Tuesday, October 31, 2017

TX: Gunfight, Two Men with Shotguns, Homeowner, 1 Shotgun Man Wounded



According to police, two men walked up to the home with shotguns in hand and approached the homeowner and another man on the porch.

The two armed men allegedly started shooting at the men on the porch. Police say the homeowner shot back, hitting one of them.
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SC: Armed Woman Forces Intruder to Flee



The homeowner told deputies she heard her doorbell ring and answered the door on Nope Lane in Lancaster.

That was when the man, who police said is Antonio D. Mackey, 35, of Lancaster, forced his way in leading to a struggle with the victim.

She tried to dial 911, but Mackey took the phone from her hand.

That was when the woman grabbed a pistol, firing a shot at Mackey who ran into the woods.
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WA: Armed Couple Hold Suspected Thieves at Gunpoint



When the man confronted them, Gomez jumped into a pickup stolen in Kennewick, stepped on the gas and appeared to be heading toward him.

The man’s girlfriend shot two or three times at the pickup but Gomez drove off, Brockman said.

The couple held Davis and Sharp at gunpoint until deputies arrived to arrest them.

Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/crime/article181392856.html#storylink=cpy

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NV: Domestic Defense, Woman Shoots, Kills, Man



The 26-year-old female had a relationship with the victim, according to police, and the shooting happened during a physical altercation.

North Las Vegas police said their investigation indicated that the woman shot the man in self-defense.
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PA: York Gun Turn-in "BuyBack" event nets 36 guns


On 28 October, 2017, for two hours, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., there was a gun turn in event in York, Pennsylvania. It did not attract many people. It has been reported that 36 guns were turned in. From ydr.com:
"I have no use for it and I just wanted to get rid of it," he said of the Ruger. Plus, he said, he has two grandchildren and figured turning in the gun was the best way to eliminate any chance they could access the pistol.

That handgun was one of 36 guns York City Police collected over a two-hour period Friday night.
There were at least a dozen long guns. I looked at privately owned pictures of the event that are protected by copyright.

There were about 20 handguns, mostly old revolvers, turned in. At least one Colt revolver and a Smith & Wesson or two were included in the handguns turned in. Their value would have been about $400 to $600 each.  A Ruger MKI .22 was turned in. They are worth about $250.  One of the guns turned in was a starter pistol. I have been unable to identify any of the long guns, other than a single barreled shotgun and a .22 rifle. Some of the long guns appeared to have broken stocks.

100 gift cards had been purchased from The Villa shoe store. The money came from the  York County District Attorney's office.  That would be $5,000 dollars.

It seems a little strange to purchase gift cards from only one store. It is the equivalent of giving a store money.

As only 36 guns were collected, I suspect the other gift cards will be turned back to the shoe store for a refund. The "buyback' was only open for two hours, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

There was a private buyer at the scene. It is unknown if he was able to purchase any firearms.  From yorkdispatch.com:
Stationed next to the firehouse was a man holding a cardboard sign that read, "Consult Me First," in an effort to attract gunowners who might want to get a fairer price than the city's $50.

He said he was not affiliated with any gun shop, but believed some guns were likely worth more than what the city could provide. About halfway through the event, he said he had not yet had anyone stop by.
During the period of the gun turn in, there was a gun show in York, at the York County fairgrounds.  I suspect most of the guns brought in would have sold for $50 or more, cash. Certainly the Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers would have sold for hundreds.  The admission for the gun show was $8.

Gun turn in events tend to be counter productive. They are not really "buy backs" because you cannot "buy back" something that you never owned. The people turning in the guns tend to be older females who inherited the guns. They often turn in guns worth hundreds of dollars for a $50 gift card. They could as easily have taken the gun to the gun show and sold it for hundreds of dollars.

But they do not have the knowledge of how much the guns are worth. They do not take the time to do the online search to find out. If they do, they are the ones who turn in the starter pistols or the older, obsolete revolvers.

I do not know if the lone private purchaser was able to buy any of the firearms that turned up. I wish him luck. Too bad he missed that collectible Colt.

Link to article with numerous examples of private sales at gun turn in events

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch








 



WV: Armed Woman Holds Suspect for Police



ELKVIEW, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Deputies say Charles Thomas was held at gunpoint by the owner of the home he was trying to burglarize Thursday night.

It happened at a home along Frame Road in Elkview. When deputies got to the home Thomas tried to run. Kanahwa County deputies caught him and charged him with breaking and entering.
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IL: Clerk Fires Shot at Robbery Suspect



About 11:10 a.m., a man entered a convenience store in the 700 block of South Western, displayed what appeared to be a weapon and demanded property, according to Chicago Police.

The clerk fired one shot at the suspect, and the man ran away, police said. The clerk was not certain whether or not the man was struck by the bullet.

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SC: Armed Woman Shoots Home Invader



The burglar allegedly demanded money from the women. Walker’s daughter instead grabbed her gun and cocked it, the Herald-Journal reported. When the burglar took off running, the 24-year-old began to shoot.


Spartanburg officers used a K-9 officer to find the burglar. But it was the trail of blood that led them to Jeter, according to Fox Carolina. The station reported Jeter was struck by four rounds in the buttocks.



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FL: Teen Car Burglars Run off By Armed Homeowner



Jesse Giles says he was awake inside his home around 1:00 a.m. when his motion sensitive light went off in the driveway. He grabbed his gun and opened his front door. He saw a teen in his car looking for valuables.

"I just reacted. My first reaction was to protect myself and to make sure if these people were armed, I had my weapon and I could react," said Jesse Giles.
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TX: Good Samaritan Shoots Would Be Carjacker




FORT WORTH, Texas - A Good Samaritan who witnessed a carjacking in Fort Worth took matters into his own hands by shooting the suspect.

