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12 May, 2008

Nevada: New Details in Deadly Home Burglary: "Police are investigating a shooting at a Las Vegas home that left two people dead Thursday night. Police say a man told them that he and his wife came home and were met by a burglar in their house. According to officers, the burglar shot and killed the woman and the husband then shot and killed the burglar. Some neighbors were crying as they learned of their neighbor's tragic death. Police say the couple returned to their home on Friday night around 9 p.m. and surprised a burglar. Police say the burglar was someone the couple knew and had hired in the past to do work at the home. The female victim, Sharon Randolph, had lived in the neighborhood for 12 years. According to police, a handyman the couple had hired broke into the house and was burglarizing it when they came home. Police say the suspect shot and killed the Randolph. Police say that new husband struggled with the burglar and ended up shooting the man to death in the garage."



New York: Suspect shot during home invasion: "City Police officers early today were called to the scene of a home invasion in southeast Rochester residence. According to Monroe County emergency dispatchers, officers were called to 120 Laburnum Crescent, just before 1 a.m. A 20-year-old man at the residence told police he answered a knock on his front door and found a 25-year-old male pointing a weapon at him, said Rochester Police Officer Deidre Taccone. Officers did not release the name of either man. The intruder allegedly ordered man into the house and told him to get other residents together in the house, Taccone said. The 20-year-old man, while gathering others in the house, went into another room and retrieved a shotgun. A struggle between the two men ensued and the 20-year-old man shot the intruder in the back. The injured man ran from the home, leaving his weapon at the scene, and walked into Highland Hospital for assistance. He was reportedly taken to Strong Memorial Hospital within injuries that were not considered life-threatening, according to Monroe County emergency dispatchers. No other injuries were reported."



Texas: Neighbor Shoots, Kills Donut Shop Robber: "A Fort Worth businesswoman was almost robbed at her shop, but a neighbor comes to her rescue. In the end, the man suspected of the crime is shot and killed. Chong Im Randle, who friends call Angel, described her conversation with the would-be robber. "I say you not to shoot. Okay, you kill me I'm going to heaven. You go to jail." Randal says 45-year-old Richard Lane wore a mask when he broke into Happy Donuts around 1:30 a.m., with what looked like a rifle. He stole money from the cash drawer, beat Randal up and tried to steal her car. "I grabbed my telephone," Randal explained. "He said, don't call police. I say I gotta do something." Meanwhile her neighbor, 54-year-old Stanley Livingston, heard the commotion next door, grabbed his shotgun and ran over to help. That's when Lane allegedly pointed his gun at Livingston, who fired one shot killing the robber. Fort Worth defense attorney Trey Loftin told CBS 11 News, "We're a gun toting state. We have a lot of John Wayne in our blood. We're gonna shoot first and ask questions later." Loftin says Livingston will most likely not be charged. Randal, who says this morning's robbery was the second in two weeks, is grateful her neighbor was there. "If my neighbor no come, what is gone happen? I might die." According to Fort Worth police Lane was armed with a BB gun rifle during the robbery. State records indicate Lane had an extensive criminal history, including aggravated assault and aggravated robbery."



Arizona: Man shoots, kills robbery suspect in truck: "A Phoenix man shot and killed a suspected robber Thursday, claiming it was a case of self-defense, police said. The man heard his truck start up in his driveway on the 3000 block of West Flynn Lane at around 12:45 a.m. When he went outside with a gun to investigate, he saw his truck had just been stolen and a man was driving away in it, police said. The suspect then made a U-turn and drove toward the man who was standing on the sidewalk, police said. He fired several shots at the suspect in the truck, hitting him fatally, police said. The suspect lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a wall. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Phoenix police detectives are investigating the death and working with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. The man has not been arrested in the shooting, police said."



11 May, 2008

Tennessee: Car Burglar Shot by Vehicle's Owner and Held at Gunpoint: "Memphis Police say a man caught stealing from a car was shot by the owner of the vehicle and held at gunpoint until police arrived. Police say the incident happened around 3:00 a.m., Friday, May 9, 2008, on Parakeet Drive in the Westwood area of Memphis. The owner of the burglarized SUV says he and his wife woke up to the sound of a big crash and his dogs barking. The man went outside to find out what was going on, and discovered a crook dangling from his SUV trying to steal items from inside. According to the vehicle's owner, he repeatedly told the accused car burglar to get out of the SUV. He says he was not able to see the burglar's hands and did not know if the suspect had a weapon, so he shot the crook in the buttocks. Investigators say the man then walked the accused burglar to the front porch of the house and held him there at gunpoint until police and an ambulance arrived. The accused burglar was taken to the Med in non-critical condition. Police say the SUV owner will not be charged.



Georiga teen killed breaking into home: "A 24-year-old man shot and killed a teenage intruder Friday after the youth and some other juveniles tried to break into the his northwest Atlanta home, police said. The shooting occurred around 1:15 p.m. at 1426 Hawkins St., off Chappell Road, police said. The victim was 16 years old, said Lt. Keith Meadows, commander of the Atlanta Police Department homicide unit. His name was not made public Friday afternoon. Meadows said several juveniles tried break in through a back door. They had broken a glass window pane and were trying to kick in the door, said Sgt. Lisa Keyes, a police spokeswoman. It was not clear if the suspects got the door open before the resident, who was home alone, grabbed a handgun from his back bedroom and shot fired at least eight shots, hitting the 16-year-old at least once in the face, Meadows said. Several of the bullets struck the door, police said. The other suspects ran away. Meadows said it appears that the man acted in self defense. His home had been burglarized two other times this week, and detectives were trying to determine if all the burglaries are linked. Meadows also said the teenage boy who was shot might have been arrested recently by Atlanta police on an unrelated burglary charge."



