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31 October, 2009

OH: Toledo man shoots, kills burglar: "A 62-year-old Toledo homeowner shot and killed an unidentified male burglar in the 100 Block of Mulford Road in Toledo at approximately 10:40 p.m. Tuesday, according to a news release from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s detectives were called to the scene and learned the homeowner woke up after hearing a noise which led him to believe someone was trying to break into his home. He heard someone coming up the stairs inside of his residence. The homeowner told deputies he told the burglar to ‘freeze,’ but the burglar continued to advance toward the him, at which time the homeowner told the burglar to ‘freeze’ once again. The burglar continued moving, therefore the homeowner shot the burglar, stopping him from advancing any further, the news release said.”



DE: Teen fires gun to stop assault on mother: "A Clayton man charged in the assault of a Dover woman was scared off after the victim’s teenage son fired a shotgun into the air in an attempt to stop the attack, Dover police said today. Jeremy S. Stanislow, 32, of the 1100 block of Smyrna Clayton Blvd., later turned himself in and faces three counts of third-degree assault, four counts of endangering the welfare of a child and disorderly conduct. He was released on $3,000 secured bond. … Stanislow and the woman got into an argument at her home, said Dover police spokesman Lt. Steve Getek. During the argument, Stanislow allegedly pushed the woman off a set of steps and began to assault her, he said. One of the victim’s teenage sons attempted to intervene, and Stanislow allegedly began to assault the son, Getek said. When the woman attempted to intervene, he continued assaulting her, he said. At this point, another teenage son exited the home and fired a single shot from a shotgun into the air in an attempt to stop the attack, he said. Stanislow fled the area and turned himself in to police at about 8:20 p.m.”



WA: Student “vigilante” group patrols campus: "A group of University Of Washington students are being called vigilantes after they armed themselves with handguns and tried to set up patrols on University Avenue and other areas around campus where students have been attacked over the past year. Stanley Luong and Luis Garcia have armed themselves. Both are assault victims. … So both got a concealed license permit and bought handguns. Now they walk with pistols in their pockets … looking for the bad guys. Luong says, ‘I don’t know if it’s illegal to walk around and be bait. I’m kind of fishing for robbers.’”



Guns banned in Britain but still a “modern pestilence” there: "The most senior judge in England and Wales delivered a severe warning against gun crime yesterday as he increased the sentence on the gang member who armed the killer of schoolboy Rhys Jones from seven years to twelve. James Yates, now 21, was given seven years’ detention at Liverpool Crown Court in January for possession of a prohibited firearm and for assisting the killer, Sean Mercer, 18. But yesterday Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice, increased the sentence, saying that Yates’s “gravest culpability” was in handing over the gun to his friend for reasons of gang warfare and misplaced gang loyalty. It was taken to a public place and “an innocent child was gunned down”. Lord Judge branded the use of guns a “modern pestilence”".



30 October, 2009

AL: Burglar killed while breaking into house: "Mobile police say a possible burglar was shot and killed while he was trying to break into a home. Police say they received a call of a burglary in progress on Louise Drive around 6:45 Tuesday night. Details are scarce, but police say the man was attempting to break into the home when he was shot in the chest by a female inside.”



Texas intruder shot: "A man San Marcos police said was shot after breaking into a home on Oscar Smith Drive armed with a BB gun, is in stable condition today at University Medical Center Brackenridge, police Commander Penny Dunn said. Police released no names involved in the shooting as they continued their investigation, Dunn said. No charges have been filed in the case, she said. Officers were first called at 9:50 p.m. Wednesday from someone reporting a break-in in progress at the back door of a home in the 700 block of Oscar Smith Drive, Dunn said. One of three people in the home at the time fired several shots at a man Dunn said was armed with a BB handgun. The intruder then fled on foot wounded, she said. Dunn said police were alerted that a man with several gunshot wounds came to Central Texas Medical Center in San Marcos after 10 p.m. Doctors there gave him primary treatment and the suspect was transferred to Brackenridge, she said."



TN: AG says landlords can ban tenants’ guns: "Attorney General Bob Cooper says landlords can ban their tenants from bringing firearms into their property even if they have handgun carry permits. Cooper said in an opinion released Wednesday that landlords can either include a firearms ban in the lease or through signs posted on the property. But Cooper ads that violators couldn’t face criminal charges if the landlord doesn’t post signs. The opinion was requested by Republican Rep. Tony Shipley of Kingsport. Legal opinions issued by the attorney general indicate his office’s interpretation of the law, but unlike court opinions, they aren’t binding.”



Stealth gun control: "An October 19, 2009 article in the Washington Times examined federal health agencies that have spent millions of taxpayer dollars to study gun ’safety.’ … The American Journal of Public Health, in its November 2009 issue, will publish the results of a completed study, also funded by the NIH, which attempted to determine whether gun possession safeguards against harm or promotes a false sense of security. The media reports of the results of that study were predictable — people with a gun were 4.5 times more likely to be shot in an assault than those who were not in possession of a gun, and therefore, carrying a gun really doesn’t offer protection at all. … Champions of the anti-gun movement, along with the anti-gun biased media, often use study results to plant fear and doubt among the uninformed masses on this particularly tempestuous issue. Notice the reference to more research being needed, with specific mention of a government — not private — agency.”



29 October, 2009

CO: Sushi bar owner claims self-defense in fatal shooting: "A businessman facing murder charges stemming from a shooting in his restaurant on the 16th Street Mall told investigators he shot the victim in self-defense after being choked. … Yang, who goes by the first name of ‘Dave,’ told investigators that he kicked an ‘intoxicated’ man out of the sushi bar on Friday, Oct. 16 and that the man came back on Wednesday with two others, looking for him and making threats of reprisals, according to the affidavit. On Thursday, Yang received a threatening call on his cell phone voice mail, he told investigators, from a man who said ‘people would be coming to the restaurant to kill him.’ A short time later on Thursday, two men entered the restaurant, including the intoxicated man who had been kicked out the week before, the affidavit related. One man grabbed Yang from behind and the other started choking him, Yang told investigators. ‘He felt as if they would kill him, and he got his gun out of his pocket and shot the male choking him,’ the affidavit said. The other man fled.”



SC man cleared of killing deputy: "Thomas Grover Rye, who killed a man in a 2004 incident that followed repeated shootings of Rye's pet cats on his Lower Richland property, has been found not guilty of murder. Odam was a Beaufort County deputy when he visited Rye's neighborhood and - carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle - went onto Rye's property in Eastover on Aug. 14, 2004. The property was fenced and posted with No Trespassing signs, according to testimony. An altercation developed, and Rye, who was carrying a .30 caliber rifle, shot and killed Odam. Rye claimed self-defense and defense of his house and property. The Supreme Court called events surrounding the case "disturbing and bizarre." In 2004, in the two months prior to Odam's shooting, someone had gone onto Rye's property and shot to death 13 cats and wounded several others, testimony at the trial indicated. A structure on the property also had been broken into and some $600 worth of tools taken. Rye, who had owned the property 30 years, kept cats he rescued there. He visited the property almost every day and lived elsewhere. On the fatal day, Rye had found more dead cats on his property and called 911. Then, hearing gunshots, he grabbed his rifle and ran to where the shots were fired, according to testimony. His intent was to hold the shooter until the deputy arrived. On encountering Odam at the rear of his property, Rye said, "Put down your gun." Evidence at the trial indicated Odam refused, saying "I'm not doing anything wrong - you go ahead and put down your gun." Rye immediately fired and killed Odam. Rye testified he shot Odam because Odam was pointing his gun at him and he feared for his life." Odam had been a Beaufort County deputy for about two years at the time of his death"



NV: Shooting death of both homeowner and intruder: "Reno police are continuing to investigate the shooting death of a 73-year-old homeowner who is believed to have fatally shot one intruder, and wounded another last week. Clarence “Johnny” Johnson was killed the morning of Oct. 21 after Donald Edward Gray and Dennis VanFleet, both unemployed 29-year-olds, walked through the back unlocked door of Johnson’s Winston Drive home. VanFleet is still recovering at a Reno hospital after he was believed to have been shot in the leg by Johnson. Police said he denies involvement, and claims he came into the house to help Gray after hearing gun shots fired. Lt. Mike Whan said that Johnson was known to carry a gun in his pocket and confronted the intruders. The men, who were known to Johnson, had tried to disguise themselves. Johnson’s wife recognized the men, and an altercation ensued. At least one of the men was armed. Police said Johnson was fatally shot in his home, while Gray died a short time later of a gunshot wound to his leg after he fled with VanFleet in Johnson’s Toyota Tacoma. Officers found some of Johnson’s property in his truck. Whan said detectives suspect the men intended to burglarize Johnson."



Gun registration an expensive failure: "While U.S. gun control advocates push the Obama administration to enact more stringent gun control measures and want to use the California ammunition registry as a blueprint for getting all guns registered, Canadian officials are having a tough time justifying their registry and may move away from it. ‘It was a stupid idea in the first place and a ridiculous waste of money on an ongoing basis,’ said Canadian Taxpayers Federation director Kevin Gaudet of the 14-year registry scheme which reportedly costs hundreds of millions of dollars a year to maintain.”



28 October, 2009

FL: Armed son saves himself and his father from violent home invaders: "Police say that 69 year old Peter Gilmore was at his Port Charlotte, FL home, along with his 25 year old son James. At about 10 PM, there was a knock on the front door, which Peter went to answer. A pair of masked home invaders, armed with a knife and a tire iron, are said to have kicked the door open and rushed inside. One of the robbers reportedly held a large knife to Peter's face, and threatened to kill him. James reportedly ran to his father's bedroom, where they kept their firearms, with the tire iron wielding intruder in hot pursuit. After grabbing a handgun and pointing it at the intruder, James told the intruder to leave, at which point the criminal refused and hit him in the head with a tire iron, according to police. James then reportedly shot the violent home invader in the stomach, prompting him and his accomplice to flee. Police reportedly apprehended both suspects, Keith Sowers and Joshua Eugene Becerril, shortly after the home invasion. The injured suspect, Sowers, was listed in serious condition but is expected to live to face charges."



OH: Victim Shoots Would-Be Robber: "Police said that a robbery victim acted in self-defense when he shot a man who was trying to rob him late Monday morning. The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. behind a Wendy's restaurant, located on Broadway. Investigators told 10TV's Glenn McEntyre that a man was walking his dog when another man approached him with a gun and demanded his wallet. The victim complied and then pulled out his own gun, shooting the robber, police said. The accused robber, Keith Walker Jr., ran to a nearby neighborhood where he collapsed. Walker underwent surgery at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, McEntyre reported. Amir Ibrahim, 19, was charged with tampering with evidence in connection with the incident. According to police, Ibrahim lives at the home where Walker collapsed and hid his gun and the victim's wallet inside the home."



MN: Packing heat, picking up highway trash: "A group of Adopt a Highway volunteers were packing more than trash along the shoulder of Minnesota 55 in Mendota Heights on Sunday morning. With legal guns on their hips, a dozen area residents spent nearly three hours picking up litter — everything from cigarette butts to blown-out tires — along a 2-mile stretch of the highway just east of the Mendota Bridge. It was the inaugural event for the group, which registered with the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Adopt a Highway program under the name Minnesota Carry Permit Holders. ‘We believe this is the safest stretch of road right now in the state,’ said Jason Walberg, who collected trash with a Springfield XD .40-caliber, semi-automatic handgun clipped to his belt.”



MI: Women aim for protection in female-only concealed pistol classes: "Lee Zeidler was calm as he spoke to the women, each armed with a pistol, ready to fire. They stood nervously on the line at the Caledonia Sportsman’s Club pistol range. The pungent smell of gunpowder hung in the air. They were a mixed group of women, from their early 20s to mid-60s, all prepared mentally and emotionally for the next step. Most had come to learn how to defend themselves. Others feared losing that right some time in the future. ‘Get the gun up. Take a breath. Halfway out, hold it, and you will have a nice, steady shot,’ Zeidler said in the practiced way of a National Rifle Association-certified gun instructor.”



27 October, 2009

Law-abiding gun owner was victimized twice: "In 2008 an enraged, deranged known drug dealer/crack cocaine smoker attempted a violent attack on a Central Illinois man. The FOID-carrying victim pulled his legally owned, legally carried, unloaded, disassembled, non-functioning, encased semi-automatic pistol, inserted the magazine, readied a bullet and stopped the attack abruptly. … Police responded. Police rejected the gun owner’s vehicular carry methods. Plus, the gun wasn’t unloaded immediately after the event. Police arrested the gun owner on a questionable felony and several questionable misdemeanors. The legitimate, recordless, lawful defender was victimized twice — once by the drug-induced predator, then by police.”