The crime happened around 7 a.m. at a gas station in the 3900 block of East Lancaster Avenue. Police said an armed man walked up to Joanna Avalos in the parking lot and demanded her vehicle with her two young kids inside.
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MT: Father Uses .44 Magnum to Shoot Grizzly Bear off Son







On the morning of 24 September, 2017, David Buckallew, 63, and his son, Rory, 35, were hunting black bear.  David was along as an observer. Only Rory carried a rifle, a Remington model 700, semi-customized in the wildcat 6.5mm-06 caliber.  Dave carried a Taurus Tracker stainless steel 4 inch .44 magnum in a Montana Holster shoulder rig made by Norm Schertenleib. Rory carried a Glock model 20 in 10mm.



The morning was cool with a light frost in low spots.  There was little wind. Sunrise was at 7:28 local.  Before 9 am, the men had spotted a black bear and were attempting to get in position for a shot. They were moving through thick cover on the steep side slope east of the Hungry Horse reservoir.

Hungry Horse Reservoir


Then they heard it. A large animal was crashing through the undergrowth. It was moving along the side slope angling up hill, above them. As it came directly above them, about 30 yards away, the could see bushes move. It changed direction and charged down hill at them. Neither man knew what it was. It was coming directly at them. Both men fired a shot in front of the beast in an attempt to divert it or scare it off. David fired his .44 magnum Taurus, Rory his model 700 bolt action Remington rifle.  The animal was only 7-8 yards away, but the cover was so thick, they could not see it.

In a split second, the bear appeared as it slid to a stop only two feet from and just beyond Rory. The bear lunged at Rory, and Rory jammed the barrel of his rifle into its mouth. Then, as the bear jerked aside, he hit the bears head with the barrel.

The bear slapped the rifle aside, sending it spinning out of Rory's hands. As the bear lunged for his face, Rory instinctively blocked with his right arm. The bear grabbed him by the elbow, its nose only inches from Rory's.

 


Dave had closed to within six feet of Rory and the bear. Not wanting to hit Rory, hoping to get the bear to release his son, he shot the bear in the hip.

It worked. The bear dropped Rory and spun toward him. His next round was meant for the bear's shoulder. The situation was dynamic. The 240 grain slug went through the bears neck.

With the bear coming at him, the bear's mouth was within two feet of his .44 Taurus when he fired the last shot. The bullet went alongside the bear's head, into its neck, penetrating the chest cavity.

Dave says he doesn't know if it was the three solid hits with a .44 magnum, or the muzzle blast of the revolver into the bear's face that turned the bear. The bear whirled downslope. It paused momentarily, 15 feet away, looking back. Then it crashed off into the brush.

Dave did not try another shot. He knew he was out of ammunition. He had been taught, 50 years ago, to carry a revolver with an empty chamber under the hammer. In the five shot Taurus, that left him four rounds.

One had been fired to try to turn the downhill charge; the other three went into the bear.

Dave asked Rory "Did it get you?" Rory told him yes, and it hurt.  Dave was relieved not to see any arterial spurting of blood, splintered bones, or a mass of torn meat.

He told Rory his Taurus was empty.

Most people in a deadly fight are not able to count their shots. Dave could, and did. Experienced shooters and hunters are often able to "call their shots", and say where each shot went. Dave told me he informed the Fish, Wildlife and Park (FWP) officers where each shot had connected, and they told him he had been within a couple of inches for all three hits.

Rory handed his father the 10mm Glock to stand guard while he retrieved spare .44 magnum ammunition from Dave's pack.

Dave used American Eagle 240 grain jacketed hollow point cartridges in the revolver.



Rory reloaded the Taurus. They traded pistols, retrieved the rifle, and started back toward their vehicle. They kept their pistols in their hands. The shortest route would have been straight downhill, but they did not know the location of the bear.  To avoid another attack, they headed back a quarter mile along the side slope, then downhill to the road in a more open area. It took them 25 minutes to reach their vehicle.

Dave drove back to Kalispell. As they came into cell phone coverage, they called Rory's wife, Kristine. They told her to call Urgent Care, so they could have Rory's wounds treated. When they got back, Kristine told them Urgent Care said  it would not treat a bear attack victim. Rory would have to go to the hospital. Rory insisted on taking off his hunting shirt. He left it at the house so the hospital staff would not cut it off him in treatment.

At the Kalispell hospital, one of the staff has specialized in treating bear attack victims. He treated Rory. Fortunately, no bones were broken. Dave had shot the bear off of Rory before massive damage was done to his arm. There were a couple of scrapes on Rory's shoulder from the bear's claws. They did not require stitches.



Dave does not know who called FWP. It may have been someone at the hospital. As Rory was being treated, Dave accompanied the FWP officers back to the attack scene.  The FWP helicopter, Two Bear Air, arrived. By this time it was afternoon. The sun had heated the slope, so infrared detectors on the helicopter could not find the bear.

The FWP officers told Dave if he had bear spray, he might have avoided having to shoot the bear. Dave noted the FWP officers were all armed with shotguns and had loaded pistols on their hips. From mt.gov:
FWP would like to remind hunters and recreationists that carrying bear spray is another deterrent option
Dave told me if he had spray and had sprayed the bear, he would have had to spray Rory as well. Then, if the bear turned on him, Rory would have been unable to help. 

It is a reasonable assumption. Tom Sommers was attacked through a cloud of bear spray, three weeks earlier, near the Idaho/Montana/Wyoming border. The bear had him by the head when his friend Dan sprayed the bear again from two feet away. Sommers was blinded by the spray and the blood. When he fired his pistol, he could not see the bear. He missed. Whether it was the spray or the gunshot, the bear left the scene and did not attack Sommers again.