My new normal: "The state of Ohio says that I am now allowed to carry a concealed handgun. The license itself is a little plastic thing, similar to my drivers license. I keep looking at it, somewhat bemused. It bears a photo of me looking grim, some personal information, and a number that I can only assume represents my place in the line of people who have applied and been accepted before me, and those that will come after. Such a simple thing, and yet. ... As we pulled out of the driveway and headed down the street, Mike said, 'There. It's official. You are a now free person, no longer a subject.' I looked over at him and started laughing. I felt my world change. It's a wild feeling -- enormous freedom and enormous responsibility all at once."



Ohio Senate votes to strengthen self defense rights: "Ohioans should have the ability to use force and, if necessary, deadly force to defend themselves and their family against a violent intruder in their home. That belief is the genesis behind an important bill passed by the Senate in recent weeks. Senate Bill 184, legislation I am proud to cosponsor, would establish Ohio's "Castle Doctrine." For centuries, people have respected the idea that a man's home is his castle, and he should have the right to defend it and those inside from harm. This age-old adage has initiated a push for stronger self defense laws in several states over the years, including Ohio. While Ohio recognizes a person's right to self defense, current state law places the criminal and civil burden on a victim, not their attacker, to prove in court that they were truly acting to defend themselves from serious harm. For example, if a burglar wielding a gun breaks into your home and you choose to defend your family by shooting that person, you would be forced to defend your actions in front of a jury. No innocent Ohioan, who has just been through such a traumatic experience, should be put in that difficult position. SB 184 works to eliminate this unfair burden"



10 May, 2008

Utah homeowner was too slow to shoot: "Chad Morley said he found the burglar inside of his home at approximately 9:00 a.m. Thursday after noticing some of his property stacked up by a side door. Morley decided to go inside the house, located near 6000 West Eaton Way, and retrieve his handgun to fend off the intruder. Moments later, the two men started wrestling for control and Morley was eventually shot in the arm. "We both fought over the gun and he hit me in the head," Morley said. "My hands were just completely covered in blood." "We both had a hold of the gun and (he) turned it toward me... and it was so slippery from blood, I couldn't hang on to it," he continued. "Then I saw his finger go to the trigger and... that's when it hit me and knocked me over a loveseat." Morley said he was over at his father's house nearby when the burglar must have entered. Upon returning, and seeing the items stacked near the door, he said it was clear something was wrong. "I knew something was going on. I catch shoplifters for a living, so there's a lot of people that would probably like to know a lot about me," Morley said. "So I always carry my gun with me... constantly, it's right by me." "I didn't waste any time. I just grabbed my gun... I half-cocked it and made sure there was a bullet in the chamber. I was prepared to shoot him," he added. After the struggle, the burglar managed to get away from the home and flee into the neighborhood. He has not yet been captured. Morley received a gunshot wound to the arm and a laceration to his forehead. When asked if he would have handled the situation differently in a do-over, Morley said he probably would have shot first -- and asked questions later".



Florida: Robber fatally shot by jeweller: "About 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, not long after Rozio parked his red Ford Explorer outside St. Moritz Jewelers on Boca Raton's west side, four men screamed up behind him in a silver car, boxing him in. They surrounded the Explorer, smashing out all four windows to get at the jewelry inside, witnesses said. ''He opened up like I have never seen,'' said Greg Sanderson, manager of a nearby Omaha Steaks shop, who watched the shooting through the store's plate-glass windows. ``I couldn't believe it. It sounded like the Wild West out there.'' One of the men staggered from the car and ran west through the parking lot toward St. Andrew's Boulevard, Winter said. Paramedics found the wounded robber bleeding in the car, said Fire Rescue spokesman Frank Correggio. The man was taken to Delray Medical Center, where he died soon after, officials said. The three other men escaped in a silver van, triggering a manhunt. It wasn't clear whether any of them were wounded, or whether they made off with any gold or jewels, police said. Rozio's attorney, Bill Mathewman, said his client will not face charges."



CCRKBA blasts Daley for giving cops machine guns but keeping citizens disarmed: "Anti-gun Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has taken one more step toward turning his city into a police state by planning to give police fully automatic M4 carbines, while still fighting to block the gun rights of citizens not only in Chicago but throughout Illinois, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today."



Scots want to ban airguns: "A summit meeting to discuss Scotland's gun laws has ended with calls for Westminster to take action to deal with the problem of air weapons in Scotland. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said he would be writing to the home secretary pressing for a tightening of the law. Members of the the police, gun control lobby and sport-shooting groups attended the Edinburgh meeting. Mr MacAskill described the current law as "inadequate". Speaking after the summit, which he described as "constructive", Mr MacAskill said he would be seeking to put Scotland forward for pilot schemes with a view to getting tighter controls on air weapons across the whole of the UK. He added: "What is quite clear is that the current legislation we have is inadequate and inappropriate for the 21st Century."