NY: Lil’ Wayne to serve one year on unconstitutional “weapons charge”: "In a surprise turn, Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne agreed to plead guilty Thursday to a reduced weapons charge in a gun case that he has been fighting for two years, and will spend a year in prison. The platinum album artist entered the plea as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid a jury handing down a stiffer sentence had his case gone to trial. The rapper, born Dwayne Carter, originally pleaded not guilty after being charged with criminal gun possession charges in July 2007 when his tour bus was pulled over by NYPD officers in Columbus Circle following a concert.”



Amtrak: No guns on OUR trains!: "Amtrak is raising serious objections to a proposal that would allow passengers to stow unloaded guns in their checked baggage, saying the train operator cannot screen passengers’ bags the same way airlines do. The Senate passed a measure last month that would allow passengers to declare and check a weapon on the trains, something airline passengers can do now, provided the weapon is unloaded and in a hard and locked case. But Amtrak and some House members are against the idea. The House did not include the provision in their version of the bill approved by the Senate. ‘That could jeopardize the operations of Amtrak because … we don’t have the monies to invest in the protocol necessary to guarantee that these weapons won’t be used against the traveling public,’ said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.”



Gun nuts right, armed self-defense works: "One of the lies those that push for more gun control perpetuate is that armed self-defense is ineffective. They’ll try to tell you that bad guys will take your gun away from you, or that you’d just miss anyway, or that all you’d do is wound and anger an assailant. Fortunately, their lies have fallen on increasingly deaf ears over the last twenty years or so as concealed carry reform has swept the country. More states than ever recognize the gun rights of their citizens, and the wins are starting to pile up for the good guys.”



26 October, 2009

NV: Vindictive police? "About 9:30 p.m. Thursday, police received a report that two residents at 3025 Red Bay Way, near Cheyenne Avenue and Buffalo Drive, had shot and killed a man trying to rob their house, said homicide Lt. Lew Roberts. Three or four possible accomplices of the dead man fled the scene, Roberts said, although the exact number of intruders has yet to be determined. When police arrived, they found one of the brothers outside smoking a cigarette. The other man was inside the home. After conducting an investigation, police determined that it probably wasn’t a random home invasion but an attempted robbery of drug dealers. “Based on what we had, we arrested the occupants,” Roberts said. “We’re still trying to track down the others involved.” Marijuana was the only drug found inside the house, he said, adding, “Sometimes that’s large enough” to incite violence. Police found the deceased suspect in the backyard of the house. Roberts said it’s too early in the investigation to determine exactly what happened during the robbery attempt, but enough evidence was available to make arrests." [This happened on 15th but no follow-up yet]



TX: Intruder shot in home invasion: "An intruder broke into a home on Oscar Smith Drive in San Marcos Wednesday night and came out of the adventure with several gunshot wounds from a resident of the home. San Marcos police are investigating. Police responded to a call of someone trying to break into a home in the 700 block of Oscar Smith Drive. Three residents were inside when a man forced his way into the home through a back door. The suspect was armed with a BB gun resembling a real pistol. One of the residents fired numerous shots from a handgun, striking the intruder. The man fled on foot. Shortly after the 9:50 p.m. incident, a man arrived at Central Texas Medical Center (CTMC) with several gunshot wounds. He received primary treatment at the CTMC Emergency Room and was transferred to the University Medical Center at Brackenridge in Austin. The man was reported to be in stable condition Thursday morning."



Gas Station Clerk Grabs Shotgun from Robber on Long Island: "A gas station attendant in Elmont, Long Island, took a shotgun away form two would-be robbers and chased after them. Just before midnight Wednesday, as gas station attendant Mustapha Yakupoglu was closing up the USA Gas Station in Elmont, two would-be robbers waltzed in, armed with a shotgun. They pointed the shotgun at Yakupoglu -- within 10 seconds he had disarmed them. He then chased after the two thugs, who ran away with a feet-don't-fail-me-now sprint. Yakupoglu, who served two years in the Turkish army in the 1980s, said he grabbed the gun because he figured even if he gave them money, they'd shoot him anyway. His quick-thinking heroics delight the gas station owners, who said Yakupoglu is a tough guy when he needs to be, but is really sweet at heart. The two suspects wore black, had their faces covered with black bandannas, and had Yankee baseball caps, police said. One is short, around 5'7", while the other is about half a foot taller. Police warn the public that you should never try to disarm an attacker unless you are sure he or she is about to shoot you." [And how are you going to be sure of that?]



NJ: Dumb and dumber: "Tracking down three alleged home invaders became easier for Paterson police after one of the bandits dropped the keys to their getaway car. Authorities say the gun-toting men entered a city apartment early Friday, expecting to find loads of money. They woke one man and demanded cash as they tried unsuccessfully to bind his arms. But the man began screaming and fought with one bandit, stabbing him with scissors before another suspect beat him with a shotgun. Realizing they targeted the wrong residence, the men then fled with just a three-foot, beer bottle-shaped piggy bank containing $2 in change. Police soon arrived and, after finding the lost keys in a bedroom, used the car alarm to locate a deserted vehicle in a nearby parking lot. Its registration led them to the alleged robbers, who were sitting in a taxi outside one suspect's home. The three men face robbery, burglary and weapons charges."



25 October, 2009

Texas: Homeowner shoots would-be burglar: "A homeowner went for his gun when he heard noises in his backyard in the very early morning hours. In the end, a suspected thief was wounded and running for his life. It happened on James and Cochran around 2:15am. The homeowner says he fired on the suspect to protect his property. Frustrated that he and his neighbors were being repeatedly burglarized, one homeowner made a last minute decision to install a video camera late last night. Less than three hours later, the camera captured images of a man, allegedly trying to steal something from the front yard. In the video you can see the burglar running away, just moments after the homeowner opened fire. "I shot him, but I shot him on his foot. I didn't want to shoot him in the chest or head or anything, he was five feet away from me, I could have shot him between the eyes but I didn't want to kill him," said the homeowner. The homeowner has owned his revolver for 40 years. He's never had to fire it, not even once, until early this morning. One single shot through his bedroom window and the suspect was still able to run away but he didn't' get far. Police found and arrested him just a few blocks down the road."



Kansas man killed in liquor store robbery : "Police have released the identity of a man who was fatally shot last night in a Southeast Topeka liquor store. Twenty-one year old Rickie Loyd Jr. was shot to death while he attempted to rob the Cormier Liquor Store on SE California. Police say the other man is a black male between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 6 inches tall. He is believed to have shot wounds, but they do not know the severity. He was last seen wearing dark pants and a dark hoodie. Police believe they know who the man is, but haven't been able to locate him yet. They say Loyd and the other man are suspects in other recent robberies in Topeka, but are not saying which ones." [The store owner appears to have fired the shots but details are few so far]



OH: Richmond man shot in Preble County incident; 2 arrested: "A Richmond man was shot in the chest during an altercation at a house late Thursday. He was among three who apparently broke into a two-story white farmhouse and assaulted an Ohio man. The 26-year-old gunshot victim was listed in serious condition this morning at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, after being flown there by helicopter, said Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson. The two other men who fled the scene were arrested on Interstate 70 after they apparently stopped to get help for the gunshot victim. The incident was first reported at 9:46 p.m. as a home invasion and assault. It’s unknown whether the suspects were armed. They are in Preble County Jail. Simpson said their names and more details would be available this afternoon. He’s exploring links between the three and the man who was assaulted, Christopher L. Jones, 25, of Eaton, Ohio. Jones told responders that he fired the shot in self-defense. “He was assaulted pretty seriously,” Simpson said. “Sometime during the assault, he reached for a gun.” Jones was treated at Reid Hospital for cuts to his head, Simpson said."



Public housing ban on guns challenged: "The National Rifle Association notched a victory in the January settlement of a lawsuit against a San Francisco Housing Authority, under which the agency will no longer enforce a 2005 rule that prohibited the otherwise legal possession of guns and ammunition in public housing units. In July, the House Financial Services Committee adopted an amendment to allow guns in public housing projects as part of a markup of a housing bill (HR 3045), which has yet to be passed through Congress. But despite the seemingly national groundswell in favor of gun ownership, Johnie E. Lewis, a 73-year-old man living in public housing in Fernandina Beach, could face eviction for his desire to bear arms. Under a Housing Authority of Fernandina Beach lease agreement that tenants must sign, they agree not to display, use or possess any firearms under penalty of eviction - for now, anyway. Lewis, along with his attorney Steven M. Fahlgren, filed suit in September for declaratory and injunctive relief against Patricia Woody in her official capacity as executive director of the Housing Authority of Fernandina Beach concerning his right to keep a gun in his home for lawful purposes. "Florida law says that essentially, a man's home is his castle," Fahlgren said. "He has the right to use deadly force in his home when attacked." When asked whether the lease agreement preventing the lawful possession of guns is binding, Fahlgren said it can't supersede constitutional law."



24 October, 2009

OH: Woman, 70, kills intruder at motel: "The 70-year-old woman who shot a would-be robber at a North Side motel last night is attending the All-American Quarter Horse Congress today and feels sick about the shooting, according to her son. … Sgt. Eric Pilya of the homicide squad said the woman was in a motel room with four or five others and they’d cracked open the door to get fresh air. Pilya said a man barged into the room, demanding money from those inside. Police said the woman, from southern Ohio, grabbed a gun that she had in the room and shot Wayne Winston, 25, of Columbus, who staggered into the parking lot of the motel and died. … No charges had been filed. Pilya said it’s likely that the case will be presented to a Franklin County grand jury to see whether the woman should be charged.”



SC: Gun-toting elderly woman scares off home invaders: "Bonnie woke up late Wednesday night when she heard a noise in her utility room. Two people had broken in the back door. But they were the ones spooked by Bonnie’s quick thinking. ‘I live by myself, so I screamed my son’s name: ‘Charles, get the gun!” Bonnie recalled. Charles wasn’t there. But her gun, a loaded .38 revolver, was. She ran back to the bedroom to get it and call 911. The whole time, advice from her late husband was running through her mind. ‘My husband told me to pull the trigger and keep shooting,’ she said. ‘And if they’d have come toward me …’ But they didn’t. The screams, threats, and Bonnie’s strong will drove them back out the door. ‘I’ve never been scared, and I’ve never thought I had reason to be,’ Bonnie said. ‘You just never think it’s going to happen to you. It happens to other people.’”



Ohio: Home invader shot and killed, police still hunting for accomplices: "A man was shot and killed during a home invasion attempt late last night, Oct. 15, but police are still hunting for his two accomplices. Police say three black males wearing hooded sweatshirts and Halloween masks broke into the home at 214 W. Southern Avenue around 11:30 p.m. However, the homeowner wasn't helpless -- he fired at the armed invaders, killing 26-year-old DeMarkis Jones. The other two men fled the scene."



Virginia: Woman's gun persuasive: "After a month of little crime, the Goochland Sheriff's Office received a call from a Whitehall Rd. resident during the early hours of Oct. 3. According the Sheriff Jim Agnew, the woman was home alone and reported to deputies that someone had attempted to break into her house by entering through the front door. The woman called a second time, telling deputies that there was another attempt to enter her home, upon which the woman exercised her Second Amendment rights and drew a pistol on the man. Deputies quickly apprehended Timothy Justin Tirado, 25, of Goochland, who is charged with burglary. At that time, Agnew said deputies had not yet found a passenger who was seen in Tirado's car. Deputies remained in the area, looking for Tirado's partner. "Around sunrise, we got a call from another resident off Forest Grove Rd.," Agnew said, "who said somebody was in the basement." Tirado's partner, Valerie Lee Oliver, 32, of Chesterfield, had emerged from the basement, greeting the homeowner who had just poured herself a cup of coffee to start her morning. Oliver is charged with breaking and entering with the intent to commit a misdemeanor and petit larceny. "They were both very intoxicated," Agnew alleged. A sheriff's report stated that Oliver was wanted for a probation violation from Dinwiddie, and Agnew said both have prior histories."