David Buckallew said "I will depend on my .44 magnum."

The bear never vocalized during the attack. Dave said you could hear the loud breath of the bear, but there were no warning growls, or other sounds from the bear.

FWP found the dead bear the next day. It was a 12 year old dry sow. It was not lactating and did not have young cubs. It was about 250 lbs, and in good shape. 250 lbs is a reasonable weight for an adult sow grizzly in the mountains. The bear did not have any tags, or previous history of aggressive encounters with humans. Unprovoked grizzly attacks have been noted throughout the history of grizzly bears.  The current fad is to always assign a human motivation.

Dave and Rory never heard or saw any other bear near them. There is no evidence that any cub, or yearling grizzly, was nearby. The sow's body was found about 50 yards from the attack location.

In the fall, bears feel a tremendous urge to eat and put on weight for the winter hibernation. Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard were killed in an unprovoked grizzly attack in Alaska on October 6th, 2003. They did not have a .44 magnum. Neither survived.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

Monday, October 30, 2017


Is it racist to own a gun?

The academic article below says it is.  To understand what is going on, you need to know what is meant by "symbolic racism".  Basically it means reasoned racism.  Below are the items of the most popular such scale.  Some items are pro-black and some are anti-black:

The Symbolic Racism 2000 Scale

1.   It’s really a matter of some people not trying hard enough; if blacks would only try harder they could be just as well off as whites.       

2.  Irish, Italian, Jewish and many other minorities overcame prejudice and worked their way up.  Blacks should do the same.

3.  Some say that black leaders have been trying to push too fast.  Others feel that they haven’t pushed fast enough.  What do you think?  

4.  How much of the racial tension that exists in the United States today do you think blacks are responsible for creating?                      

5.  How much discrimination against blacks do you feel there is in the United States today, limiting their chances to get ahead?

6.  Generations of slavery and discrimination have created conditions that make it difficult for blacks to work their way out of the lower class.

7.  Over the past few years, blacks have gotten less than they deserve.

8.  Over the past few years, blacks have gotten more economically than they deserve.

SOURCE

So a symbolic racist disapproves of perceived black characteristics.  But a  very prominent characteristic of blacks is their high rate of violent crime -- muggings, home invasions etc.  So a symbolic racist will also be sure to disapprove of black crime.  And if black crime is salient to you, it follows rather easily that you will be more likely to want to defend yourself from it.  And that is the whole of what the article below shows:  People who accept the reality of black crime are more likely to want to defend themselves from it.

But what are we to make of people who are critical of blacks?  Are they being unreasonable?  Leftists would say that they are.  But conservatives would say that Leftists are deliberately blind to black reality. 

The way in which many newspapers refuse to mention the race of a black perpetrator in a crime report certainly does display a policy of deliberate blindness. So a broader interpretation of the finding would be that realists own guns.



Racism, Gun Ownership and Gun Control: Biased Attitudes in US Whites May Influence Policy Decisions

Kerry O’Brien et al.

Abstract

Objective

Racism is related to policies preferences and behaviors that adversely affect blacks and appear related to a fear of blacks (e.g., increased policing, death penalty). This study examined whether racism is also related to gun ownership and opposition to gun controls in US whites.

Method

The most recent data from the American National Election Study, a large representative US sample, was used to test relationships between racism, gun ownership, and opposition to gun control in US whites. Explanatory variables known to be related to gun ownership and gun control opposition (i.e., age, gender, education, income, conservatism, anti-government sentiment, southern vs. other states, political identification) were entered in logistic regression models, along with measures of racism, and the stereotype of blacks as violent. Outcome variables included; having a gun in the home, opposition to bans on handguns in the home, support for permits to carry concealed handguns.

Results

After accounting for all explanatory variables, logistic regressions found that for each 1 point increase in symbolic racism there was a 50% increase in the odds of having a gun at home. After also accounting for having a gun in the home, there was still a 28% increase in support for permits to carry concealed handguns, for each one point increase in symbolic racism. The relationship between symbolic racism and opposition to banning handguns in the home (OR1.27 CI 1.03,1.58) was reduced to non-significant after accounting for having a gun in the home (OR1.17 CI.94,1.46), which likely represents self-interest in retaining property (guns).

Conclusions

Symbolic racism was related to having a gun in the home and opposition to gun control policies in US whites. The findings help explain US whites’ paradoxical attitudes towards gun ownership and gun control. Such attitudes may adversely influence US gun control policy debates and decisions.

SOURCE

Movie Review of "Let There Be Light"



I saw the movie at an afternoon showing at the Harkins Theater in Yuma, Arizona on 28 October, 2017. I knew the movie dealt with theme of a prominent atheist converting to Christianity.

The movie is not an action packed drama, so well loved of Hollywood of late. It deals in personal interrelations and faith.  I suppose you you could say it is a "chick flick". 

The opening scene, where the main protagonist "debates" with a Christian academic, is powerful, because it shows the primary value left to secularists: hedonism.

I suspect many will be able to relate to this scene. I found the film engaging and moving. But I did so because many of the actions connected to my personal history. I was an acting agnostic/atheist for 40 years before I came to Christ.

It is an intensely personal experience.  Most Christians can tell you their story.  I have doubts about the movie resonating with people who have not experienced it.

I found Sean Hannity's limitied time on screen to be well done and believable.

It is a film worth seeing, but it did not keep me on the edge of my seat. Instead, I found tears running from my eyes.

I would like to see Christians support the film, if only to encourage more Christian oriented films. They need not be as openly proselytizing as this film.

I would like to see a movie made of "The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico" by Bernal Diaz.