9 May, 2008

Des Moines bar owner shoots and kills robber: "Des Moines police say a would-be robber was shot to death by the owner of a tavern early this morning, and a second robber was seriously injured. Police Sergeant Vince Valdez says officers were called to El Zacatecas Club before three A.M. where a brawl was underway outside a video store next door. Valdez says the bar's owner, Martin Ramirez, was holding down the second man, claiming that man had tried to rob him along with another man who was still in the bar. Officers went inside and found a badly wounded man who had been shot. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. He's identified as 32-year-old Nicomedes Vazquez of Des Moines. The man with whom Ramirez was fighting in the parking lot is identified as 24-year-old Angel Nungaray of Indianola. He was listed in serious condition. It's unclear if Nungaray had also been shot. Ramirez was treated for his injuries and released. As yet, no charges have been filed."



Indiana: Security guard shoots man at convenience store: "Police are investigating an early morning shooting by a security guard at a South Bend convenience store. It happened just after 2:00 Thursday morning at V&K convenience on Lincolnway West just west of downtown. The security guard asked a man to leave and when he wouldn't-police say a fight broke out and the guard shot the man in the leg. The injured man was taken to the hospital. His injuries are not life threatening."



Illinois: Armed resident foils burglary: "Knox County Sheriff's Department deputies are investigating a residential burglary in which the homeowner apprehended a suspect after chasing him with a gun. Police were called to a burglary in progress at 7:43 p.m. Monday to 1350 Knox Road 600E. According to police, the resident was in his basement when he heard a knock at the door. When he got to the main floor, he saw two unidentified men on the rear deck. The resident returned to the basement and retrieved a handgun. The resident went upstairs and found the two men standing inside his home. The suspects fled and the resident followed, eventually firing a warning shot into the ground. One of the suspects stopped while the second suspect continued running. Tyrone L. Thompson, 20, Peoria, was detained by the homeowner until police arrived. Thompson was charged with residential burglary. The second suspect is described as a male with a small build and was last seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt. Police found a kitchen window screen had been cut, allowing entry into the residence"



Feds raid gun store tied to Mexican drug cartels: "Federal agents swooped down on a north Phoenix gun store Tuesday in the biggest weapons bust in years, highlighting Arizona's major role as an arms conduit to violent drug cartels in Mexico. Authorities said the store was a source for at least 650 high-powered weapons, including 250 AK-47 automatic weapons, smuggled to drug cartels for use in the escalating Mexican drug war. That war left 2,500 dead last year, and Arizona weapons were used to assassinate police and battle army squads near the border, authorities said. The raid on X-Caliber Guns on North Cave Creek Road capped an 11-month investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Phoenix Police Department and the Arizona Attorney General's Office. Agents pored over evidence in the store, seized 1,300 weapons and closed down the business. Authorities arrested store owner George Iknadosian, 46, and two brothers, Hugo Miguel Gamez, 26, of Mesa, and Cesar Boroguez-Gamez, 28, of Phoenix, who are suspected of trafficking the weapons. All were booked into a Maricopa County jail."



8 May, 2008

CA: Dentist shot wife in self-defense, police say: "A Lake County dentist acted in self-defense this weekend when he shot and critically wounded his estranged wife, who was coming at him with a pickax, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Department. Chief Deputy Sheriff James Bauman said Dr. Don Johnson, who operates Willow Tree Dental in Lakeport, does not face charges following the shooting of his wife, Margaret Johnson, during an incident at his Kelseyville home late Friday. He said Margaret Johnson was wounded by a single gunshot to her neck and was in stable, but critical, condition at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Bauman said Margaret Johnson was served with a restraining order Friday afternoon, a court order he said Don Johnson had sought "as a result of ongoing troubles with their relationship." He said Johnson's wife had left their Kelseyville home as a result of that order. Don Johnson told investigators that after he had gone to bed, he heard a woman screaming outside the home. He said he reached for a handgun and was calling the Sheriff's Department when he heard the sound of glass breaking at the rear of the house. He said that when investigating the sounds, he saw his wife entering the house armed with a pickax. He told investigators he fired one shot, she fell to the floor and he returned to the telephone to complete his call to deputies."



Colorado robber shot: "A man shot by a security guard while allegedly attempting to rob a Check into Cash store in Aurora this morning was in grave condition, according to Aurora Detective Bob Friel. As of 3 p.m., the suspect was still alive and being treated by doctors at a local hospital, the spokesman said. Friel said Aurora police dispatchers received an alarm from the Check Into Cash shortly after 10 a.m., and officers — who were nearby — arrived at the store within a minute. Friel said the security guard told officers he had spotted the man in the store holding a handgun and believed there was a robbery in progress. Friel said the suspect was shot at least once in the body by the security guard. "We are not sure if the security guard was employed by the business or the shopping center," said Friel. "The security guard has been cooperative" and is currently being interviewed by police at police headquarters. At the time of the incident, there was a clerk in the store. She was not injured, said the police spokesman."



Good ol' gun-free Britain again: "A gunman involved in a dramatic shotgun siege in one of London's most exclusive suburbs is dead after exchanging shots with police. British police say the gunman died after trading fire with officers while holed up in a house in a wealthy west London neighbourhood. Police marksmen laid siege to the house in Markham Square in the affluent area of Chelsea for four hours today after reports of a man firing shots in a house there shortly before 5pm (0200 AEST). Armed police exchanged gunfire several times with the man who later died, a police spokesman said on condition of anonymity in line with force policy. The spokesman said he could not say whether the man was shot dead by officers because an investigation was being opened by Britain's police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission."