23 October, 2009

Predator AR-15 Round Up



It was close to 15 years ago when I first carried an AR-15 afield for coyotes. I got some strange looks from local ranchers and even stranger questions from my hunting partners. There were many doubts regarding the accuracy, reliability, looks and overall function of a semi-auto rifle as a hunting tool. Today those questions have pretty much been put to rest. Those that have used AR-style rifles realize that they are very accurate, on par with most bolt-actions, are very reliable, and are unsurpassed in terms of ruggedness.

It is no secret to the predator hunter that the AR-15 style of rifle makes for a near ideal predator rifle. Callers have been using this rifle and extolling its merits for quite some time, but it hasn’t been until recently that the "rest" of the world has caught on. Now it seems everyone is realizing, simultaneously, that this family of rifles are great for hunting. Possibly the biggest "legitimizer" of the AR as a hunting rifle came about from an unlikely source: Big Green. When Remington unveiled its newest centerfire offering, entitled the R-15 VTR, it was a shock for many to learn that it was a hunting colored AR variant.

More here




Texas homeowner's one shot lands would-be burglar in ER: "It took one shot for an East Texas senior to put an end to a would-be robber's crime spree. We spoke to the homeowner whose one shot landed the alleged burglar in the ER. "Just...put the gun up to the window, and he was standing there and I pulled the trigger," said the 78-year-old homeowner. He suffers from a hip injury and was sitting in his chair when the suspect broke into his screened porch. He says it is not the first time he has been broken into. Every window is now nailed shut and a baggie full of ammo for his 4-10 single-shot shotgun is always nearby. Randell says while police worked the call at Brookshire's, another call came in about the break-in about a block away. Police say the suspect was found across the street, inside his brother's car with a gun shot wound to the left shoulder."



New York: Intruder attacks and gets shot: "When Deanna Candee and her son, Adam, returned from a shopping trip Saturday to their Schroeppel home, they suspected something was wrong when they saw the garage door open. Candee’s home had been ransacked. An intruder was still inside. As her 25-year-old son moved toward the cellar to check out a noise, Deanna, 48, started into the house, said Wilson Candee, Deanna’s father-in-law. The intruder confronted her and grabbed her by the hair, Wilson Candee said. Adam heard his mother scream, went to her aid and pulled the intruder off. He and the stranger began to struggle. The fight ended, Oswego County Sheriff’s officials said, when Deanna grabbed her pistol and shot the man. Phoenix police found Timothy Hartigan, 39, dead in a bedroom when they arrived shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Candee legally owned the gun with which she shot Hartigan, sheriff’s department officials said. Hartigan had a history of mental illness, according to his former wife, Denise L. Cunningham, and a man answering the phone at Hartigan’s mother’s home who identified himself as Hartigan’s brother-in-law."



Alabama boy shoots father: "A 13-year-old boy shot his father Tuesday night to protect his mother from harm, authorities said Wednesday. Joseph "Simp" Pruitt, 46, was shot in the arm and side after threatening his wife with a 9 mm pistol, according to Baldwin County Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack Jr. Pruitt remained in critical condition at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, a hospital spokesman said Wednesday. "We believe Mr. Pruitt was attempting to shoot Mrs. Pruitt," Mack said. "Their 13-year-old son became aware of this and retrieved a 20-gauge shotgun." No one involved in the incident has been arrested, he said. Deputies were called to a Williams Road address in the Bromley community about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday. Mack said the 911 call came from inside the residence, though operators received several calls from neighbors who heard gunshots. Pruitt was conscious when emergency responders arrived, he said.... Baldwin County District Attorney Judy Newcomb said Wednesday that if preliminary reports are accurate, she "wouldn't anticipate any charges against the 13-year old."



22 October, 2009

TX: Armed senior citizen stops would-be home invader: "A 78 year old man from Hawkins, TX used his .410 shotgun to stop an intruder who tried to break in at 2 AM. The homeowner, whose house has been broken into multiple times in the past, has nailed shut his windows and keeps his .410 shotgun ready. He was reportedly sitting on his screened in porch when the suspect broke in. The elderly homeowner, who suffers from a hip injury, fired one shot in self defense, sending the intruder running. A suspect, 19 year old David F. McWhorter, was reportedly arrested near the crime scene suffering from a gunshot wound to the left shoulder and begging his brother to take him to the hospital.”



OR: Gun-toting victim thwarts rape: "Police have arrested a man after a woman was sexually assaulted in her own home in Forest Grove, just west of the Portland suburb of Hillsboro. Floyd Dale Elliott faces rape and burglary charges after being accused of entering the victim’s home in the middle of the night last month. Police said he then tried to rape her. The woman reportedly grabbed a gun, hidden near her bed, and started firing.”



Cerberus sets its sights on IPO for a gun maker: "After bad bets on cars and home loans, Cerberus Capital Management is turning to guns and bullets. The private-equity firm is in advanced preparations for an initial public offering of Freedom Group Inc., said people familiar with the situation, hoping to sell shares in a little-known company it has built into a dominant player in the red-hot rifle-and-ammunition business. Over a three-year span, Cerberus — while under the spotlight for ill-fated acquisitions of auto maker Chrysler LLC and lender GMAC LLC — has acquired at least seven U.S. gun-and-ammunition makers.”



Guns in parks OK for all: "Officials say a law signed by President Obama in May will allow gun owners to openly carry firearms in Grand Teton and the Wyoming portions of Yellowstone when the law goes into effect in February. Several National Park Service employees and legal experts who interpreted the legislation say it extends to all, not just those with concealed weapons permits. When U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., attached a rider to a credit card reform bill earlier this year, almost all reports indicated it applied to concealed weapons only. While federal officials are trying to figure out the nuances of the law to develop guidance for park rangers, one said there appears to be little question that toting firearms openly will be allowed, depending on the law of the state in which the park is located. Since Wyoming does not require a permit to openly carry weapons, visitors would be able to pack heat in plain view of the public while in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. “If, in Wyoming, it says you can walk down the street with a firearm strapped to your waist, it’s legal [in Grand Teton and Yellowstone],” said Phil Selleck, chief of regulations and special park uses for the Park Service."



21 October, 2009

NY: Homeowner shot, killed intruder: "A man who broke into a home near Phoenix was shot and killed Saturday when the homeowners came home, said Oswego County Sheriff Reuel Todd. The owners of the home at 211 Hilltop Drive in Schroeppel fought with the intruder, Todd said. ‘There was a violent struggle,’ the sheriff said. The intruder was shot once with a handgun and died immediately, Todd said …. A source familiar with the case said a woman came home from shopping with an adult son and found the male intruder inside the home. The intruder attacked the woman and the son came to her defense, attacking the intruder, the source said. The woman got a gun in the home and shot the intruder, the source said.”



Feds restart research into gun usage: "More than a decade after Congress cut funding for firearms research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), another federal health agency has been spending millions of dollars to study such topics as whether teenagers who carry firearms run a different risk of getting shot compared with suffering other sorts of injuries. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also has been financing research to investigate whether having many liquor stores in a neighborhood puts people at greater risk of getting shot. Such studies are coming under sharp scrutiny by Republican lawmakers who question whether the money could be better spent on biomedical research at a time of increasing competition for NIH funding. They're also leery of NIH research relating to firearms in general, recalling how 13 years ago the House voted to cut CDC funding when critics complained that the agency was trying to win public support for gun control. "It's almost as if someone's been looking for a way to get this study done ever since the Centers for Disease Control was banned from doing it 10 years ago," Rep. Joe L. Barton, Texas Republican, said of one of the NIH studies. "But it doesn't make any more sense now than it did then."



Hollywood anti-gun hypocrisy not new: "When it comes to guns, Hollywood suffers from a self-imposed dissociative identity disorder. On the one hand, we have stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger making fabulous careers for themselves portraying heroes who solve problems using guns as tools to fight evil, and on the other hand, we have politicians like Arnold Schwarzenegger signing edicts that infringe on the ability of his audience and constituents to do just that. This isn’t new. Here’s an example from half a century ago.”



Saudi Arabia: Guns to hit Saudi market for first time: "Saudis will be able to buy handguns and other personal firearms openly for the first time, the country’s interior ministry has anounced [sic]. The ministry also stated that it would license privately-owned gun shops. Anyone over 25 with a clean criminal record and a bank guarantee of SR 500,000 (some US$133,000) can apply to open a gun store, Arab News reported.”



20 October, 2009

FL: Man Arrested As Accomplice of Home Invasion Suspect Shot By 81-Year Old: "A Brewton man has been arrested and charged with taking part in a burglary and home invasion gone bad that left his partner dead, shot by an 81-year old man. Hunter Madden, 24, was charged last week with burglary first degree. Authorities said Madden dropped Jeremy Paul McCall, 35, off at the home of Ralph and Shirley Burkett on Highway 31 north of Brewton about 3 a.m. on Monday, October 12. McCall threatened the couple and demanded money, but 81-year old Ralph Burkett shot and killed him with one round from a .357 Magnum. Madden reportedly watched from nearby as emergency workers responded to the scene on Highway 31 north of Brewton. He was being held in the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center on $50,000 bond. McCall had been released from a Nebraska jail less than 48 hours before the incident. He was jailed on narcotics charges. Authorities said he had a crack cocaine addiction, and that he was facing two pending drug cases in Escambia County (Ala.). His rap sheet includes several drug crimes, assault, domestic violence and theft. The shooting will go to a grand jury, but the sheriff does not believe either of the Burketts will be charged."



MD: Female accomplice shot in robbery: "A woman found at a Hereford gas station bleeding from a gunshot wound was actually shot during a botched robbery in Pennsylvania Friday night and had been left behind by her accomplice, Pennsylvania state police said. The woman had been shot by the owner of a Shrewsbury, Pa., jewelry store a short time earlier during an attempted armed robbery, said the Pennsylvania State Police. Her name was withheld pending formal charges of attempted armed robbery, they said. The woman and another person had entered a jewelry store in Shrewsbury on Friday, a Pennsylvania police detective said. She pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the store employee. The employee reportedly pulled out his own gun and fired at least one shot, hitting the woman in the back. An investigation by Pennsylvania police and their counterparts in Baltimore County concluded the wounded woman was taken from the store by her accomplice, believed to be a male, and driven south in an unknown vehicle to Hereford and dropped off at the gas station, the detective said. The accomplice remains at large."



TN: Gun owner talks instead of shooting (Must be an Obama follower): "Friday night was a busy night for Chattanooga Police, and all in the same neighborhood. Between 9pm and 11pm, they responded to two separate shootings along portions of Glass Street. The second shooting that night was a home invasion turned shooting happened at the intersection of Campbell and Glass Streets. Police say the man who lives there was walking into his front door when three black men rushed in behind him. He tried to close them out, but police say the men forced their way in and chased him through the house with shotguns. Officers tell us when the homeowner announced he too was armed, one of the men shot him. Crews rushed him to Erlanger with injuries to his hand, abdomen and groin. We caught up with the homeowner, Leon Holmes as he was coming home from the hospital, where he told us, "I'm a blessed man to be alive, me and my wife both." We learned from officers just how lucky Holmes was. Chattanooga Police Department spokesperson Rebecca Royval says the gun used to shoot Holmes wasn't filled with real bullets, but bird shot. She says had there been regular bullets inside, his injuries would have been much worse. Police are still looking for suspects."



Bureaucratic oppression of gun owners: "The government wants to control our health care and now wants to control our guns. A clear intrusion on Second Amendment rights, HR 45 which was introduced on January 6, would make you claim guns on tax returns and go through a slew of hurdles with the Attorney General with whatever they "deem fit." Most of the regulations are spelled out on an the informational website, FaxDC.com and the article can be found here as well as Thomas.gov. The second amendment says that we have a right to bear arms for self defense. We should not have to appease government officials to do so either. The Blair Holt Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act (HR 45) was introduced by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL). The bill will regulate federally what kind of firearms that you can own and how they are stored. Firearm owners will have to be tested and records of fingerprints and photos will be kept. Clearly this is criminalizing gun owners. Who will violate these laws? People who violate laws anyhow, criminals. The Attorney General and others in office are supposed to defend the Constitution, not violate it. Gun bans do not keep guns off the street. Keeping criminals off the street keep guns off the street. Guns are available. They will always be available. The question is are they available for defense or are they available for offense and use in crimes?"