That would be a guy flick. Dozens of battles, intrigue, cannibalism, and human sacrifice. With Christians, however flawed, triumphing over pagan warriors both brave and cruel. Better ideas were a significant part of the Christian victory.

Maybe Mel Gibson could direct it. 

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
Gun Watch

NY: Governor Cuomo Vetoes Knife Law Reform... Again!


Common knives defined as "gravity knives. The two knives in the lower left corner are original WWII "gravity knives".

On 24 October, 2017, Governor Andrew Cuomo vetoed bill A. 5667A, a reform of New York State's antiquated and misused gravity knife law. The law has been popular with almost everyone in the state but the Governor and those who are profiting off of the suffering caused by the misapplication of current law. Support for the bill came from a number of uncommon allies. The Legal Aid Society and the National Rifle association both supported the bill, as did he Brooklyn Defender Services, the Office of Court Administration, the NAACP, even the New York Times editorial board.

Here is the relevant portion of the bill, which changes the definition of "Gravity Knife" to a knife opened solely by gravity, instead of "or the application of centrifugal force". Nearly all folding knives can be opened by the application of centrifugal force in the hands of a person who practises and perfects the technique. Square brackets, [ ] is old law to be omitted.  From nysenate.gov:
Section 1. Subdivision 5 of section 265.00 of the penal law is amended to read as follows: 
5. "Gravity knife" means any knife which has a blade which is released from the handle or sheath thereof SOLELY by the force of gravity [or the application of centrifugal force] which, when released, is locked in place by means of a button, spring, lever or other device. 
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

The bill passed the New York State Senate 61-1. The vote was originally unanimous. The bill passed the assembly 136-1.

So why did Governor Cuomo veto the bill, in the face of overwhelming support?

From gothamist.com:
"Today's veto of gravity knife reform is a dark mark on our legislative process," challenged Assembly sponsor Dan Quart, a Democrat. "For the second year in a row this legislation was overwhelmingly supported by a broad and diverse coalition. And, for the second year in a row, it was vetoed by one single signature."

"The governor should not pretend as if he cannot solve this problem," added Todd Rathner, Director of Legislative Affairs for Knife Rights, an advocacy group for knife owners and sellers. "In the end Governor Cuomo chose to side with Cy Vance over the citizens of the state of New York."

"For decades, black and brown New Yorkers have been arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated for possessing a basic work knife sold at retail stores across the state," said Legal Aid Society Criminal Practice Attorney-In-Charge Tina Luongo. "Albany had a second chance to right this injustice tonight but failed to enact needed reform."
The answer appears to be that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance loves the bill and the power it gives him. Nearly all the prosecutions under the current statue are in New York City. There are rarely any prosecutions in the rest of New York State. Most of the prosecutions are of minorities, about 86%, according to the Village Voice.

So why doesn't the legislature override the veto of Governor Cuomo? In New York State, the legislative session is from January to June. The bill was not sent to the Governor until October 11th. The legislature is not in session, so no veto is possible.

The bill did not pass the legislature until the very end of the session.

Did the leaders of the legislature pass a broadly popular bill, only to send it to a Governor who had vetoed it last year, with no way to override the veto?

The legislators can claim they voted for a popular bill, giving the Governor full power to veto it. The Governor claims that law enforcement, Mayor Di Blasio, and AG Cyrus Vance all pushed him to veto the bill.

Vance and the NYPD are able to keep on making busts and putting people in jail for possession of common pocket knives. It appears that Vance is no longer pressuring businesses to contribute to Vance' knife education fund. Differed prosecution agreements resulted in 1.9 million dollars going to Vance' office in four years, as of 2010.  From sohojournal.com:
District Attorney Vance’s investigation led many of the sellers, including Home Depot, Eastern Mountain Sports, Paragon Sports, and four others, to enter into deferred prosecution agreements. The agreements require the companies to turn over all profits from the sale of such knives during the past 4-year period, totaling nearly $1.9 million to date, and to finance a campaign to educate the public about illegal knives. In addition, DA Vance announced the appointment of a District Attorney’s Knife Sales Monitor, to ensure compliance of the seven companies with the terms of the deferred prosecution agreements.
1.9 million may seem like chump change in New York City politics, but as they say, a million here and a million there, and it starts adding up.  The village Voice has shed considerable light on the practice. It appears no education program was ever set up, and that over 800,000 dollars remains in an account set up for the purpose, the Voice reported in 2014.

With the overwhelming support for knife law reform in New York State, it will happen. It won't happen while Governor Cuomo, Mayor DiBlasio, and Cyrus Vance are in office.

Another avenue may be Knife Rights long running lawsuit against the gravity knife law as unconstitutionally vague.  The appeal should be heard in the Second Circuit some time in the future.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


Sunday, October 29, 2017

AZ: Man Shoots Tresspasser During Struggle



During the struggle to keep the suspect locked inside the shed, the man’s gun accidentally discharged and he shot the alleged intruder in the leg.

The suspect was allegedly impaired and has warrants out for his arrest, officials confirmed.
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OK: Homeowner Fataly Shoots 1 of 2 Intruders



SAND SPRINGS, Oklahoma -

Police say a Sand Springs man is dead after they say he was shot by a homeowner during a burglary Thursday evening.
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IA: Occupant armed with 9mm Shoots Man Attempting Break-in


SAC CITY | A man allegedly breaking into a Sac City apartment was shot twice by a resident inside Wednesday.

Bendji Joseph, of Fort Dodge, has been charged with burglary and is in stable condition after he was flown to a Sioux City hospital for his gunshot wounds.
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VT: Man Shoots 1 of 3 Burglars


Police responded to Strange Brew Tattoo on Elliot Street on Friday at about 8:20 p.m. after receiving a report that three people had broken into the business. Kenneth Murphy, 59, had called 911 after firing several shots at the burglars, Brattleboro Police Det. Greg Eaton wrote in an affidavit.