Louisiana man in critical condition after shooting: "A Shreveport man remains in critical condition at LSU Hospital in Shreveport this morning after being shot by his estranged wife over the weekend. Gary Young, 34, was shot at least once in the chest on Saturday after he went to the residence in the 5900 block of Candlewood Circle and attempted to drag the woman out of the bed, according to police. The couple began arguing and Frances Young, 33, pulled out a handgun and shot her husband. The woman was questioned by police and released. Police say the couple was separated."



7 May, 2008

Guns Are Back; Dems Are Easy Targets

This type of thing cracks me up. Two democrats with identical records when it comes to guns (ban them!) and identical policy proposals for next year (let states and localities do the dirty work) are bashing each other in the hunt for votes from gun owners. Neither can actually claim to be good when it comes to gun rights--no one would believe them if they tried--so both are trying to cast the other as quite bad.

This never would have happened if the Democratic contest had ended on Super Tuesday. Obama and Clinton are scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for atypical voters--for Democrats, anyways. This is great news for Republicans.

First, Democrats have been hiding from the issue during Bush's presidency. Al Gore's virulently anti-gun primary campaign is partially blamed for his loss and for many down-ticket losses in 2000. Democrats realized that as long as they shut up about guns Republicans couldn't use the issue to bludgeon them. Their lack of support for new gun control measures has been especially useful as many of President Clinton's anti-gun laws expired.

Now that Democrats are ready to talk about guns again, we should be hitting them hard on the issue. Neither Democratic candidate can move all that far to the right on guns--not as long as the primary continues--and McCain should be taking this opportunity to stake out a vocal pro-Second Amendment position. Seriously, it's as simple as a little patriotic music with McCain reading the Second Amendment crosscut with Clinton and Obama saying "Leave it to states to make that decision."

Source




AZ: Store clerk shoots would-be robber : "A man's attempted armed robbery of a central Mesa store was foiled Sunday when the clerk fought back with a Taser, his fists and a handgun, police said. The 30-year-old suspect, shot several times by a clerk at Mesa Mart, 1510 S. Country Club Drive, was listed in critical condition at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn, police spokeswoman Detective Chris Arvayo said. Although the 55-year-old clerk had been assaulted with a pipe, he did not require extensive medical attention... The incident began about 8 a.m., when the suspect entered the store near U.S. 60. He then demanded money while striking the clerk with a pipe.The clerk first used a Taser, but it did not stop the robber. Police said the clerk then shot the suspect."



MN: Suspect in break-in caught by homeowner: "Jon Sokol wasn't trying to be a hero when he confronted a burglary suspect who had brazenly broken through the front door of his home in St. Paul. Sokol, 49, said his adrenaline was flowing as he crept up the stairs, revolver in hand, from the basement bedroom he shares with his wife. ... Sokol said he'd gotten to the second step when he saw somebody cross the room upstairs. 'Oh my, there is somebody in our house,' he thought. 'I grabbed our gun, which we keep for protection,' he said. 'As I stepped around the corner, he hit me ... right between the eyes,' Sokol said. 'And I fired the gun.' 'Down on the ground he went and I insisted, in a not very nice way, that he not move,' he said. 'I held him at gunpoint until the police arrived.'"



Let Americans keep their guns : "Gun control may fit into any equation concerning crime, but it does not, in any form or fashion, have a place in the United States of America. In 1974, Dr. Mark Borinsky, a victim of gun violence, founded the "National Council to Control Handguns." In 2001, it was renamed "The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence." Each year this organization rates each state, with a number grade similar to school grading, from 0 to 100. A "100" would mean that the state has the tightest controls in place and the "0" rating means simply that the state has no gun controls in place."



6 May, 2008

California Man Shoots and Wounds Suspected Burglar: "A 51-year-old Oakland man shot and wounded a suspected burglar who was trying to break into the house he was renting in the 600 block of 59th Street about 8:15 a.m. today, according to Oakland police spokesman Roland Holmgren. Holmgren said the suspect, 31-year-old Nathan Cooper of Oakland, was on parole for previous narcotics convictions and has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and violating his parole. He said Cooper, who lives around the corner from the house where the shooting occurred, suffered a gunshot wound to his chest and was "touch and go" at one point but now is in stable condition at Highland Hospital in Oakland. Holmgren said the man who was living at the house told police he heard noises from the rear of his house and when he went to investigate he saw the silhouette of a man who appeared to be holding a gun. The resident told police that he feared for his life and fired two shots, according to Holmgren. An initial investigation concluded that the 51-year-old man was justified in shooting Cooper and there are no plans to arrest him, Holmgren said."



Ohio: Burglar Shot By Home Owner: "Police in Dayton said a suspected home burglar was shot overnight by the homeowner. The burglary happened around 11 p.m. Tuesday in the 1900 block of Emerson Avenue. Sgt. Scott Lawson said, “At this time, it looks like an aggravated burglary and that the homeowner defended his home. But it is still being investigated.” Officers said the suspect was hit in the neck by a bullet. He was taken to a local hospital and rushed into surgery. At this time, the name and condition of the suspected burglary has not been released."