19 October, 2009



MO: Parole absconder gets shot while robbing: "A parole absconder from St. Louis is believed to have shot another man in a Tuesday night robbery near downtown Jefferson City, then was shot by one of his victims who acted in self-defense. Patrick Evans, 37, [above] who was released from prison two weeks ago, was found hiding in a small room in an upstairs apartment at 611 E. Capitol Ave. just after 7 a.m. Wednesday, more than 8 hours after the shooting incident downstairs at the same address, according to police reports. "Officers were ready to re-canvass the area as daylight broke when they found a new blood trail which led to the apartment," said Capt. Mike Smith of the Jefferson City Police Department. "A female resident, we believe, helped hide him." Late Wednesday afternoon, the Cole County prosecutor charged Evans with first-degree robbery. The charges say Evans also is known as Patrick Harris. Evans suffered a gunshot wound to his left hand. The man Evans is believed to have shot, a 34-year-old Jefferson City resident, underwent minor surgery Wednesday morning at University Hospital in Columbia. He was shot three times with a revolver, and his wounds were to his hands and shoulder. Police believe Evans approached a group of individuals outside the Capitol Avenue residence, brandishing a gun. He then ordered the group to go inside the residence and lie on the floor. He then began taking items from the victims. Evans ordered one of the victims to collect everyone's possessions. While this was going on, one of the victims confronted Evans with a .45-caliber gun. The victim fired at Evans to defend himself and the other victims. Evans admitted to the robbery in an interview with police"



SC high court orders new trial, sets precedent: "The South Carolina Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a 42-year-old man convicted of killing his cousin. The decision sets a precedent for cases involving weapons and self-defense arguments. The court overturned the 2006 murder conviction of Johnny Rufus Belcher in the Memorial Day 2004 shooting death of Fred Suber. The jury could have chosen murder, voluntary manslaughter or self-defense. The high court said the jury was inappropriately told to infer the death involved malice because a gun was used. Defense attorney Rauch (Rock) Wise argued it's an unfair assumption when both people are armed. The high court agreed, saying the statement should no longer be used when the defense gives evidence that would reduce or excuse the killing. The decision reverses a century-old precedent."



VT Students Join LU in Fight for Gun Rights: "Supporters of the Second Amendment gathered Friday afternoon at the Liberty University (web) School of Law for a gun rights symposium. The discussion of current legal cases turned into a cry for help from students at Virginia Tech. Some Virginia Tech students even skipped class to do it. Alyson Boyce with VT Students for Concealed Carry President said, "Two and a half years ago, if you would have asked me anything about gun rights, I would not have been able to tell you a thing." Now, Boyce is the president of the Hokie Chapter of Students for Concealed Carry Rights. "I lost a very good friend of mine named Mike Pohle on April 16th and after that, it really opened my eyes to the discussion," Boyce said. VT Students for Concealed Carry Founder Ken Stanton said he wants to be a college professor. He founded the student group after the massacre because he doesn't believe he should have to choose between education or self defense. "It's a decision I don't like to make. I am very passionate about education but I am also very passionate about surviving any kind of disaster so that I can continue to teach in the future," Stanton said. Virginia Citizens League President Philip Van Cleave said, "The worst crimes we have, if you think back on all these massacres, they happened in gun-free zones. Virginia Tech was a gun free zone." The student group asked for help in getting their college concealed rights passed next year in the General Assembly. They admit there's no proof it would stop future campus shootings, but they believe it will. "The reality is that nobody even had the chance to find out if it could have stopped or kept the body count down," Boyce said. Students for Concealed Carry Rights believe they have a good shot at getting their bill passed. They tell us it depends largely on who wins the governor's race."



Montana: Rehberg wants guns allowed on Amtrak trains once more: "Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg is pitching a plan to let Amtrak travelers bring guns on the tax-supported rail service, provided they keep them locked up in checked luggage. Firearms have been prohibited on Amtrak trains since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "It's Congress' responsibility to bring some common sense to (train) regulators," Rehberg said in an interview with the Missoulian State Bureau. "If people are driving around with these weapons in cars and trucks, do you really think you're that much more at risk on Amtrak?" Rehberg announced Wednesday he is co-sponsoring the Amtrak Secure Transportation of Firearms Act of 2009, along with several other representatives. The bill would require Amtrak to develop the regulations necessary to allow firearms on all trains where checked baggage is allowed. Firearms would stay in locked, hard-sided cases and housed in the trains' baggage car, Rehberg said. He did not intend for riders to keep open firearms with them in the passenger compartment. Instead, he said, train riders should have the same opportunities as people traveling by plane. Airplane passengers may check a gun. Steve Kulm, an Amtrak spokesman, said the train had no problem with Rehberg's bill, but said there are some practical problems the service must address before allowing firearms aboard."



18 October, 2009

Louisiana: Invader shot during break-in: "Caddo Parish Deputies say they've made an arrest related to an early Thursday morning home invasion. Investigators say the break-in happened just after 3 am at a home in the 1100 block of Oak Grove Lane. According to deputies, the homeowner was awakened when he heard someone kicking in the front door of his house. The homeowner said he grabbed a handgun, and when the suspect came into the bedroom, the homeowner shot at the suspect several times. The suspect then ran from the house. When deputies arrived at the home, a loaded AK-47 was found near the front door. About 30 minutes after the shooting, deputies learned that a man showed up at Willis-Knighton Pierremont with gunshot wounds to both legs. Deputies identified the man as 30-year-old Dion Lewis. Lewis was treated at Pierremont then later transferred to LSU Hospital. Detectives say Lewis will be taken to jail on a charge of aggravated burglary once he recovers from his wounds. Two other people were in the house at the time of the attempted robbery - a woman and the homeowner's 17-year-old son. No one inside the home was injured.



Nevada: Intruder fatally shot at LV home: "An intruder was shot dead by a resident in a northwest valley home Thursday night. Las Vegas police said four men broke into a house at 3025 Red Bay Way, near Cheyenne Avenue and Buffalo Drive, about 9:30 p.m. One of the four intruders was shot and killed. The other three fled the scene. Nobody else was injured, according to police, who gave no motive for the break-in."



Anti-Gun ObamaCare Now Moves to the Senate Floor: "If you’ve been listening to the media, you know the bad news. Senators voted the Baucus version of the ObamaCare bill out the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, and the legislation now moves to the Senate floor. So what’s the good news? President Obama still doesn’t have the 60 votes he needs to overcome a filibuster of his nationalized health care bill. In brief, the Baucus bill which passed out of committee will hurt you in several ways... Anti-gun medical database that can be used to deny your right to purchase firearms. As GOA has warned for several months, the ObamaCare legislation will pump your medical information into the medical database that was created under the stimulus bill earlier this year. The federal government has already used medical diagnoses (such as PTSD) to deny more than 150,000 military veterans the right to own guns — without their being convicted of a crime or receiving any due process of law. So don’t be surprised if socialized ObamaCare results in your medical information being used to infringe upon your Second Amendment rights... Discrimination against gun owners. ObamaCare legislation in Congress will very likely empower anti-gun bureaucrats to deny medical reimbursements to individuals who engage in supposedly “dangerous” activities, like hunting or keeping loaded weapons for self-defense."



Public comment goes heavily against Nickels gun ban: "Public reaction to a proposed ban on firearms at Seattle park facilities was decidedly negative, with 96 percent of the people weighing in on the idea turning thumbs down. While Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels appears to have lost sight of the fact that gun owners have rights, including the right to use public property, the citizens have not. … According to Bob Scales, senior policy analyst for the city’s Office of Policy and Management, in addition to the 1,088 comments submitted via e-mail to the city during a comment period that ended Sunday (Oct. 4), there were also ten telephone calls received by the Customer Service Bureau. Nine of those were against the idea and one supported the proposed ban.”



17 October, 2009

CA: Purse snatcher followed and killed: "Police and family identified a purse-snatching suspect who was shot and killed by a retired deputy earlier this week as a 35-year-old Las Vegas man. Gonzales was shot and killed after a chase that ended in an apartment complex at 401 W. Imperial Highway in La Habra. La Habra police spokeswoman Cindy Knapp said Gonzales, who was a passenger in a Honda, produced a handgun after the pursuit. Shots were fired and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the gun turned out to be a replica. The incident started Monday night with a purse snatching in the 1300 block of South Beach Boulevard. A man called police later to say he was chasing a Honda carrying the robbery suspects. The caller was identified as the retired deputy."





NC: 19-Year-Old Suspect Shot Dead By elderly Homeowner: "A man broke in and pulled a gun on me, and I shot him and he's laying out here," 80-year-old Charles Haithcock told a 911 dispatcher early Wednesday morning. Haithcock was asleep at his home on Walnut Street when police said Michael Lamont Medley Jr., [above] 19, broke into the home. Haithcock told the dispatcher it appeared Medley was carrying a shotgun, then tried to force his way into Haithcock's bedroom. "He came back into the bedroom," Haithcock told the operator. "I was laying in bed, and he pulled it out. It looked like a shotgun and he was pointing it at me." That's when Haithcock said he pulled out his gun and fired at least three shots, critically wounding Medley. "I shot him about three times through the door and he ran out the door and he's laying out there in the yard," Haithcock said. No charges have been filed against Haithcock. According to North Carolina law, the use of deadly force is allowed in self-defense when the person feels his or her life may be in eminent danger. Michael Lamont Medley has a long history of criminal charges, including common law robbery, drug possession and possession of stolen property.



Experts see little hope for Chicago gun ban: "Most experts seem to agree that this recitation of ancient cases coupled with the court’s eagerness to take up the issue of incorporation even with no conflict among the lower circuits indicate that a majority of Justices are not satisfied with the status quo. Recently, Steve Chapman reported in the Chicago Tribune that ‘law professor Ronald Rotunda of Chapman University told me that he gives the Chicago law only a one in five chance of surviving.’ And Rotunda is not alone. Avery Friedman … sees little hope for Chicago’s gun ban at the Supreme Court. ‘Unless Justice Kennedy does an about-face,’ Friedman says, ‘the chances of the survival of Chicago’s ordinance are about as high as Sonny Corleone in the toll booth.’”



California AB 962: Much more than ammo?: "California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed California AB 962. AB 962 requires registration (complete with thumbprint) of purchasers of handgun ammunition, requires retailers to keep the ammunition inaccessible to customers, forbids mail order purchases of handgun ammunition, etc. Although proponents of this legislation reassured hunters and others that the new law would only affect handgun ammo, leaving rifle ammunition unaffected, this ignores the fact that many calibers are chambered in both rifles and handguns. Given the state of California’s politics and ‘justice’ system, I would certainly not want to bet on getting much benefit of the doubt on what is counted as potential handgun ammo, and what is not.



16 October, 2009

South Carolina man shoots son: "No charges will be filed against the Harkers Island man who fatally shot his son in his home recently. The County Sheriff’s Department said Thursday that District Attorney Scott Thomas would not file charges against Cleveland Hackworth, 67, who shot and killed his son, Blake Hackworth, 45, in an incident at the family residence on Harkers Island on Sept. 27. According to Capt. Jason Wank, based upon the facts and the law, Mr. Thomas reviewed the sheriff’s department’s case and concluded the incident was a justifiable homicide and that no criminal charges will be filed against Cleveland Hackworth. The incident occurred following a day of aggressive behavior by the son that included attempted assault on his mother and his threatening to kill her. “Family members said Mr. Hackworth had been exhibiting combative behavior for most of the day when the shooting took place,” Chief Deputy Ken Raper said at the time of the incident. Police reports stated Blake Hackworth died Sept. 27 from the head wound he sustained after his father shot him as the junior Hackworth attempted to attack both his father and his mother, Peggy Hackworth".



FL: Two burglars shot: "An Orange County man caught two burglars breaking into his house, so he pulled out his gun and shot them both Tuesday night. One of the burglars was killed and the other is in critical condition. The deceased burglar was identified as 17-year-old Brandon Martinez. Deputies say the owner of the house on Rubens Court (see map) won't be arrested. They say he did nothing wrong. The homeowner, along with his brother and son, had just gotten home from work when he confronted the burglars Tuesday night. They had already ransacked his house and even tried to get into a safe. Anthony Julien, 50, insists he had no choice but to take action. “The way I look at it is like they invade my privacy and I was scared when I come in, so I defended, you know, my property,” he said. Julien took Eyewitness News step-by-step on what happened when he confronted the two burglars in his house.“I come in. I look to my left, one this way, one here. I had my gun like this and he was there, so I come in like that. When I come in, he run this way and he point his gun at me, then I go down and I 'pow,'" Julien described. “I keep on walking to him, walking to him, walking to him, he get up and I 'pow’ and I leave him." Julien then focused on a second man in another bedroom. “He run up from here, coming out to me, when come out, ’Pow!’ He fell to the ground there,” Julien said. When Julien went outside to call 911, somehow one of the suspects was able to run away, but he didn't get far. Jonathan Rodriguez, 25, collapsed in the driveway of a home one street behind Julien's house."



