self defense. What is often overlooked, however, by both those who oppose and support gun rights, is that the aggressors which an armed citizen is suited to resist may include one’s own government. An armed citizenry is the last resort against oppression; the right to bear arms is the freedom from which all other freedoms flow. Naive trust of the government dominates much public sentiment in modern-day America, but a healthy distrust, even suspicion, of the government animated the writing of our Constitution, inspiring our Founding Fathers to preserve in that document the protection of the citizenry’s right to bear arms. History has borne out this observation. Genocide is almost always preceded by disarmament of the intended victims. Adolf Hitler, following the institution of strict gun control legislation in Germany in 1935, proclaimed: “This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!”



1 December, 2009

Pa.: Robber thwarted but manager hurt: "Pittsburgh police said the incident started about 8 p.m. Saturday when a man bought a package of crackers at the station and left. He returned a short while later to buy another package of crackers. When the clerk opened the register, the man tried to grab the money, police said. The clerk told police she slammed the register door shut and the man ran to his vehicle empty-handed. Police said Wetzel heard the clerk screaming about the robbery attempt and ran to the station's parking lot, yelling at the driver to stop. A customer and another employee gave chase. One witness said the would-be robber locked his door and rolled up his car window as Wetzel approached. The witness said Wetzel put a gun to the driver's side window. The robber drove his car, a 1999 Ford Taurus, into Wetzel, and the manager fell on the hood before rolling to the ground and being caught underneath as the car went through the lot, police said. Wetzel was dragged and run over by at least one wheel, police said. A witness followed Pekular's car, getting the license number before returning to the station and telling police. Police said they traced the license number and vehicle description to Pekular, and a surveillance camera at the station showed the would-be robber matched Pekular's description. Police said the car was parked outside Pekular's residence and he had the ignition key. Pekular, who is being held in the Allegheny County Jail on $200,000 bond, faces a Dec. 8 court hearing. According to court records, Pekular pleaded guilty to robbery in 1996 and 1997, receiving probation in each case. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to theft and again received probation. He served jail time for a theft charge in 1996."



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Tennessee Court Rules against Restaurant Carry Law on shallow grounds: "Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman of the Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee ruled last week that Tennessee’s restaurant carry law is unconstitutionally vague because of a perceived ambiguity over the state’s definition of restaurants. This law gave right-to-carry permit holders the chance to defend themselves from criminal attack while in a restaurant. “This ruling is a setback for Tennessee’s law-abiding concealed carry permit holders,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist. “We strongly urge Attorney General Robert Cooper to defend the Tennessee statute and appeal this unwise ruling.” HB 962, Tennessee’s Restaurant Carry legislation, passed both the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support, but Governor Phil Bredesen vetoed the bill on May 28, disappointing more than 200,000 right-to-carry permit holders in the state. While an override of the veto only needed a simple majority vote to pass, it cleared both chambers with overwhelming, bi-partisan support."



Ohio Joins in Defending Second Amendment Rights in United States Supreme Court Case: "Based on his longstanding support for Second Amendment rights, Attorney General Richard Cordray announced today that his office has co-sponsored an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court, arguing that these rights should be protected from undue restrictions imposed by state and local governments. The Supreme Court is examining this issue in the case of McDonald v. Chicago, based upon the court's landmark ruling last year in District of Columbia v. Heller. That ruling recognized that, with respect to the federal government, the Second Amendment affords individuals the right to keep and bear arms. "We are proud to defend the Second Amendment rights of Ohioans in this important Supreme Court case. We are joining with other state attorneys general in arguing that the court should hold that the people's constitutional right to keep and bear arms is fundamental and cannot be denied by state and local governments," Cordray said. Attorney General Cordray co-sponsored the amicus brief along with the attorneys general of Texas, Georgia and Arkansas, while 33 other states also signed the brief."






Note for non-American readers: Crime reports from America which describe an offender just as a "teen" or "teenager" almost invariably mean a BLACK teenager.


Postings from Brisbane, Australia by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.) -- former member of the Australia-Soviet Friendship Society, former anarcho-capitalist and former member of the British Conservative party.


I am an army man and I am pleased and proud to say that I have worn my country's uniform. Although my service in the Australian army was chiefly noted for its un-notability, I DID join voluntarily in the Vietnam era, I DID reach the rank of Sergeant, and I DID volunteer for a posting in Vietnam. So I think I may be forgiven for saying something that most army men think but which most don't say because they think it is too obvious: The profession of arms is the noblest profession of all because it is the only profession where you offer to lay down your life in performing your duties. Our men fought so that people could say and think what they like but I myself always treat military men with great respect -- respect which in my view is simply their due.


Two lines below of a famous hymn that would be incomprehensible to Leftists today ("honor"? "right"? "freedom?" Freedom to agree with them is the only freedom they believe in)

First to fight for right and freedom,
And to keep our honor clean

It is of course the hymn of the USMC -- still today the relentless warriors that they always were.


The kneejerk response of the Green/Left to people who challenge them is to say that the challenger is in the pay of "Big Oil", "Big Business", "Big Pharma", "Exxon-Mobil", "The Pioneer Fund" or some other entity that they see, in their childish way, as a boogeyman. So I think it might be useful for me to point out that I have NEVER received one cent from anybody by way of support for what I write. As a retired person, I live entirely on my own investments. I do not work for anybody and I am not beholden to anybody. And I have NO investments in oil companies, mining companies or "Big Pharma"

UPDATE: Despite my (statistical) aversion to mining stocks, I have recently bought a few shares in BHP -- the world's biggest miner, I gather. I run the grave risk of becoming a speaker of famous last words for saying this but I suspect that BHP is now so big as to be largely immune from the risks that plague most mining companies. I also know of no issue affecting BHP where my writings would have any relevance. The Left seem to have a visceral hatred of miners. I have never quite figured out why.


Australia does have considerable restrictions on gun ownership (mostly put in place by a conservative administration as a kneejerk reaction to a mass killing) but the restrictions are not too onerous. My brother is a gun collector and has an impressive collection quite legally. And guess who is the patron of his gun club? It is Kevin Rudd, the center-Leftist Prime Minister of Australia!


The intellectual Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) said: "The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."