Arizona homeowner shoots would-be invader: "Two people were rushed to the hospital after a home invasion turned violent in Avondale. According to police, a homeowner thought he heard somebody breaking into his home at 110th Avenue and Washington Street. The man went outside to check it out and reportedly saw at least one armed suspect. That suspect fired at the homeowner. The homeowner returned fire, police said. Both men were hit. The suspect reportedly was critically wounded. The homeowner suffered minor injuries.



LA: Committee approves guns on campus bill: “Legalizing permitted handguns on college campuses took its first major step toward approval Thursday after three hours of debate in a legislative committee.Gun advocates, faculty, students and college police chiefs lined up on all sides of the controversial issue that has arisen in the wake of campus shootings nationwide, including at LSU and Baton Rouge’s Louisiana Technical College.House Bill 199 by Rep. Ernest Wooten, R-Belle Chasse, was approved in an 11-3 vote in the House Criminal Justice Committee. HB199 next moves to debate in the full House.Wooten said allowing more responsible people to legally carry guns would serve as a deterrent to killers and not create the ‘wild, wild west.’”



5 May, 2008

Useless 911

Just read this sh*t below

Gun ban extremists and others who oppose the right of self defense are fond of saying that when a person is in danger, the best thing to do is to call 911 and let the police take care of it. But what happens when you dial 911 and the police tell you to wait...and wait...and wait? One Columbus-area business owner was wise enough to have made his own plans for that very eventuality...

On Thursday, April 17, a drive-thru carryout owner and Concealed Handgun License (CHL)-holder was investigating why his security alarm went off after just having closed up for the night when he was surprised by an intruder who had been hiding in his store. The entire confrontation that followed was caught on tape. As can be seen in the security video the intruder surprised the store owner, who was forced to draw his gun when the intruder advanced toward him.

He ordered the intruder onto his knees, and held him at gunpoint while attempting to dial 911. At that point, the intruder got up and began advancing toward the CHL-holder again. The store owner attempted to keep the intruder from approaching him, and showed admirable restraint as the intruder advanced on him several times. The 911 call begins at that point.

"I've got a gun on a guy that's in my business," the store owner says. "Get the cops here." "Where are you at?" inquires the 911 operator. After the store owner gives his address and the name of his business, he says again "Get 'em here." The operator responds by asking "Why do you have a gun on him?" The store owner calmly explains "because he's in my business after hours."

At this point, the intruder can again be seen approaching the store owner, and moving himself out of the cameras' view. The operator can be heard asking "who is this person?", just as the store owner is heard giving the intruder commands, and the operator asks again, "Who is this person?"

The store owner, preoccupied with the intruder's refusal to comply with his demands, doesn't respond. He can again be heard commanding the intruder to get on the ground as the operator says "Sir you need to talk to me....You need to talk to me...Who is this gentleman that's in your business?...Hello?"

The store owner comes back to the line and says, "Yeah, what can I do for you?"

"You need to talk to me and tell me why do you have a gun to this man's head?" the operator demands, imagining something that never occurred, let alone ever communicated to her by the store owner. The operator continually peppers him with questions for which she already had been told the answers. "Is the business closed? Did he break in?"

The store owner explains again, "Yeah, my business is closed, I was here a half hour. He was hiding in here. I shut the door and then my alarm went off. I come over here and the guy's in my business." "Stay on the line with me," the operator replies. "I have officers en route," she finally informs him, more than one minute into the call.

As the 911 audio and security video shows, the store owner's attention was drawn away from the intruder as he was forced to explain/ defend himself to the 911 operator about why he was holding a man at gun point. Next the operator informs the store owner that "when an officer gets there you have to put the gun down. Do you understand that?" "I understand that," he replies.

"What is your name?" she can be heard saying, at the same time the store owner informs her that "There's two of 'em in here." (The store owner had been told this by the intruder. It turned out to be a lie.) "Are the both on the ground?", the operator inquires. "No. One's in the office, and the other's just standing around right now," he replies. At that point the store owner can again be heard issuing commands to the intruder.

"Do you have a permit for that gun, sir?", she continued, hopefully referring to an Ohio concealed handgun license, since no permit is required to own a handgun in Ohio. "Yes I do," he replied, "and I'm on my own property." "Ok, well, you need to answer my questions and stop being brief to me," she scolds. "What is your name?" The store owner replies with his name.

At the same time the operator is peppering him with questions, the store owner hears a horn honking outside. Thinking the police have arrived and need a way into the building, he can be seen in the video backing toward the locked door. (The honking horn turned out to be the store owner's daughter, coming to see why he had not turned off the alarm. Her car can be seen approaching in the security footage.)

More than two and a half minutes into the 911 call, the intruder took advantage of the situation and long delay in police response and fled out the door as the store owner shouts "Get back here!" After inquiring about the intruder's physical description and direction he fled, the operator again says "We have officers en route. They're still en route."

At the three minute mark, the operator can be heard asking someone to relay the information to county law enforcement (who eventually responded to the call). "Obviously I've got an emergency situation, she says, revealing exactly who she thought was the bad guy in the situation. "I have a gentleman with a guy at gun point."

The store owner can then be seen in the security video searching the business to determine if there was a second intruder. More than a minute after the intruder escaped, and three and a half minutes into the 911 call, the operator explains that the delay is because "you called the Columbus police department so we're having to relay the information to the county if you could stay on the line with me." "I'm here," he replies calmly. "I understand that sir," she retorts. "I'm, ah, we're trying to get the county out there. You called the Columbus police department." "I called 911," the store owner says.