More Here

Philadelphia Reforms Unconstitutional Stun Gun Ban



Philadelphia has joined the growing numbers of cities and states that have removed unconstitutional restrictions on stun guns and Tasers, collectively known as electric weapons. The reforms are happening because of two related things. First the Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in the Caetano Second Amendment case from Massachusetts. In the Caetano PER CURIAM decision (pdf), the Court held that:

The Court has held that “the Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding,” District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U. S. 570, 582 (2008), and that this “Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States,” McDonald v.Chicago, 561 U. S. 742, 750 (2010).
Second, civil rights groups such as the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and others have sued the jurisdictions that have illegally banned stun guns for decades.

In the face of a clear, obvious, and unanimous Supreme Court decision, those jurisdictions are changing their laws.  Below is the new law in Philadelphia. The change is in italics. The law passed 16-0 on the 26th of October.  From phila.legistar.com:
§ 10-825. Stun Guns.
(1)
Definitions.
(a)

Stun Gun. Any device which expels or projects a projectile which, upon coming in contact with a person, is capable of inflicting injury or an electric shock to such [person.] person; also known as an electric or electronic incapacitation device.

(2)

Prohibited Conduct.
(a)


No person under eighteen (18) years of age shall own, use, possess, sell or otherwise transfer any "stun gun".


(b)


The parent, legal guardian or other legally responsible adult of any child under the age of eighteen (18) years who violates subsection 10-825(2)(a) shall be in violation of this Section and shall be responsible for payment of any fines assessed against the adult’s minor child.
 Similar bans on stun guns and Tasers have been repealed or reformed in Annapolis, MD; New Orleans, LA; the State of New Jersey; Tacoma, WA; and Westminster, WA.  Lawsuits are ongoing in several other places around the United States.

From the Firearms Policy Coalition:
Later that month, a representative of the City of Philadelphia’s Law Department contacted Mr. Stamboulieh and said that the City was considering its response. Then, in June, the City’s Law Department sent a copy of bill no. 170674 that was filed in response to the demand, which would effectively repeal the ban for adults and narrow the reach of the law to persons under 18 years of age.

“We thank Councilmember Jones for his leadership on this important issue,” said Brandon Combs, president of the Coalition and chairman of the Foundation. “City of Philadelphia residents and visitors can now exercise their Second Amendment right to keep and bear these important arms for self-defense.”
Caetano is an important decision.  In the recent case Kolbe v Hogan, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that semi-automatic rifles are not protected by the Second Amendment because they are "like" military arms. This is directly in opposition to Caetano. The Kolbe v. Hogan case is being appealed to the Supreme Court, but the Court does not have to hear it. The Supreme Court has been reluctant to take Second Amendment cases lately.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch







Saturday, October 28, 2017

AR: Homeowner Holds Escaped Suspect at Gunpoint



According to police, 31-year-old Jonathan Ware, a suspect who escaped police custody and was facing a felony charge of second-degree battery was inside of Smith’s trash can.

Smith immediately called 911 upon discovering Ware and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.

“I told him to stay in the can. Don’t get out,” said Smith.
More Here

Followup TX: Man Shot by Store Owner Indicted by Grand Jury



A 30-year-old man police say was shot during a failed smoke shop robbery attempt in August was indicted Wednesday by a McLennan County grand jury.
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UT: Police Say Fatal Shooting was Self Defense



Ogden police say the fatal shooting of a man over the weekend is being treated as a case of self-defense.

On Saturday, officers responded to the 800 block of 27th Street on a shots fired call about 4:30 p.m. One victim, a man, was found outside and was soon declared deceased. At the time, police announced they were looking for the attacker.
More Here

Followup WI: Third Person Charged in Case Where Resident Shot Burglar



Isaiah Brueggen, 20, was charged Wednesday with burglary as a party to the crime for the Aug. 11 break-in at 417 S. Eighth St.


According to court documents, a resident told police he heard someone kicking in his back door just before 7 a.m. and found a man in his kitchen with a bandanna covering his face. He shot the burglar as he ran out the back door and reported seeing him get into a red Ford Escape.

More Here

.22 LR Prices Below 4 cents a Round



In this screenshot from an online ammunition search engine, you can see that .22 LR ammunition prices have dropped below 4 cents a round in some cases. Federal American Eagle is as low as 3.8 cents per round, the Federal champion 510 round is just under 4 cents a round, and there are several offerings of Aquila Super Extra Standard Velocity from 3.7 cents to 4 cents a round.

The  3.8 cents per round Federal American Eagle ammunition is available at Ammo King. The 3.7 cents per round Aquila Super Extra .22 LR Standard Velocity 40 Gr LRN is at AmmoMen. The Federal 510 Champion .22 Long Rifle Solid 40 Gr LRN high velocity has a 10 box limit at Ammo Fast.

I predicted that LR bulk ammunition would be below 4 cents a round in October, 2017. This verifies the prediction, but all of the above are in 50 round boxs, not bulk packs.  Bulk packs should be cheaper because the packaging for 50 round boxes raises the price a bit. Here is the prediction made on 15 November, 2016, nearly a year ago:

I expect the demand for .22 ammunition to drop when the reality of a Trump administration hits home.  The current protests and riots are not helping.  Nor are the conspiracy theories about a Trump assassination.

After President Trump is safely inaugurated, and starts to move his legislative agenda, demand will drop and prices will fall.
I expect bulk .22 ammunition to be available for 4 cents a round by October of 2017.
Bulk .22 ammunition is becoming available in stores across the nation. Limits have been taken off of purchases in most stores, including WalMart. Prices at Cabela's have remained fairly high. Prices at Academy Sports have dropped a bit.