Three pro-gun rights senators file amicus brief in McDonald case: "Two pro-gun rights senators are wading into a lawsuit pending before the Supreme Court that could further expand the Second Amendment and restrict governments’ ability to police the flow of firearms. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) are joining Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) in filing a joint amicus brief before the Supreme Court — repeating an effort they first made last year in the District of Columbia’s gun-rights case. The lawmakers say they plan to ask justices to apply the Second Amendment more forcibly to states, siding with the National Rifle Association in seeking to overturn the city of Chicago’s handgun registration laws.”



The fear of “empty holsters”: "Later on, I walked away from the demonstration to meet a friend and fellow Second Amendment Sister a few blocks away. While we were standing on the sidewalk taking, two LEOs approached me, one of them, I think a DHS officer, was bending over sideways to look at my holster. He asked me to come over to where he was so he could ‘talk to me’ so our whole group moved closer to him. He didn’t like that much, but he asked me if I had a weapon and I responded that I was aware of the prohibition on guns in DC. I explained that the holster was a ’silent protest’ to the gun ban in DC. He then said that he would have to ask me to remove my holster and I got the distinct feeling that he intended to confiscate it. When my husband pulled the video camera out of the bag, he changed his tone only slightly and asked me again to remove the holster, this time saying that I needed to “put it away”.



15 October, 2009

New Machine Gun for Joes in Afghanistan



U.S. Army infantry units are fighting in the mountains of Afghanistan with a special operations forces machine gun that’s 30 percent lighter than the standard M240B but still packs the killing power of 7.62mm NATO.

Army weapons officials are fielding several hundred MK 48 MOD 1 machine guns in an effort to lighten the heavy loads ground forces, especially machine-gunners, struggle to carry over the country’s unforgiving terrain. The MK 48, made by FN Manufacturing LLC, was first adopted by Navy SEAL teams in 2000. The elite commando units needed a reliable 7.62mm machine gun that was light enough to carry on fast-moving raids and other special missions. “It’s a great assault gun,” said Army Col. Doug Tamilio, the head of Project Manager Soldier Weapons, the command that overseas Army small arms.

At 18.26 pounds, the MK 48 is about nine pounds lighter than the 27.5-pound M240B. But the 550 MK 48s being fielded are not the beginning of a move to replace the Army’s beloved M240B, also made by FN Manufacturing, Tamilio said. It’s a short-term fix until next year when the Army begins fielding the lighter version of the M240B—the M240L. The MK 48 fielding is intended to quickly “get something in the hands of soldiers to fight with in the mountains of Afghanistan,” Tamilio said.

The weapon’s appearance resembles the M249 squad automatic weapon, also made by FN Manufacturing. It has the same ergonomic fixed polymer stock and pistol grip. But unlike the 5.56mm M249, the MK 48 is chambered for the potent 7.62mm NATO round and is capable of spitting them out at a cyclic rate of fire of 720 rounds per minute.

The MK 48, while highly reliable, wasn’t designed to offer the long-term durability found in the M240 series machine gun, said Jim Sharp, deputy director for crew-served weapons for FNH USA. The MK 48’s receiver will last about 50,000 rounds compared to the M240’s 100,000-round receiver lifespan.

Tamilio agrees. “It’s a much lighter gun, both in weight and materials,” he said, describing how the MK 48’s bolt will have to be replaced after about 15,000 rounds while the M240s will last for about 100,000 rounds. Despite its durable reputation, the M240 is too heavy to carry long distances, especially up and down steep mountain trails. In some cases, units have chosen to sacrifice firepower to save weight on multi-day foot patrols in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley, by leaving their M240s at their combat outposts, Army officials maintain.

The MK 48 “breaks away from the traditional support-by-fire position of your heavy or medium machine gun,” said Pedro Gomes, marketing manager for tactical weapons at FNH USA. Before coming to FN, Gomes served as an infantry captain in the Army’s 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team). He deployed to Iraq from April 2007 to June 2008. “I didn’t use my 240s dismounted; I kept them always mounted on the vehicle” for highly mobile support fire, he said. The MK 48 “gives you the option of bringing that higher caliber, more powerful round inside the maneuver box,” Gomes said.

Back to the Minimi’s 7.62 Heritage

The MK 48 is very similar to FN’s original Minimi design, which was chambered for 7.62mm when it first appeared in the mid-1970s, Sharp said. When the Army went shopping for a new squad automatic weapon in the 1980s, it chose the Minimi design but in the 5.56mm version, which became the M249 SAW. FN built a streamlined version of the M249, known as the MK 46, for the SEALs in 1998. Two years later, the SEALs asked FN to build them a 7.62mm version of the 46 and the MK 48 MOD O was born. Since then, the MK 48, like the MK 46, has been very popular among Special Operations Command units, such as the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Like most modern machineguns, the MK 48 fires from the open bolt to reduce the risk of rounds cooking off during sustained firing. When the weapon is loaded, the feeding operation begins when the trigger is squeezed. This lowers the sear and starts the bolt moving forward. A roller that sits on top of the bolt assembly travels down the feed lever, forcing it to pivot from left to right. This sets the feed-pawl assembly into action. It pushes the first round on the belt of ammunition into the tray groove.

Dave Hall, a retired Navy SEAL team senior chief petty officer, described the MK 48 as “simple to operate, simple to take apart” and “very, very reliable." While deployed in Afghanistan in 2005, Hall’s team primarily used the MK 48 mounted in pairs atop their vehicles. His unit didn’t need to carry its MK 48s in the dismounted role, but he agreed that the weapon is light enough that “if you need to break it off the vehicle and use it somewhere else, you could.”

Hall didn’t find durability to be a problem. “We shot them quite a bit,” he said, adding that firing accurate bursts at “500 to 600 meters was pretty routine.” The MK 48’s accuracy at such ranges would come in handy when engaging enemy armed with AK47s and rocket propelled grenades—weapons that greatly lose their effectiveness beyond 300 meters, Hall said. “You are way outside of that—you could just eat their lunch with that thing,” Hall said. “I think the MK 48 is an excellent balance of accuracy and reliability.”

Source




Alabama: 81-year-old man shoots home invader to death: "An 81-year-old man shot and killed a masked gunman during a home invasion early this morning at a residence north of Brewton, Escambia County Sheriff Grover Smith said. The sheriff said the robber had been released from a Nebraska jail just two days before he was killed. Smith declined to identify the homeowner, but said the man and his wife were in bed in their home along U.S. 31 north of town about 3 a.m. when the intruder kicked in the door to the home and entered their bedroom, demanding money. Smith said the homeowner managed to retrieve a pistol from the bedside table and pointed it at the robber, who told the homeowner to drop the weapon. Instead, Smith said, the homeowner fired the gun, striking the intruder in the forehead, killing him instantly. Smith identified the intruder as Jeremy Paul McCall, believed to be 35 years old. Smith said McCall had a prior record, and had been released from a Nebraska jail about 48 hours before he was killed. The shooting will be presented to the grand jury, Smith said, but the sheriff said he doubted the homeowner would face any charges. "The man was in his home, in bed with his wife, and he acted in self-defense," Smith said. "And as far as the wife, she had armed herself with a shotgun by the time I got there."



Texas homeowner: I shot intruder who was kicking my bedroom door: "A Harris County man who shot an intruder in his home said pulling the trigger is the most difficult decision anyone can make. The break-in occurred in the early morning hours last Monday. Only Guzman and his uncle were home at the time. Guzman, who had barricaded himself in a back bedroom with a handgun, described the scene as it unfolded to dispatchers. “I hear somebody in the house. They’re trying to open the door. Hurry! Please hurry,” he said. Guzman told 11 News he fired the shots because the intruder was trying to kick down the door to his bedroom. “As soon as he put his foot there, that’s when I shot, because he had a big tattoo on his face and when the lady was telling me that’s the sheriff’s department, when he came into that door I said that’s not the sheriff’s department,” Guzman said. Guzman said once he shot the suspect, the 19-year-old ran around his home trying to find a way to get out. Deputies arrested the wounded suspect, along with a woman they say drove his getaway car."



New poll showing less support for stricter gun laws: "Only days after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to one of the nation’s most egregious gun laws, a new Rasmussen poll shows waning support for stricter gun laws. The Citizen’s Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today that the poll results indicate strongly that ‘America’s philosophical pendulum is definitely swinging back in favor of gun rights and individual liberty.’ ‘Whether Congressional anti-gunners like it or not,’ observed CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, ‘the American public has wised up to the fact that prohibitive gun control measures, like the gun ban in Chicago that is now being challenged in the Supreme Court, have not stopped violent crime and only disarm the victims.’”



14 October, 2009

Florida man shoots shotgun-wielding robber: "The Polk County Sheriff's Office says the victim of a would-be armed robbery shot one of his attackers on Sunday. Johnny Preston told deputies he was in the front yard of his Lakeland home preparing his cargo van for work around 6 p.m. He spotted two men in a red 4-door Mazda driving by slowly, staring at him. Preston became suspicious and retrieved his .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver from inside the van and wrote down the Mazda's vehicle tag number. He went back to preparing his van. Moments later, he looked up and was staring down the barrel of a shotgun. The two men, who were wearing t-shirts over their faces, demanded his wallet. Preston said he pushed the barrel of the shotgun away with one hand and fired his handgun with the other, hitting the armed suspect in the torso. The suspect, identified as Michael Darnell Richardson of Lakeland, drove himself to Plant City Hospital where he was treated and arrested. The other other suspect, identified as Mario Ford of Plant City, fled on foot, and was found hiding under a parked car. Preston was not injured."



PA: Man fired for looking at gun web sites: "It’s not unusual for employees to be fired for browsing pornographic Web sites at work. But a Pennsylvania gun owner named Tony Jackson may have been the first person ever fired for looking at Web sites featuring gun parts. … When Jackson was searching the Web for a replacement shotgun stock, supervisor Christie Vazquez — who admitted in a subsequent deposition to being ‘very anti-gun’ and had quarreled with him before about politics — noticed what he was doing. Vazquez said she was scared because it was only a few weeks after the Virginia Tech massacre (see CBS News video), so she promptly reported her colleague’s Web browsing to Planco’s human resources department. Vazquez also informed the HR department that Jackson owned guns and was a member of the National Rifle Association.”



OH: Recent self-defense shootings raise questions about law, safety: "In a recent four-week period, four local residents who were threatened by armed individuals opened fire, shooting the people who had allegedly drawn or fired the weapons first. One incident left a would-be robber dead after a homeowner shot and killed him inside his home. It’s a recent trend that leaves police torn between public safety concerns and law enforcement objectives. ‘If your life is genuinely in danger … I would expect people to fight for their lives or their family’s lives,’ said Dayton police Lt. Patrick Welsh, a former prosecuting attorney. ‘But we also encourage people to think, ‘What can I do to avoid being placed in that situation in the first place?’’ None of the four people who fired in the Dayton cases face any criminal charges.” [Comment: Hmmm, what CAN I do to avoid being in my home when a robber breaks in?]



Gun control in Britain: "At what point does the government change from protecting its citizens to controlling them? This is not an easy question, and it is one too often ignored by both citizens and governments. Government has a duty to protect its citizens from enemies and at times from each other. However, it is a slippery slope that leads governments down the path to total social control in the interest of protecting everyone everywhere all the time. Although the government should indeed be able to police its own citizens it should never be allowed to absolutely remove any single right. Does the government have a right to outlaw the possession of firearms by its citizens in the interest of protection if it means that they are severely limited in their own ability to protect themselves? Absolutely not.”



13 October, 2009

Pennsylvania: Robbery Victim Fatally Shoots Suspect: "Philadelphia homicide detectives are investigating a shooting death of an unidentified man around midnight in the city's Ogontz section of West Oak Lane. In this case it was the victim of a would-be robbery that turned the tables around on an armed bandit. The armed robber was shot when he tried to rob to his victim. The incident took place in the 6400 block of north 15th street in the city's Ogontz section in West Oak Lane. The 24-year-old armed suspect was pronounced dead at the scene of a chest wound. Police say the victim who he had targeted to rob was carrying a hand gun. When the suspect demanded all his money, the victim pulled out a gun and fired a shot killing the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say the suspect matches the description in two other hold-ups Saturday night and investigators say they do not expect to charge the victim."