"You've called the Columbus police department. Your cell phone has come to the Columbus police department. We're getting on the phone with county to have them respond sir," the 911 operator answers as the clock on the call passes the four minute mark. "I'm glad there were no shots fired," the store owner calmly observes. "OK, sir, do not be angry with me," the operator replied defensively.

The operator then inquires about the whereabouts of the second intruder, and the store owner replies that he still believes "he's in here somewhere." Finally, more than four and a half minutes into the call, the operator said "I'm going to patch you through to the county. They are en route. I'm gonna transfer you there. You need to stay on the line." "Don't do anything stupid," she concludes, once again treating the store owner as if he was the person she was most concerned about.

At just under five minutes after the store owner called 911, a second vehicle can be seen in the security video pulling up outside the store. The driver a retired deputy who lives close to the store and knows the store owner. He heard the alarm and responded. Another minute later, and nearly six minutes after the 911 call was first placed, a sheriff's deputy's cruiser appears on the security video, and soon after the deputy can be seen clearing the building. Thankfully, there was no second intruder. NBC Columbus (WCMH) posted a video report on the incident on their website entitled "Owner Draws Gun".

Source






FL: Manager recounts shooting in grocery: "I was afraid he was going to keep shooting, but I already had in mind that he wasn't a good shooter," Hernandez said Tuesday. Grant, 73 [above], appeared Tuesday morning before Judge Nancy Perez, who ordered him held without bond while he undergoes a psychiatric examination. Grant was a daily customer who'd never been a problem, said Hernandez, who manages the large supermarket at 1000 36th St. On Monday afternoon, Grant and Hernandez argued after he tried to enter the store through the exit. "I said, 'You know what? Take your business elsewhere,'" Hernandez said. Grant then drew a handgun. Assistant manager Roberto Espinal, behind a side counter, drew his gun. When Grant turned that way, Hernandez pulled his gun. Grant made the first move. He backed out of the store and started firing. One bullet struck the front wall above the doorway, one hit the wall beside the door, and one imbedded in the ceiling over the cash registers. The two managers surrounded Grant as he backed into the parking lot, hid behind a car, and fired a fourth shot. "He said, 'You calling the police?'" I said, 'Hell, yeah I am.'" Hernandez said. "I said, 'Put the gun down. Put the gun down. It's not worth it.' Then he said, 'You're going to beat me up if I put the gun down.' I said, 'I'm not going to beat you up.' " Police then arrived and took Grant away. He was charged with attempted first-degree murder, shooting into an occupied dwelling, aggravated assault with a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm.



The gun thing : "The well-educated, homeschooling, breastfeeding mom at one of the Southern California homeschool park days that we attend, has summed me up as a libertarian. I use the small `l' variety only because I've yet to register as an actual Libertarian: `I like what I've read about Libertarians,' she told me, `but I have a problem with the gun thing.' Uh-oh. `The gun thing' is something that I thought I understood until I met my capital `l' Libertarian husband over ten years ago. `Guns protect us from the government,' he told me, which I thought at the time was a statement made only by anti-government freakish types. I now respect such supposed freakish types much more than I used to."



4 May, 2008

Michigan: Fatal shooting ruled self-defense; other charges filed: "A man accused of shooting another man to death has been cleared of pulling the trigger, but is facing other charges related to the incident. Kenneth Lee Rodriguez, 18, was one of two people shot April 7 in the 100 block of Carrier Street NE. Patrick Batshon, 17, was arrested the next day and told investigators the shooting was in self-defense. He was later released pending further investigation, according to the prosecutor's office. Investigators say Rodriguez another person in the incident, Salko Durmic, 17, agreed to meet Batshon to buy some marijuana from him, and in turn sell him a gun. But it is alleged there was never a gun in the deal, and Durmic and Rodriguez conspired to buy the drugs and then rob Batshon. The prosecutor's office says Durmic and Rodriguez choked and punched Batshon during the robbery. That is when Batshon shot the two men. Rodriguez died and Durmic survived. Now the prosecutor's office says the shooting was in self-defense. But Batshon and Durmic have been arraigned on charges that led up to the shooting. Batshon is facing charges of delivering marijuana"



Minnesota: Gunman shot at liquor store had a prison record: "The armed gunman who was shot and killed with his own gun after he tried to rob a liquor store in Inver Grove Heights was identified Friday as a St. Paul man with a long rap sheet. Dwayne A. Curry, 42, died a few hours after the liquor store manager shot him at Trail Liquors on Thursday morning. Curry demanded cash, the manager grabbed the gun and the two scuffled, authorities said. The manager, Matt Huerta, also was shot. He was reported in good condition Friday morning at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. State records show Curry has served prison time for nine burglary and theft-related felonies since 1986. He served six years for a 1994 armed robbery in Washington County and was released in 2000, records show. He was booked last fall in connection with burglary and stolen property in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Inver Grove Heights police expect to wrap up the case next week and forward it to the Dakota County attorney's office for review, said Lt. Jerry Salmey. He said police have surveillance video from the store that will be reviewed. He said the county attorney could bring charges against Huerta, decline to charge him because he acted in self-defense or ask a grand jury to consider charges. "It looks like self-defense," he said. "This appears to have been a robbery that went terribly bad. Somebody died that didn't have to." He said only the suspect's gun was involved. He said it was fortunate the clerk, who had a minor gunshot wound, didn't get more seriously hurt. "He obviously felt he had to do something, and he did it," Salmey said.