I have not seen .22 LR prices on the shelf in Yuma, below 4 cents a round. Alert readers around the nation may have noticed lower prices in their area.

 Ammunition manufacturers have ramped up production, increasing .22 production about 20%, from 4 billion rounds a year, to 5 billion rounds a year in the United States. In person in the ammunition industry told me that the delays due to stifling regulations in the United States have delayed the creation of one manufacturing plant for at least five years.

Aguila has increased its productive capacity by about 70 percent in Mexico. They now produce over a billion rounds a year, with about half of that going to the United States.

An increase in new shooters in the United States, and an increase in semi-automatic .22 rifles and pistols has increased the base line demand for .22 LR. When recreational shooters go shooting, they may expend 500 rounds of ammunition instead of 50.

There has been quite a bit of geographic variability through out the .22 ammunition bubble. What has happened in your area? Are people still lining up to purchase all the .22 ammunition on the shelves?

We would like to see what the lowest prices for .22 ammunition are in your area. Where are the best deals? Is .22 ammunition mostly in stock in the stores in your area? Is there any .22 ammunition (on sale counts) at or below 4 cents a round?

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch








Friday, October 27, 2017

Courthouse Storage for Self Defense Guns Filed in Florida



Florida is considering a bill to minimize the restriction on Second Amendment rights at courthouses. From floridapolitics.com:
A measure that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to store firearms with security officers at courthouses was filed Monday in the state House for the 2018 Legislative Session.

The proposal (HB 383) by Rep. Cord Byrd, a Neptune Beach Republican, is identical to a measure (SB 134) filed in August by Senate Judiciary Chairman Greg Steube, a Sarasota Republican.

This year, a version of the bill passed the Senate 19-15, but died in the House.

There have always been practical exceptions to the exercise of the Second Amendment.  Prisoners of war are disarmed. They do not have the rights of citizens of the country.  People who are locked up for crimes are not allowed to have arms. They have forfeited their rights. People are not allowed to bring weapons into prisons. In the Supreme Court decision of Heller, mention is made of "government buildings" and "sensitive areas". Courthouses are a place where arms have been excluded, off and on, for about a hundred and fifty years.

The problem with creating "gun free zones" is that it creates serious obstacles for people who wish to exercise their fundamental right to keep and bear arms. Court houses are particularly problematic. The state may require you to enter them, and require you to leave your personal protective weapons outside. Guns are often stolen from parked vehicles, and courthouse parking lots are a concentrator for criminals.

On the issue of fundamental rights, legislatures are expected to create law that is minimally  disruptive of exercise of the right. In Arizona, we require public buildings that ban the carry of firearms to provide for safe storage of the firearms while the person is disarmed. Mostly, the government entities use lockboxes.

In our government of checks and balances, the three branches of government have limited power over each other. The power of the legislature and executive branch to order the courts to do things in the courthouse is limited.

Requiring the courts to reasonably accommodate the exercise of a fundamental right, such as the right to keep and bear arms, falls within that power.

Florida is not alone in examining this issue. Texas and other states are currently in the middle of a Legislative vs Judicial fight. The Texas Attorney General is in the middle of a lawsuit to require public buildings to allow the exercise of the Second Amendment. The law bans guns in court rooms, but not in the entire building that houses the court.

Wyoming limits gun bans to the courtroom, after a judge attempted to ban guns in the entire courthouse.

These accommodations for people exercising the right to bear arms are a logical response to more people exercising the right.

As of 2017, over 16 million people in the United States have carry permits, 13 states do not require a permit for carrying a weapon openly or concealed.  30 states do not require a permit to openly carry a weapon.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch




CA: Armed Victim Drives Home Invaders from House



As many as eight masked suspects, wielding firearms and stun guns, stormed into a home in the 8000 block of Broadleaf Avenue shortly before 2 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Several victims were physically pinned down and assaulted during the incident, investigators said. At least one victim was pistol-whipped, but none of them was seriously injured.

One of the victims told ABC7 that a family member with a gun opened fire on the intruders, sending them fleeing into the surrounding neighborhood. The suspects remained at large; it was unclear if any of them were struck by gunfire.
More Here

Followup NM: Video of Clerk that Shot Suspect at Circle K



The clerk at that store had her own firearm. She says when he pointed his gun, she pointed hers right back and pulled the trigger. Police lapel footage and 911 calls released Wednesday capture those intense moments immediately after it happened. 

  • Caller: "He came running in the store with a gun drawn and he got shot."
  • Dispatcher: "He got shot?"
  • Caller: "Yes, ma'am. My assistant had a gun."

The video shows police approaching the injured man later identified as 23-year-old Ferron Mendez. Police say Mendez tried to rob the Circle K on Eubank and Candelaria. But when he aimed the gun at clerk Jennifer Wertz, she took action.

More Here

AL: Man who Shot at Suspect Arrested for Bullet Entering Home



Mobile Police have arrested a man accused of shooting at a robbery suspect. The robbery happened one week ago Wednesday night at the Riverside Food Mart on Riverside Drive.

Tyrone Taylor was arrested and charged with firing into an occupied dwelling. Police say Taylor saw the robbery in progress and suspect running away on foot when he fired his gun. The bullet went through a home across the street and hit the family's TV. Fortunately no one was injured inside the home.
More Here

NV: Armed Man Stops Kidnapping



“‘Hey, stop!’ I said, real loud. He turned and looked at me. There was just enough of a delay for the kid to get out of the car. I know he saw the firearm.”