Georgia 11 year old shoots at home invader: "An 11 year old Albany boy fired a shot during a home invasion last night. The boy shot a .357 magnum at a gunman who came into his house. The 11-year old told Police about 7:15 Wednesday night that several juveniles kicked in the back door at his home in the 200 block of Tremont Avenue. He said a boy with a pistol came into the house and pointed the gun at him. That's when the 11-year old fired the .357. He said that scared the home invader off. The Gang Unit is investigating because they think it could be gang related. They are not releasing the 11-year old's name for his protection."



GA: Bank manager pulls gun on armed robber and is fired: 'A former bank manager said Thursday that a life or death decision got him fired. The manager said he pulled a gun on a bank robber … Police credited the manager’s actions to the arrest of the suspect William Hunt. Wesley Hallman said it was common knowledge that he carried a pistol. The former manger said he felt safer with the gun when he opened the bank. Hallman said when he saw a would-be robber holding a gun in an employee’s face, he challenged the man with his gun … Hallman said he was called into the bank the next day and fired. Hallman said there is a bank policy that employees can’t carry weapons. The former branch manager said he knew violated company policy but he didn’t violate the law.”



ObamaCare could be used to ban guns in home self-defense: "Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus has something to say to gun owners: ‘Own a gun; lose your coverage!’ Baucus’ socialized health care bill comes up for a Finance Committee vote on Tuesday. We have waited and waited and waited for the shifty Baucus to release legislative language. But he has refused to release anything but a summary — and we will never have a Congressional Budget Office cost assessment based on actual legislation. Even the summary was kept secret for a long time.”



12 October, 2009

KY: Fatal Shooting May Have Been In Self-Defense: "A Louisville man was shot and killed overnight. Police said the shooter may have pulled the trigger in self defense. Alexander Harris, 24, was found shot to death in the front yard of a home on Sunset Avenue just after 1 a.m. Friday, but police aren't saying why he came to the home and just what prompted his acquaintance to fire the deadly shots. Police said Harris came to the front porch and got into an argument with one of the four people inside. "Shots were fired at that time," said Lt. Barry Wilkerson of Metro Police. "Some rounds entered the home and the others struck the victim, fatally wounding him." Police said Harris came to the house with a gun but they won't say if he actually fired the weapon. The shooter and the victim were acquaintances and neither actually lived at the residence. Detectives said they didn't take the shooter into custody because they didn't feel they had enough probable cause to make an arrest."





La.: Bar robber shot: "A man who showed up at a West Bank hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg after a robbery at a 7th Ward bar turned into a shootout has been charged with attempted armed robbery, according to New Orleans Police spokesman Officer Garry Flot. Troy LeBlanc [above] , 26, was charged the day after a bartender was shot in the chest at Mickey’s Playground in the 1900 block of Lapeyrouse Street. The robbery, which took place shortly before noon, left the 50-year-old female bartender in critical condition, after two men wearing plastic hockey masks rushed into the bar shortly after opening, police said. "They both were armed with pistols," said NOPD Assistant Superintendent Marlon Defillo Tuesday after the robbery. "They apparently demanded money. They were directed to the back of the business where the owner was secured in his office and we believe it was an attempted robbery." However, the bar owner, Mickey Smith, was watching the robbery taking place on the surveillance video in the back of the bar and armed himself, police said. "At that point one of the gunmen began to kick the door, and we believe the owner who was armed with a pistol himself fired several shots through the door," said Defillo. The bartender was hit in the shooting, but police are unsure whether the bartender was hit by Smith or one of the robbers." ["Le Blanc" means "The white one". Picture above reveals it to be a misnomer]



California man wrestles rifle from would-be robber: "A store manager wrestled a loaded rifle from an unsuccessful thief Friday morning, then managed to get his license plate number after the robber tried to flee but got stuck in traffic. Rodolfo Evaristo, 40, said all he could feel was fear as he stared down the barrel of a rifle at his store, Lopez Market, on 200 West El Norte Parkway. The robber had come in the front, but seeing no one there, had walked to the back of the store and demanded Evaristo give him cash. Evaristo put up his hands and begged the masked gunman not to shoot. Evaristo's brother, Simon Evaristo, 50, also witnessed the incident. Without getting any money, the robber then tried to flee out the back door. He took one hand off the gun to try to push open the fire door, not realizing it was deadbolted below. With the gun down, and confident that his brother would back him up, Rodolfo Evaristo decided to make his move. He grabbed the rifle with both hands and managed to wrestle it away from the would-be robber while screaming for someone to call the police. The thief then unlocked the door and ran to a Jetta parked behind the store. Evaristo was able to write down the car's license plate number, he said, because it got stuck in traffic on Escondido Boulevard. An hour later, police found an abandoned Jetta with matching plates on the south side of town. Police eventually arrested Jose Zardon, 47, of Escondido and booked him on suspicion of armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon."



MO: Man accidentally shot by accomplice while robbing mobile home: "A Jefferson City man was charged with murder Tuesday, and two women also face charges in connection with Monday morning’s murder during a botched robbery in an Apache Flats mobile home park. Cole County Prosecutor Mark Richardson late Tuesday afternoon charged Daniel Hynson, 21, 2317 Bluebird, with one count of second-degree murder for the death of Lamar Gardner, 19, Kansas City. Hynson also is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery. Richardson also charged Lauren Douglas, 21, 515 Sue Dr., with one count of hindering prosecution, and Natasha Wray, 21, Independence, with conspiracy to commit robbery. According to a Cole County Sheriff’s Department probable cause statement, the residents of the mobile home, Jennifer Ferguson and Andy Schultz, told authorities that they were the victims of a home invasion robbery about 5:45 a.m. Monday, in which several subjects had entered their home armed with a gun. The robbers were able to get $1,000 in cash and one subject, Gardner, was shot during the robbery. Gardner eventually died from a shot to his face Monday night."



11 October, 2009

Colorado: Homeowner Opens Fire on Burglar: "Police are trying to find a man that has broken in twice to the same house, where the homeowner chased and shot at him. On Oct. 2, the man tried breaking into Guy Sitzman's home the second time and was caught him on tape. Sitzman was watching security tapes from the previous hour in his computer room, when toward the end of the tape the system went back to "live" mode, and Sitzman noticed a man walking around the side of his house. That's when he saw the man leaving through his back door carrying a rifle and a pistol. Despite his initial fear, Sitzman said he grabbed another gun and ran after him. "I ran out back and fired two shots off at him." The man dropped the items he stole from Sitzman's house and took off."





TX: Intruder shot by homeowner, dies after car-crash getaway: "What started early Thursday morning as a home invasion has ended in the death of the alleged intruder. Just after 5 a.m., Bexar County Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene in the 11400 block of South Foster Road. Deputies say 24-year-old Cardell Deon Joseph [above] broke through the front door of a home there, and that's when the homeowner shot him once in the intruder's rib cage area. They say the Joseph then ran from the house and drove away, but he then crashed his vehicle a few blocks away. According to reports, the suspect was still talking after the crash, and asked the homeowners for help. But Joseph later died at the scene. It's unclear whether the crash or the gunshot wound was the major factor in his death. Bexar County records show that Joseph was in trouble before. He was arresed for evading arrest and possession of marijuana."



New Hampshire homeowner chases away intruder with shotgun: "A man shooed away a burglar with a shotgun, police said. The homeowner, who state police did not identify, came home Thursday morning to find a young man at the side door of the residence, state police said Friday in a press release. The man said he knew the homeowner's son and had left a belonging there a few days earlier, state police said. But the homeowner asked the man to return when his son came home and shut his door, state police said. Moments later, the homeowner heard noises in his living room and entered to find the man shuffling through items, state police said. The homeowner got a shotgun and chased the man out of the house, state police said. State police are now searching for the suspected burglar. He is described as a young white male, about 16-17 years old, and wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt with a blue baseball cap."



Guns on campus and violence prevention centers: "When bureaucrats consult other bureaucrats, they intentionally exclude one of the greatest allies they can ever find: citizens who have found a solution that works. I have written on how this cocoon of insulation from other viewpoints works adversely to the purpose of violence prevention, and in a recently completed essay I’ve added to my e-book edition of Safe Streets, I put it like this: today’s young generation believes in remaining in its own cocoon comfort zone and hand-wringing more than moving into actual adult safety, and they exhibit this by remarks of dread and by examining everything but the solution that works.”



10 October, 2009

Graph of the Day

"Allowing more people to carry concealed handguns in densely populated cities, on crowded subways, on buses and in sports stadiums, is a recipe for disaster." - The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence



Number of states allowing "shall issue" or unrestricted concealed carry in 1988: 10. In 2006: 39.

Source




AZ: Robbery victim shoots assailant at carwash: "An 18-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries Tuesday when he tried to rob another man at a midtown carwash and was shot by the victim, Tucson police said. The incident occurred at a self-service carwash on East 22nd Street near South Beverly Avenue just before 4:30 p.m., said Sgt. Diana Lopez, a police spokeswoman. A 50-year-old man was washing his car when he was approached by the 18-year-old man, Lopez said. The younger man pulled out a gun and attempted to rob the older man, she said. The older man pulled out his own gun and shot the 18-year-old. The younger man ran away and got into a vehicle that was being driven by another person. A short time later, the 18-year-old man showed up at a hospital with life-threatening injuries, she said. The 50-year-old man was not injured. He was being questioned by police. The driver of the car who took the wounded man to the hospital also was in police custody."



Does Hain shooting show citizens can’t be trusted with guns?: “Meleanie Hain and her husband Scott have been found dead from an apparent murder/suicide following ‘a two-hour standoff with police outside their home.’ Their headline calls her a ‘pistol-packin’ soccer mom,’ and the story tells us ’she gained national notoriety last year after she brought her loaded handgun to her 5-year-old daughter’s soccer game.’ Notoriety. People who believe they have a right to the means of self defense are portrayed by the media as notorious. And kooky. And comments under this story — and in other accounts, reflect and amplify this, telling us about ‘those who live by the sword,’ some viciously disparaging Hain as a person, and generally exploiting this terrible incident to attack the notion that citizens have adequate competence or temperament to be trusted with guns.”



ID: Open carry advocates finally get served: "First, they were turned away from Fuddruckers, then Idaho Pizza Company, farther out. But here at Shari’s, just west of the Idaho State Police building in Meridian, John Carter and Mike Ludlow are finally able to sit down to dinner, black Glocks still strapped to their hips. The evening, up to this point, had certainly taken on a no-room-at-the-inn feel. Their objectives were simple: to sit down in a restaurant with their handguns clearly hanging in hip holsters, and to enjoy dinner with other like-minded and explicitly armed individuals.”



9 October, 2009

Ohio: Robber shot in exchange of gunfire: "A Chicago man suspected in an attempted armed robbery was shot and killed Thursday night in what Akron police are calling a confrontation with the owner of a neighborhood market at Raymond and Campbell streets. Akron Police Lt. Rick Edwards said the store owner, Ali Ahmed, 59, had closed for the night and was walking to his vehicle in the rear parking lot at about 7:30 when the suspect approached. There was an exchange of gunfire — witnesses reported seven or eight shots — and both men were hit, Edwards said. Ahmed was taken by ambulance to Akron General Medical Center with wounds that were not life threatening, Edwards said. Edwards, the department's spokesman, identified the robbery suspect as Timothy Grant, 29, of Chicago's west side. He said Grant died at 9:04 p.m. Thursday at Akron General from unspecified gunshot wounds. According to police radio traffic moments after the shooting, one man was shot in the head and the other in the hand."