DC: No Federal Charges after cops shoot black teen: "Federal prosecutors said yesterday that no criminal charges will be filed against two off-duty D.C. police officers involved in the fatal shooting of 14-year-old DeOnte Rawlings, saying they concluded that the youth fired the first shots. The U.S. attorney's office and FBI based their findings on gunshot sensor technology, shell casings found at the scene and the accounts provided by police. The gun that DeOnte allegedly fired has yet to be found, authorities said. Authorities spent months trying to reconstruct the chaotic events last Sept. 17 on a Southeast Washington street -- a sequence that began with two off-duty officers venturing out, on their own, to find a stolen minibike. They spotted DeOnte on what one officer said was his bike, confronted him, and the violence unfolded within just six seconds, including a running gun battle that ended with the youth's death, prosecutors said. As many as 12 shots were fired, including three or four aimed toward police by DeOnte, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor said. The investigation found that the officers acted in self-defense, he said. [The kid fired a gun and then it suddenly vanished?? VERY dubious]



A right to reasonable self-defense with an appropriate weapon: "Some time before the end of June, the U.S. Supreme Court is likely to declare that Americans have an individual right to own guns. When the story comes out, the thing to look for is how strongly the court says it. Oral arguments on the case, District of Columbia v. Heller, were heard March 18. The tone of questioning indicated that the court is leaning toward protecting the gun owner. It's the first real gun-rights case since 1939, when a suspected moonshiner challenged the federal law against sawed-off shotguns. The moonshiner had argued that he was protected by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which says: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." In 1939, the court said the moonshiner wasn't protected because his sawed-off shotgun wasn't a militia weapon. It was a dumb answer that has been the last word in American jurisprudence for 69 years - dumb because if militia (National Guard) weapons are protected, then Americans are free to own machine guns. Some of the anti-gun people would say Americans don't have a right to any private weapons. There are places in the world with that policy, and some that have far less gun violence than the United States. But that isn't the issue here. We have the Second Amendment; it is part of our Constitution and is not about to be repealed. The issue is: What does it mean? And it won't do to argue that it is only about serving in the militia. That is what the District of Columbia argued in defense of its ban on handguns, and the court wasn't buying it"



3 May, 2008

U.S. Court Rejects New York Gun Lawsuit

A federal appeals court dismissed New York City's blanket lawsuit against the gun industry on Wednesday, ruling that a relatively new federal law protects gunmakers against third-party litigation. The appellate ruling killed off - once and for all, perhaps - legal efforts by the city to charge gunmakers and distributors with knowingly flooding illicit, underground markets with their weapons. The suit, initially filed in 2000, was debated so much nationally that former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani was even criticized during his presidential campaign for having initially supported it.

In December 2005, Judge Jack B. Weinstein, of United States District Court in Brooklyn, allowed the suit to move forward despite protests by gunmakers like Beretta U.S.A., Browning Arms, Colt Manufacturing, Glock and Smith & Wesson, which pointed to a federal law passed two months earlier in October. That law, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, banned all third-party suits against the gun industry except for those in which a plaintiff could prove that gunmakers had violated other state or federal statutes in their sales and marketing practices.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's administration argued that the gun manufacturers, by failing to monitor retail dealers closely enough, allowed guns to end up in the hands of criminals. As a result, the manufacturers created a "condition that negatively affects the public health or safety," the city said and, thus, violated New York State's public nuisance law. But the Second Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that argument, ruling that the state nuisance law did not constitute a permissible exception under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.

Source




CA: Clerk fatally shoots would-be armed robber: "Los Angeles police say a mini market clerk has shot and killed an armed man who was trying to rob the business. Officers responding to a shooting call Saturday afternoon in the San Fernando Valley found 30-year-old Marvin Sanchez lying on a sidewalk shot to death. Investigators say Sanchez walked into the Del Gaudio mini market, pulled a handgun and demanded money. The male clerk grabbed a handgun and shot Sanchez."



Chicago police to get assault rifles: "Mayor Richard Daley said Saturday Chicago police officers will he armed with high-powered assault rifles when they're on the streets fighting gangs and other criminals. "Many times they're outgunned, to be very frank," Daley said at an event in the Englewood neighborhood. "When they come to a scene, someone has a semi fully-automatic weapon and you have a little pistol, uh, good luck." The city's police officers carry pistols, and Daley suggested they will start carrying "M4 rifles." Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said the department still is working out details about the M4 carbines. .... "We're finding out that the weapons of criminals are getting bigger and bigger, AK47s, all types of different weapons, because they can carry assault weapons, it's not a violation of federal law, and that is a concern for all of us," he said"



SAF hails California high court victory over SF handgun ban: "The California Supreme Court made the right decision in rejecting an appeal by the City of San Francisco that sought to uphold its handgun ban, the Second Amendment Foundation said. SAF was joined in a lawsuit against the handgun ban by the National Rifle Association, Law Enforcement Alliance of America, California Association of Firearms Retailers and San Francisco residents."