With the boy out of the car and an armed citizen staring him down, the man decided to drive away. Pearson and his still-holstered pistol stopped a kidnapping. Police wouldn’t arrive for 17 minutes.

“If I didn’t have a firearm, I don’t think there’s much I could have done,” Pearson said.

A Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman confirmed many of the details in Pearson’s story, including the date, time and location. Pearson said — and Metro confirmed — that the would-be kidnapper was the boy’s biological father, who didn’t have parental rights or permission to take the child.

This isn’t the first time Pearson has used a firearm to stop a crime.
More Here

Followup GA: Man Killed in Self Defense, 2 wounded



“He produced a gun first and fired a shot,” Dowe said. “The other guy defended himself.”

The man who Lewis accused of shooting him about a year ago returned gunfire, wounding Lewis. Another man was shot in the leg as the two continued to fire their weapons.

Police said Lewis, who was wanted on arrest warrants at the time, wounded both men during the shooting.

Authorities said no charges will be filed against the man who they said killed Lewis in self-defense. He purchased his gun legally and has no criminal history, Dowe added.

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/crime/article180808576.html#storylink=cpy

More Here

"Bump Stock" Overreach




The media frenzy over the mass murder in Las Vegas has died down faster than any other such story I have seen in the last two decades. The push for legislation to ban "bump stocks" has also died down.  It has not stopped.

As expected, the enemies of an armed population are using "bump stocks" as a vehicle for much broader bans. In Illinois, the last state to pass a concealed carry permit law, the Democrats are looking to ban as many as half the guns in Illinois with the broadly worded measure. Nearly all semi-automatic firearms would fit under the wording of the bill. From chicagotribune.com:
“This bill would essentially prohibit, or outlaw, in our rough estimation, 50 percent of the firearms out in Illinois today,” said Todd Vandermyde, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association. “This may be a response to what took place in Las Vegas, but the net result is criminalizing a lot of very common things gun owners do to modify their guns to make them shoot better, to make them shoot more accurately.”

Vandermyde called the legislation an “overreach,” saying Democrats are seeking to take advantage of a tragedy to push through tighter gun controls even as facts surrounding the shooting continue to change.

The bill passed a committee on a 7-5 vote, sending it to the House floor. Republicans voted against it. They favor a competing bill that would only apply the ban to bump stocks, not other devices. That measure, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Wheeler, R-Crystal Lake, has the backing of the Illinois State Rifle Association.
A correspondent in Wisconsin has informed me that normally dependable Second Amendment supporters, such as Wisconsin Representative Sean Duffy, are caught up in the emotional frenzy. From Wisconsin:
At the end of the townhall meeting as Duffy said he needed to bolt, I was given the floor to ask my question. I said, as a knee-jerk reaction to the tragedy of the Los Vegas shooting, we will be seeing an attempt to ban bumpstocks and other accessories. Representative Duffy stopped me right then and said, "I will vote to ban bumpstocks. Automatic weapons have been banned for a long time, nobody should have access to automatic weapons." I replied, That I didn't think he understood the issue, and that it is the laws physics that they are trying to ban. I told him the effect of a number stock could be attained through, many ways that could not all be banned, a piece of stick, a belt loop and many other ways. I stated that the bill is very ambiguous and up for radical interpretation. Congressman Duffy agreed that it is ambiguous,  but again stated he will vote to ban the bumpstocks.  That ended the discussion.
The broad overreach to criminalize as many firearms and firearm accessories as possible needs to be exposed. The San Francisco 49ers are said to have donated $500,000 in an effort to ban bump stocks, silencers, and armor piercing ammunition. Notice that "armor piercing ammunition and silencers had nothing to do with the atrocity in Las Vegas.  From ktvu.com:
Now the 49ers, the SJPOA and the LA Protective League and other major law enforcement unions are coming together calling for new laws around bump stocks-- armor piercing rounds-- and gun silencers.

The police unions say the idea is not to restrict gun owners’ rights-- but to make the community as a whole safer.

For its part, 49ers are pledging $500,000 toward the campaign-- and are working to recruit other NFL teams to sign the pledge. The team and the unions are also working on public service announcements and ways to improve community police relations.
Legislators need to be reminded to be vigilant against including irrelevant items and activities.

Those pushing for a disarmed population always attempt to portray their extreme policies as "common sense".

Las Vegas is the only crime where bump stocks have been used. Armor piercing ammo is a virtual non-factor in crime, and silencers are so seldom used in crime the ATF is considering their deregulation.

This is the typical overreach of those opposed to an armed population.

When they push for too much, they should get nothing.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch



PA: Cheap Gun Opportunity in York, 27 October, 2017


Guns turned in at Cleveland, OH, event in October, 2017

A gun turn in event in York, Pennsylvania delivers an opportunity for brave Second Amendment activists to obtain some nice guns for little money. Their actions would also create a media event to protect Second Amendment Rights.

The event will be held at Fire Station #5, 833 East Market Street, on the 27th of October. The only time given is 6 p.m.  From yorkcity.org:
The City of York and The York County District Attorney’s Office will hold a Gun Buy Back in the City of York on Friday October 27, 2017, 6:00pm, located at York City Fire Department, Station #5 – Goodwill, 833 E. Market Street, York, PA.

In an effort to assist with curbing the sensless gun violence in our community, individuals are encouraged to turn in their guns to the York City Police Department on the date of the event, in exchange for a gift card to The Villa, with no questions asked.
No permit is required to purchase guns in Pennsylvania.