Georgia: Shooting of gang member ruled self-defense: "Carlos Moz never denied he shot a man in the head, but he claimed it was to defend himself and his brother. On Thursday, a jury agreed, finding Moz, 34, not guilty of aggravated assault. The man Moz shot, 21-year-old Nathan Tony Monson, was released from a hospital just days after sustaining a bullet wound in front of his left ear. He survived the shooting with some hearing loss but no other permanent injuries, according to Brett Willis, the assistant circuit defender who successfully defended Moz. Willis said his client fired the shot from a legally owned 9 mm handgun on the night of Oct. 1, 2006, after his client’s older brother was severely beaten by an unruly mob of at least six teenagers in front of California Records, a store next to the Kangaroo convenience store on Park Hill Drive. The beating victim, Juan Moz, was injured by large chunks of asphalt hurled at him by "a group of ne’er-do-wells harassing a couple of guys who were just walking," Willis said. While down on the ground, Juan Moz was kicked in the face by a teenage girl who was charged and later prosecuted in juvenile court, Willis said. During the beating, Carlos Moz, a legal permanent resident who lived across the street at the Versaille apartments, retrieved his gun, Willis said. When he returned to the front of the store, Monson made a threatening motion toward Carlos Moz and made the statement that he was "looking for who was next," according to Willis. Monson was then shot. Shortly afterward, police were called to the Moz apartment regarding the beating of Juan Moz. When they arrived, Carlos Moz told police he fired the shot and showed them where the gun was."



NY: Two shot in home invasion face charges: "Two village residents who police said were shot by the owner of a Warren Avenue home after they broke into the residence are in jail facing felony burglary and robbery charges. Urena was shot in the buttock and Martinez was shot in the arm after a home on Warren Avenue was broken into shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday. Both were treated at local hospitals and released to police custody. … The homeowner shot both suspects with a rifle, he said. No charges were brought against the homeowner. Permits are not required to own a rifle.”



More interstate meddling from New York: "New York City officials secretly videotaped dozens of firearm purchases they say were illegal at gun shows in states that have not closed the ‘gun show loophole.’ The sting, described in a city report released Wednesday, was conducted at seven gun shows in Tennessee, Ohio and Nevada. Those states are among the many that permit private unlicensed dealers, known as ‘occasional sellers,’ to sell weapons at gun shows without conducting background checks. Advocates say the loophole makes it easier for criminals to acquire guns and prevents law enforcement from being able to trace those weapons if they are used in crimes.”



8 October, 2009

Va.: Store owner shoots would-be robber: "Newport News police are asking for the public's help in identifying one of the suspects who tried to rob a grocery store late Friday evening. Police tell WAVY.com the crime happened at around 11 p.m. at White's Grocery store in the 3300 block of Chestnut Avenue. The two men walked into the business wearing masks; one was holding a shotgun. The armed suspect held up the store's owner and one of the employees while the other suspect, identified as Barry Lee Hooker, went around the counter. According to police, the store owner then reached for his gun and shot Hooker. Police say the armed suspect fled the store. Investigators are trying to identify the man, described as a dark skinned, black male, 160lbs., 5’10” with a goatee. Hooker was taken to the hospital where he is currently in ICU. Police say he had two outstanding warrants for assault and battery. In addition, he now faces several other charges including attempted robbery. The store owner and employee were not hurt."



MS: Gunshot answers assault with bat: "In Jackson County, one man was shot overnight. However, his alleged assailant claimed it was in self defense. The altercation took place on Racetrack Drive in St. Martin sometime before 2am Tuesday morning. Investigators say Marc Marques, 45, was taken to the hospital after suffering a gunshot wound. While deputies searched the scene for clues, Clayton Obarr walked up to them, and admitted he was the shooter. But he also said he fired his gun after being attacked with a baseball bat. The handgun and the bat were sent to the state crime lab to be analyzed. So far, no charges have been filed."



America does not want stricter gun control laws: "By now you probably know the US Supreme Court will be taking another look at the Second Amendment, this time to determine if its protection from infringement of our protected rights also applies to state and local governments. Although everyone’s opinion has little if anything to do with the reality of this legal concept, I thought it would be interesting to share with you some information about what people generally think of this issue. There are a number of cities who have or are considering restrictive gun laws, which were usually enacted as a reaction to reduce some recent crime.”



PA: First and Second Amendment victory: "After months of national media attention, a student threatened with punishment for attempting to form a gun-rights group at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) is finally allowed to distribute pamphlets about the group on campus. The college has also rescinded its unconstitutional policy demanding ‘prior written approval’ for ‘personal contact with individuals or groups related to non-sponsored college material or events.’ After Christine Brashier, who wanted to form a chapter of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC), was told that her pamphlets were unacceptable ’solicitation’ and that any further efforts would be considered ‘academic misconduct,’ she turned to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help.”



7 October, 2009

TX: Homeowner Shoots, Kills Burglar: "A northwest Houston homeowner shot a burglar after he found him inside his home Monday morning, police told KPRC Local 2. Investigators said the homeowner, Mark Brown, returned to his house in the 8500 block of Norton at about 9:30 a.m. when he heard someone inside. Brown grabbed a shotgun hidden under a bed and found the burglar in a bedroom, police said. The homeowner fired several shots after the burglar rushed at him from a closet. The burglar was hit three times, according to investigators. The burglar, whose name was not released, died at the scene. Brown said he felt lucky that the burglar did not find the shotgun. "The guy had already ransacked his bedroom and just so happened that God bless him, and he didn't find the shotgun under the bed," said David Brown, the homeowner's father. "It's obvious it's been burglarized. There's disarray inside. It's a neat, well-kept home and you walk inside and obviously see piles of personal items set out in preparation of being taken -- drawers open, cabinets pulled out, etc.," said Detective C Elliott of the Houston Police Department. Brown was not injured."



Gun groups file lawsuit to validate Montana Firearms Freedom Act: "The Second Amendment Foundation today joined with the Montana Shooting Sports Association in a federal lawsuit filed in Missoula to validate the principles and terms of the Montana Firearms Freedom Act (MFFA), which takes effect today, Oct. 1, 2009. Lead attorney for the plaintiffs’ litigation team is Quentin Rhoades of the Missoula firm of Sullivan, Tabaracci & Rhoades, PC. The MFFA litigation team also includes other attorneys located in Montana, New York, Florida, Arizona and Washington.”



Why Skydivers Would Be Better Off Without Parachutes: "In Philadelphia, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania find, possessing a gun is strongly associated with getting shot. Since "guns did not protect those who possessed them," they conclude, "people should rethink their possession of guns." This is like noting that possessing a parachute is strongly associated with being injured while jumping from a plane, then concluding that skydivers would be better off unemcumbered by safety equipment designed to slow their descent. "Can this study possibly be as stupid as it sounds?" asks Stewart Baker at Skating on Stilts. Having shelled out $30 for the privilege of reading the entire article, which appears in the November American Journal of Public Health, I can confirm that the answer is yes.



UK: Girls warned not to hide boyfriends’ guns: "A campaign warning girls not to stash or carry guns for their boyfriends was launched by London police Wednesday. The hard-hitting adverts, which are aimed at 15 to 19-year-olds of African and African Caribbean heritage, are designed to combat a worrying growth in the number of young women being arrested and convicted of possessing weapons.”



6 October, 2009

OH: Man fires at would-be robber: "A resident wrestled with a would-be burglar Wednesday, then fired a shot that may have hit the fleeing man’s pickup, officials say. Edward Honerlaw, 55, of the 8200 block of West Chester Road, reported he was home alone around 2 p.m. when an intruder kicked in a rear door — so he armed himself with a handgun, a news release said. After a tussle, the suspect fled; Honerlaw fired at the truck. West Chester Township police have arrested Kyle P. Lightner, 22, of Bannon Court in Middletown. He has been charged with one court of burglary, a second-degree felony.”



TX: Homeowner ready for burglar: "A Corpus Christi man, who says he’s been burglarized the last two nights, took the law into his own hands Wednesday morning when a suspected burglar came back for a the third night in a row. It was around 2:30am when the Garza family heard what they thought was a burglar in their garage. Henry Garza says, ‘I was waiting for him, last night about 2 o’clock in the morning he came in, busted my door, in the garage, and got in it again. He run that away and that’s when I shot him.’ .. Garza thinks he shot the intruder in the back of the leg, but the suspect was able to get away. Garza says, "I know I hit him, cause he fell."



Assaults on the Second Amendment: "While Americans are still wary of making big purchases such as a new home, they are investing heavily in guns and ammunition. The sales are off the charts and this may have something to do with why the Founding Fathers, after protecting free speech, free press, and the right to peacefully assemble to protest, made the right to keep and bear guns the Second Amendment. Right after 9/11 Americans similarly went out and bought guns and ammunition. When Americans get scared, they get guns. The first months of the Obama administration have given many cause for concern that this president harbors totalitarian dreams.”



After finding antique pistols, she's loaded: "It sat on a shelf in the closet for years, a rosewood case containing two Civil War-era revolvers with ivory handles. The guns had been a gift from a friend to Sharlene Perez's late husband, but they held no sentimental value for her. So in June, she decided it was time to sell them. She slipped the case into a sturdy Lord & Taylor shopping bag and took a taxi six blocks to meet appraiser Greg Martin in midtown Manhattan, N.Y. She knew that there were engravings on the barrels, that the grips were monogrammed and that an inscription on the lid of the case indicated that townspeople in Watertown, N.Y., had given the guns to William C. Browne, a local man heading off to serve as a colonel in the Civil War. In her most optimistic moments, Perez hoped the guns might net $20,000. Instead, she "about keeled over," Martin said, when he told her the guns were Colt 1851 Navy revolvers and might be worth 10 times as much. He told her there would be an auction in Anaheim in September. He told her he would set the appraisal value at $125,000 to $250,000."



5 October, 2009

Connecticut resident shoots dog, stops attack on animal control officer: "Plainfield Animal Control Officer Terry Foss was attacked by a "pit bull-type dog" late Tuesday night, according to Plainfield Police. Foss was responding to a complaint at 270 Green Hollow Road, where, according to residents, the dog was preventing them from exiting their home. On her arrival, the dog jumped at Foss, knocking her to the ground. Resident Ron Roberts fired "2 or 3 shots" from a .22 rifle at the dog, which police say yelped and ran away. Foss was transported to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich for treatment of possible head injuries, She was transferred to Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven. A hospital spokeswoman said Foss' family has requested no information on Foss's condition be released Wednesday morning. The dog has not been found. Police Chief Robert Hoffman said Roberts will not face charges from shooting at the dog. He said the department thanked Roberts for his action. "It sounds like it could have been a lot worse had he not been there," Hoffman said."



Handgun ammo shortage has stores limiting sales: "A nationwide ammunition shortage for handguns has gripped self-defense gun enthusiasts as the demand has gone through the roof in the past year, and there won't be any relief soon in East Texas, according to local suppliers. Gun sales spiked a year ago when it became clear President Barack Obama would be elected to office. The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System reported 9 million background checks for gun sales issued January through August, an increase of 21 percent from the same period the year before. Casey Evans, co-owner of Evans Brothers Guns & Public Shooting range in Huntington, says the ammunition shortage has affected his business. The store limits handgun ammunition to two boxes a customer, depending on what they have in stock. Criminal background checks for gun sales in Texas were at 650,429 during the time frame — a 26.9 percent increase compared to the same period in 2008. Texas gun sales in the U.S. are No. 2 in that same time range. More guns sold means more demand for ammunition."



Mass. SJC to hear challenges to state gun laws brought by local defense attorney: "The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is expected to decide whether a state law that requires residents to apply for gun licenses with their local police departments is unconstitutional. The challenge is being brought before the court by Paul W. Patten, a Fall River defense attorney who is representing Nathaniel DePina, 19, a New Bedford man serving a 2-year jail sentence after being convicted last year of illegally carrying a firearm. Patten is appealing DePina's conviction on the grounds that the state gun licensing statute is "vague and overbroad," inconsistent in application and violates an enumerated, fundamental right protected by the Second Amendment. "This is not just about guns. To me, this case is about the U.S. Constitution," said Patten, who will argue his case Nov. 5 before the Supreme Judicial Court."



Self defense against thugs very difficult in Canada: "For most people, the government makes it illegal to properly defend yourself. Possession of bear spray in most cases is illegal ... Owning a gun, while very restricted, is possible. However, being able to use it for self-defense is made nearly impossible by the government. You need to keep the gun and the ammunition in separate locked rooms, in locked cases. When someone is banging on your front door trying to kill you and possibly your family, would you have time to retrieve the weapon to defend yourself with? What could you do to protect yourself in this situation? How can you level the playing field when dealing with violent criminals? Gun control laws and the gun registry has done very little to keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals, because surprise surprise, they don't obey the law! It's the peaceful, law-abiding people that are victimized by these laws."