2 May, 2008

Kansas burglar greeted by gunfire: "Overland Park police are investigating a business burglary where an employee fired shots at a suspect. But the suspect, who may have been hit, was able to get away. The incident occurred at 10:50 p.m. Tuesday at Ratliff Guttering Company in the 5000 block of Mackey Street. Police said a company employee had been sleeping in an apartment inside the business when he heard a loud crash coming from the garage area. The employee grabbed a 12-gauge shotgun and went to the garage area to investigate. The employee saw the garage door partially open and then saw a man inside near one of the company's trucks. He then fired a shot and heard the man yell. The intruder then ran towards the garage door and the employee fired again. Police found blood on the garage floor but could not find the intruder anywhere. They alerted hospitals and other area law enforcement agencies."



Kentucky man who was shot during attempted break-in dies: Tadarvis Gardner, 22, told police he was home with his girlfriend and brother when he heard someone trying to kick in the front door. Armed with a handgun, Gardner shot through the front door, striking Lobsiger once in his upper body, police said. Gardner called police, saying he'd shot someone trying to break in. Lobsiger, who police said appeared to be unarmed, was lying on the front porch near the home's entrance when police arrived. He was taken to University of Kentucky Hospital, where he died a short time later. Lt. James Curless said Tuesday night that the Fayette commonwealth's attorney has been involved in the investigation, but he declined to discuss the case further. Investigators could be trying to determine whether this case is protected by Kentucky's Senate Bill 38, also known as the castle doctrine or the home-intruder law.



New York: Man shoots bear chasing pet dog: "Rusvinder S. Sandhu, of Route 79, Colesville, shot and wounded a black bear who was chasing his pet dog around 1:18 a.m. Sunday. After he let out his one-year-old Belgian Shepard to go to the bathroom, Sandhu heard incessant barking and upon looking out a sliding door with a flash light he found a medium sized black bear chasing the pet around the backyard, police said. Sandhu retrieved a 7 mm magnum bolt action rifle and fired a single shot striking the bear in the neck and dropping him under a bird feeder, police said. The bear was still alive when Broome County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Mauser arrived, but the animal had to be dispatched with one 12 gauge shotgun slug for safety and humane purposes. Sandhu told Mauser he was unaware bears in his area, but was now was able to figure out why his bird feeder had been knocked out of its location in a tree, according to a police report."



Plan would allow loaded guns in national parks: "The Bush administration formally proposed Wednesday to scrap a longtime ban against bringing loaded weapons into national parks and wildlife areas. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced the beginning of a 60-day public comment period on the proposed update to the nation's gun regulations. Under the plan, an individual could carry a concealed weapon in national parks and wildlife refuges if he or she is authorized to do so on similar state lands in the state where the national park or refuge is located. "The safety and protection of park and refuge visitors remains a top priority for the Department of the Interior," said Kempthorne. "The proposed regulations will incorporate current state laws authorizing the possession of concealed firearms, while continuing to maintain important provisions to ensure visitor safety and resource protection." The announcement wasn't unexpected. Under pressure from Congress, the department said in February that it would review the ban and make a recommendation by the end of April."



1 May, 2008

Texas: Security guard shoots, kills man outside club: "A man is dead after an altercation with a gentlemen's club security guard northwest Houston. The shooting happened just after 1 a.m. on Antoine near Hempstead Road at the Casanova Men's Club. Witnesses said it started when the security guard refused to let in two men who appeared to have been drinking. When the son tried to fight him, the guard sprayed them with pepper spray. The father came over to the guard and started to threaten him, witnesses said. Then the father left, but returned with a gun. The witness said the security guard pulled out his gun and ordered the man to drop his, and when he didn't, the guard fired two shots. Witnesses said he was forced to shoot to protect himself. The victim died at the scene, and Houston police spent the morning interviewing witnesses. Houston police said the guard will not likely face charges, but the case will be referred to the Harris County District Attorney's Office."



Texas: Clerk, Suspect Shot During Robbery: "A clerk traded shots with two men during a robbery at a northwest Harris County convenience store late Monday, KPRC Local 2 reported. Harris County sheriff's deputies said the men held up the clerk at the Phillips 66 station on Veteran's Memorial Drive near West Road at about 11:25 a.m. The men opened fire on the clerk, who was working by himself, investigators said. Deputies said the clerk pulled out a gun and fired back, wounding one of the men several times. The clerk suffered one gunshot wound and was taken to Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital for treatment. He is expected to be OK. The wounded suspect was taken to Ben Taub Hospital in critical condition. Investigators said the second man got away."



Texas homeowner shoots, kills burglary suspect: "Police said a homeowner shot and killed a burglary suspect inside a Northeast Side home this morning. The 18-year-old male suspect was shot about 2:30 a.m. in the 5800 block of Midcrown after a male homeowner noticed the youth inside the man's house. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not been released this morning".



It's About The Second Amendment And Nothing Else: "Levy claims that our right to have firearms locked in our cars in a parking lot is not about the Second Amendment but about the mythical right of corporations to usurp the Constitution and ban guns. But Levy didn't pull it off because we can see the truth. And the price he's asking us to pay for permission to do business with an anti-gun corporation could mean losing our lives - and that price is as clear as the sky is blue. The Legislature passed, and Gov. Charlie Crist signed, a law to preserve the self-defense rights of law-abiding men and women in public parking lots. It reaffirms existing rights that have been jeopardized by politically motivated corporate policies. Big business fought this measure, feigning corporate "private property rights" - a baseless argument considering that business consents to laws that limit property rights. Corporations must abide by civil rights laws, zoning laws, safety inspections and fire codes among others. Laws even dictate the number, size and placement of parking places and mandate space for shopping cart storage in publicly accessible parking lots."