Saturday, October 31, 2009



A good neighbor






AL: Thwarted by gun at laundromat, knife-wielding woman robs Dollar General: "An Irvington woman tried to rob a man at knifepoint Thursday at a south Mobile County laundry facility, only to be chased away when he pulled out a gun, authorities said today. The same woman then went on to rob a dollar store hours later, according to a Mobile County Sheriff's Office news release. Terry Guidry, 40, was arrested on 2 counts of first-degree robbery. Guidry is accused of walking into the M&D Coin Laundry on Bellingrath Road at 10 a.m. armed with a knife and demanding money from a man inside, according to a Mobile Police Department news release. The man then grabbed his pistol and pointed it at the woman, who then fled in a black pickup truck, police said. A couple of hours later, a Dollar General store on Irvington-Bayou La Batre Highway was robbed at knifepoint, according to a Mobile County Sheriff's Office news release. An anonymous tip led authorities to Guidry."


AL: Suspect Killed in Attempted Robbery of Mini Mart: "A fatal shooting occurred Tuesday morning at Yantley Mini Mart, 2410 Highway 10, in Choctaw County, Ala. According to authorities, a suspect attempted to rob the operator of the store around 5:20 a.m. Choctaw County Sheriff James Lovette said the 19-year-old suspect told the owner of the store to "put your hands up, this is a robbery". Lovette said the owner retrieved his pistol and shots were fired by both him and the suspect. The alleged robber died instantly. The owner was not harmed. At this time Sheriff Lovette says his office will not pursue charges against the owner of the store. The name of the robbery suspect was not immediately released pending notification of his family, but the man is from the local area."


FL: Young drunk shot, survives: "The "Stand Your Ground" self-defense law has left one Wesley Chapel couple frustrated and concerned. William and Jeanann Kuch became interested in the 2005 law after a homeowner shot their 23-year-old son in the chest Aug. 1. Their son, also named William, drunkenly wandered up to Gregory Stewart's front door at about 5 a.m. and tried to open it. A short time later, the younger Kuch was on the ground with a bullet wound to the chest. He spent the next month in the hospital recovering. Pasco County Sheriff's Office deputies initially arrested Stewart on an aggravated battery charge, but prosecutors with the Pasco-Pinellas State Attorney's office have declined to prosecute him. Assistant State Attorney Manny Garcia said the investigation determined that Stewart shot Kuch because he believed Kuch presented an imminent danger to him and his family. "It falls under 'Stand Your Ground,'" Garcia said."

Friday, October 30, 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”".

Thursday, October 29, 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.”

Wednesday, October 28, 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.”

Tuesday, October 27, 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.”

Monday, October 26, 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.”

Sunday, October 25, 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."

Saturday, October 24, 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."

Friday, October 23, 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."

Thursday, October 22, 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."

Wednesday, October 21, 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."

Tuesday, October 20, 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.”

Monday, October 19, 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?"

Sunday, October 18, 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."

Saturday, October 17, 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.”


Canadians Complain of U.S. Ammo Hoarding

Canadian gun owners have been complaining about Americans hoarding bullets because of a fear that tougher gun control measures will be implemented by the Obama administration. Demand for ammunition is at unprecedented levels and American manufacturers are having difficulties meeting U.S. and Canadian needs.
According to the National Rifle Association in the U.S., Americans buy about seven billion rounds of ammunition annually. But by September this year, they had purchased nine billion rounds.

Many gun owners fear that the Obama administration will impose new gun laws, or new taxes on ammunition. This has led many to stockpile ammunition.
Canadian hunters gripe about having to go to several stores for ammo but seem to understand the attitude of the Americans, indicating that they too would stock up if the government were planning on making ammo purchases harder. According to champion target shooter Murray Gardner, Canadians are dealing with ammo shortages by rationing.
Gardner said the American hoarders have compounded supply problems created by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, meaning police rounds like 9 millimetre are hard to come by.

The RCMP said it's had delays in its orders, but no shortages. However, Port Coquitlam and District Hunting and Fishing Club range manager Peter Hobot said members have complained to him they're having trouble finding enough to practise with.

"So I'm having them coming on and saying 'I"m having a hard time getting this stuff.' I went to two or three different places before I finally got a couple of boxes."

Gardner said he expects the shortage to ease when panicked U.S. gun owners realize they went off half-cocked about Obama.
Half-cocked about Obama, eh? I don't think so.

Friday, October 16, 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.


New Gun Law - Seattle, Washington

Effective today, guns are prohibited at designated Seattle Parks and Recreation facilities where children and youth are likely to be present. These include playgrounds, community centers, sports fields and courts, swimming pools and beaches, water parks, skateparks, and golf courses.
Anyone who enters one of the posted facilities with a gun will be asked by Parks personnel or Seattle police officers to leave the area. If they refuse, they could be cited or arrested by police for trespassing. [...]

The rule won't go into effect at a specific facility until signs are posted outside notifying people of the gun ban. The signs will be posted in phases -- the first going up Friday -- with all signs in place by Dec. 1.
Mayor Greg Nickels pushed for the ban and stated he believes the city is acting within its power. Second Amendment advocates disagree and have indicated that a lawsuit will be filed to challenge the constitutionality of the ban.

Thursday, October 15, 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”.

Wednesday, October 14, 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.’”

Tuesday, October 13, 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.”

Monday, October 12, 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.”

Sunday, October 11, 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."

Saturday, October 10, 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.”