4 October, 2009

NJ: Revenge likely motive for fatal home invasion: "A New Jersey man who was shot and killed during a home invasion in Halifax Friday morning was likely seeking revenge for a two decade-old domestic dispute, according to Halifax County Sheriff Jeff Frazier. The investigation is ongoing into details of the 1988 dispute between Marcel Alston, of Halifax, and Carlton L. Burgess, 61, of Lumberton, N.J. Frazier said. Investigators said that a knock woke up Alston around 7 a.m. at his house at 5524 U.S. Highway 301, where he lives alone. When Alston opened the door, Burgess, who had a gun, began assaulting Alston. Alston got away and was climbing up the stairs when Burgess fired, striking his victim in the buttocks, investigators said. Alston managed to get to his bedroom and got out a gun he kept there. Burgess followed Alston into the bedroom, and Alston fatally shot him in the upper torso, according to investigators. According to a 911 call, Alston went to a neighbor's for help after the shootings. In addition to a gunshot wound, Alston suffered a gash on the head. He was undergoing surgery at Halifax Regional Hospital Friday afternoon. His condition was stable, Frazier said. Frazier said the killing appeared to be a case of self-defense."



FL: Aggressive black shot: "According to a Leon County Sheriff's Office investigation, the July 29 shooting occurred at about 9:15 p.m. at 11904 Mahan Dr. when Gardner refused to leave the home of Judith Davis and Greg Moss. Gardner reportedly had come to the home asking for a beer. He received one and was asked to leave. He became verbally and physically aggressive with Davis, and Moss tried getting between them. Gardner pushed Moss onto the kitchen floor prompting Moss to get his .38 caliber handgun from his bedroom. Davis called the sheriff's office as Moss confronted Gardner in the kitchen. When Gardner charged him. Moss fired a single shot that hit Gardner in the upper abdomen. Gardner still managed to knock Moss to the floor and take the gun from him. Gardner pointed the gun at Moss's head and then fled. Gardner hid the gun in the bumper of a trailer and collapsed in the driveway, where deputies found him."



PA: End of an era for a fixture in Phila. gun trade: "This week, a small sign appeared on the front door of Colosimo's Gun Center, three handwritten words that said "Closed for inventory." But his gun shop, for decades a fixture on Spring Garden Street, wasn't merely closed - as of yesterday, it was officially out of business. Colosimo closed the shop as part of a federal plea agreement last month over "straw" purchases, in which a person with a clean record legally buys a gun, then passes it to someone barred from making purchases, such as a convicted felon. Long before the demonstrators took up residence, before Philadelphia streets became awash in blood and handguns, before the federal government sent informants inside to buy, Colosimo's was a well-known, respected business - and its owners part of the color of the city."



TN: Gun banners “threatened” by emails: "Two smalltime local politicians in Tennessee, Knox County Commissioner Amy Broyles and Knoxville City Councilwoman Barbara Pelot publicly supported a weapons ban in county and city parks. To the surprise of no one, except, apparently, Broyles and Pelot, the pair’s computer inboxes have reaped a whirlwind of protest from their fellow citizens who believe in the right to arm themselves for self-protection. A sample message received by Broyles: ‘Who do you think you are anyway? The next rape, the next robbery, the next murder on a bike trail is going to hang around your pretty little neck, my dear. Trust me.’ Like micromanaging politicos everywhere whose dictatorial decisions run afoul of folks who believe in freedom, they quickly played the victim card by branding the mostly anonymous emails as ‘ugly’ and ‘threatening.’”



3 October, 2009

OK: Woman shot after reportedly throwing hammer through window: "A woman was shot after she allegedly threw a hammer through a window at her ex-boyfriend’s house Wednesday evening, police said. The woman, whose name was not immediately released but who reportedly is in her mid-20s, was taken to St. Francis Hospital. Police Capt. Randy Hughes said her wounds were serious but that she is expected to survive. The former boyfriend, whose name was not immediately available, told police that he and the woman had argued earlier in the evening at his house in the 9900 block of East 23rd Street. Police were called to the house after that argument, but the woman had left before officers arrived, Hughes said. The man said she returned around 8:15 p.m. and threw a hammer through a window. Thinking his house was being broken into, he fired a shotgun, loaded with birdshot, through the window twice, he told police. The woman was struck in the head, neck and shoulder area, Hughes said. She was able to get back into a sport utility vehicle and drive away, he said. Police stopped the vehicle nearby, Hughes said, and the woman was then taken by ambulance to the hospital. Police took the man to the Detective Division downtown for questioning. Police are investigating whether the shooting was in self-defense, Hughes said."



MI: Home invaders shot: "Montcalm County Sheriff's deputies were called out on a report of a domestic dispute in the 7800 block of Edgar Road in June 2008 where a woman said she was being threatened by Stevens. The woman called friend James Godbehere, and he was on the telephone with dispatchers when Stevens and his son, 24-year-old Zachary Stevens attempted to break into the home, according to police records. The father and son got into the house through another door. Inside the home at the time of the incident were two children and others who hid while Godbehere brandished a handgun. Robert Stevens had a club and was warned by Godbehere to get out of the house, according to witnesses. Robert Stevens was eventually shot in the leg while Zachary Stevens allegedly attacked Godbehere and was shot in the chest, dying not far from the home shortly after being shot. Krause declined to charge Godbehere saying he acted in self-defense."



TN: Knox County Commission votes to allow guns in parks: "Knox County Commission today voted 13-5 in favor of allowing handgun permit holders to carry their weapons in county parks. Voting to allow guns in parks were Commissioners Tony Norman, Ivan Harmon, Mike Hammond, Craig Leuthold, Richard Briggs, Brad Anders, Greg ‘Lumpy’ Lambert, R. Larry Smith, Michele Carringer, Bud Armstrong, Dave Wright, Mike Brown and Paul Pinkston. Voting for the ban were Commissioners Sam McKenzie, Thomas ‘Tank’ Strickland, Mark Harmon, Amy Broyles and Finbarr Saunders. Those arguing in favor of handguns in parks said it should be allowed under the Second Amendment and that there have been few instances of problems with violence in Knox County Parks.”



NYC: Primary voters reject another gun opponent: "For the second time in two weeks, the citizens of New York City have delivered an unambiguous rebuke to the gun control movement by rejecting David Yassky’s bid for Comptroller. Yassky based his campaign largely upon his gun control record. As a staffer to then Congressman Charles Schumer he worked on both the Brady Act and Clinton Gun Ban. His campaign was endorsed by Senator Schumer, the Daily News and the New York Times because of this. Yassky’s double-digit loss in the runoff election demonstrates just how far outside the mainstream of society gun control advocates are. A solid majority of Democrat voters in all five boroughs have soundly rejected this candidate and his ideas.”



2 October, 2009

Florida: Attempted truck thief gets shot: "Police said one of two men who tried to steal a pickup truck from a group of people gathered outside a Murray Hill home was shot several times by a homeowner and his friend. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Lt. Larry Schmitt said when police arrived at the 3000 block of College Street, they found a man shot multiple times. According to the police report, Keith Loftin was outside the home with some friends shortly after 2 a.m. when two men asked for a ride in Loftin's truck. Loftin said one of the men pulled a gun on them and forced Loftin into his truck. Loftin told officers that his friend, Barry Smith, ran into the house and returned with a gun and Loftin pulled his own gun from inside the truck. Police said both Loftin and Smith fired at one of the men, striking him multiple times. The man shot, identified as Jamel Mobley, 21, of St. Marys, Ga., was taken to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center and was in stable condition. Police said the second man took off. Police were still looking for him, but they have only a vague description. The shooting was still under investigation and no charges have been filed. Schmitt said it appeared both the citizens had the guns legally and that it appeared the shooting was in self-defense".



SCOTUS takes up Chicago gun ban: "Fifteen months after declaring that Americans have an individual right to keep and bear arms, the US Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to decide an equally important issue — whether that constitutional protection applies not only in federal jurisdictions but in every city, county, and state in the nation. The case is important not only because it will be a historic development in the interpretation of the Constitution, but also because it will establish basic ground rules for future gun control efforts.”



Bloomberg, gun control, and racism: "New evidence indicates that New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s gun control laws may have resulted in an increased level of Black murder victims. … Mayor Bloomberg, head of MAIG, resides in one of the 10 remaining states which generally deny a citizens’ right to carry a concealed handgun for protection. New York City (NYC) has addition laws and restrictions, requiring a lengthy and expensive licensing and registration process in order to own a gun. As a result, the New York Sun reported that only the rich and influential — e.g. Donald Trump Jr. and Robert DeNiro — obtain carry permits. Further, while 24,031 permits were granted to keep a gun at home in 2000, only 14,985 were granted in 2007, reflecting Bloomberg’s view of civilian firearms ownership.”



AZ: “Parking Lot Law” takes effect: "In another major victory for Arizona gun owners and Arizona Concealed Weapons permit holders, Governor Brewer signed into law the so called ‘Parking Lot Law.’ The new law, which takes effect today, permits gun owners to keep a firearm locked inside their vehicle even if the vehicle is parked on private property owned by a business that prohibits weapons on their premises.”



1 October, 2009

NC: Slaying ruled self-defense; murder charge dropped: "A first-degree murder charge has been dismissed against a Greensboro man after prosecutors determined the killing was in self-defense. The charge was dropped Sept. 13 against Edward Sherron Carter Jr., who was accused in the July 31 killing of Markis Corey Bennerman at 911 Caldwell St. in Greensboro. Assistant District Attorney Howard Neumann said they believe that Carter, 21, shot Bennerman, 26, as Bennerman attempted to rob Carter during a drug deal. Bennerman had called Carter to buy marijuana, Neumann said. When he arrived, Benner­man pulled a gun. A struggle ensued, and Carter shot Bennerman outside the house. A 911 call and investigation corroborated Carter’s version of the events, Neumann said. “We could not disprove it was self-defense,” Neumann said. However, Carter pleaded guilty to felonious concealment of a death and possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana. Carter tried to stuff Benner­man’s body under the crawl space of a home, Neumann said. For each crime, he received a suspended sentence of six to eight months. An autopsy released Monday showed that Bennerman was shot four times during the incident, with one bullet striking him in the head."



CA: Armed homeowner thwarts burglary suspects: "Three suspects arrested in Sutter County after an attempted home burglary ran into the worst of luck — a homeowner with experience fighting off intruders. Two women and a man, all Sacramento residents, broke into an isolated house at about 2 p.m. Monday in the 3900 block of O'Banion Road west of Yuba City, according to Sheriff J. Paul Parker. The owner, David Massey, armed himself with a handgun and discovered one woman in his kitchen while the other woman and the man fled out the back door, Parker said. The suspects got into a Ford Explorer parked on the circular driveway outside and drove it toward Massey, but he fired six shots toward the vehicle just before it rolled onto its side, the 63-year-old homeowner recalled Monday night. "They drove right across the center of the (driveway) circle towards me, and I yelled at them to stop and fired five rounds into the radiator to make them stop," said Massey. "The car was not three feet from me when it went by; they almost took me out. "I was in fear of my life. They wouldn't stop, so I shot." The passengers abandoned the Ford and ran through a flooded prune orchard, but deputies arrested them within a mile of the house. The sheriff's department identified the detained women as 31-year-old Tiffany Abila and 27-year-old Angelina Walters, and the male suspect as 26-year-old Marcus Campbell."



AZ: Defending self-defense in gun ban war: "Gov. Jan Brewer recently signed five pieces of legislation that foster gun-safety education in Arizona’s schools and reinforce the rights of gun owners in the state into law. The legislation was sponsored by Sens. Jack Harper and Russell Pearce, and mandates that Arizona’s Right-to-Carry permit holders are allowed to defend themselves in public restaurants, store their firearm in a locked vehicle while parked in a publicly accessible parking lot, and reveal their firearm to an individual threatening them or a loved one. Furthermore, the new law states that an individual who shoots someone in self-defense is innocent until proven guilty.”



AZ: Bars, eateries get ready for gun-toting patrons: "Starting Wednesday, those carrying concealed weapons are allowed to enter Arizona’s roughly 5,300 establishments licensed to sell alcohol, as long as they don’t drink. If those bar and restaurant owners don’t want guns on the property, they must post a sign indicating that they are not allowed. The law only requires one sign be posted in a ‘conspicuous’ place, near the establishment’s liquor license. … about a thousand official, laminated signs have been requested since they became available in mid-August, according to the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control, with the average establishment requesting four signs.”






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."