Gift cards of $50 will be given for each gun turned in, no questions asked.
Across the country, communities, police departments and churches are sponsoring gun turn-ins to get "guns off the street". At many of these events, private buyers are showing up, offering cash for the more valuable guns. These private additions to the public turn-in are effective, no doubt, in getting more guns off the street, because they add to the resources that are available to those who want to get rid of guns for something of value, be it a shoe store card or a number of twenty dollar bills.  Resources may be limited. Sources have informed me the Mayor and City Council are appropriating the money for the cards.

You can help make the turn-in in your area more effective by standing on the curb with your "Cash for Guns" sign, or at a folding table, willing to offer more than the gift card for firearms that are more valuable. It would be best if numerous private parties were available, as more good guns could then be transferred into responsible hands.

This action serves many useful purposes. It stretches the turn-in budget so that more guns can be taken off the street. It helps keep fearful widows from being defrauded of most of the market value of the gun they are turning in. It prevents valuable assets from being destroyed by bureaucratic inflexibility. It is a win-win-win situation.

It also dispels the pernicious message that guns are bad and should be destroyed. From fox43.com:

"If there's a guardian, a parent, or grandparent in the house and see a weapon they know is not there's... bring that gun in. No questions will be asked," explained Bracey.

Damien Mabie, a convicted felon, says he doesn't think gift cards will help the gun problems in York.

"If you really want to be able to get rid of these guys, you got to be able to get rid of the people who carry the guns. Giving these people gift cards, little gifts… that's not going to work," said Mabie.
 Academics have long written about the ineffectiveness of these events. Only a few places are still having them. In Washington state, public disarmament activists asked politicians to stop them because they were making the disarmists look bad.  From the Freakonomics" web site:


When it comes to gun buybacks, both the theory and the data could not be clearer in showing that they don’t work. The only guns that get turned in are ones that people put little value on anyway. There is no impact on crime. On the positive side, the “cash for clunkers” program is more attractive than the gun buyback program because, as long as they are being driven, old cars pollute, whereas old guns just sit there.
Having private purchasers show up at these events is cheap activism for Second Amendment supporters.

Link to article with numerous examples of private sales at gun turn in events

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch




 


Thursday, October 26, 2017

CA: Homeowner Shoots Man who Assaulted Him



Detectives said Johnson then armed himself with a 12-gauge shotgun for protection.

The unidentified man then drove his SUV at a high speed up the driveway toward Johnson, his wife and another resident standing near the end of the driveway, detectives said.

The SUV skidded to a stop in a gravel portion of the driveway about 3 feet from where the three were standing, detectives reported. As the driver backed the SUV down the driveway, detectives said, he aimed at Johnson, who in turn fired one round of bird shot, striking the man in his face and neck.
More Here

MD: Off Duty Police Officer Disarms, Shoots, Kills, Suspect



An off-duty Baltimore police officer was awakened Monday morning by an armed burglar inside his city home, wrestled a gun from the man and fatally shot him with it, according to city police.

The officer, who was not hurt, has been placed on administrative leave. The suspect was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Neither was immediately identified.
More Here

Followup NC: no Charges for Connie Wells in Knightdale Shooting

Authorities said Wells was alone inside the office suite when she heard someone banging on the door. She attempted to dial 911, but could not get the call to connect, so she grabbed her revolver.

She then saw Branch moving toward her doorway, and he continued to get closer despite her yelling at him to stop, authorities said.

Wells shot Branch one time, striking him in the neck. Wells has a concealed handgun permit, authorities said.


 More Here

Corps of Engineers Drag out Settlement Proceedings on Exercise of Second Amendment Rights



It has been seven months since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers agreed to settle the two Second Amendment cases before the Ninth and Eleventh Circuits, respectively. The Ninth Circuit case, Elizabeth Nesbitt, et al v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, et al, was sent to mediation, for settlement on March 3rd.  From the washingtonpost.com:

The 9th Circuit case was ready for oral argument on March 6. But on March 2, the Corps filed a request to remove the oral argument from the calendar and to put the case into mediation. The motion explained: “The Army Corps of Engineers is reconsidering the firearms policy challenged in this case, as well as plaintiffs’ requests for permission to carry firearms on Army Corps property. This reconsideration has the potential to fully resolve plaintiffs’ objections.”
The Eleventh Circuit case, GeorgiaCarry.Org, Inc., et al v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, et al, quickly followed on March 7th.

That indicated a Trump administration willingness to reform the Corps of Engineers regulations to allow for the exercise of Second Amendment rights on land managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The way seemed clear for a quick resolution. A U.S. Government defendant in a Constitutional rights case, does not agree to go to mediation on a whim. Not when they have been vigorously fighting the cases for years. I suspect the Corps is finding ways to drag out the mediation process, hoping that the President Trump administration will go away.  Here is what has happened in the Ninth Circuit mediation. The Eleventh Circuit case is still in mediation as well. From unitedstatescourts.org:



There have been six mediation conferences over the last seven months. Settlements can take time to work out.  I hope the Army Corps of Engineers is acting in good faith.  I have seen too many cases where bureaucrats use process to slow down a policy change they do not agree with.

President Trump has had several successes in reversing the Obama administration's use of executive power to extra-constitutionally implement policy. Reforming the blatant refusal of the Army Corps of Engineers to recognize the Second Amendment should be easier. The Army Corps of Engineers is part of the Army.

President Trump has a lot on his plate. President Trump is also the Commander in Chief. The Army Corps of Engineers Commander, Lieutenant General Todd T. Semonite, is a holdover from the Obama administration. He works directly for President Trump.

Requiring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to respect the exercise of Second Amendment rights is something that President Trump can legitimately require. President Trump and General Semonite both took oaths to protect and defend the Constituion of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

This should be a case of the Trump administration using executive power to protect and defend the Constitution. General Semonite should get on board.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch 






Wednesday, October 25, 2017

AR15 used to Shoot 416 lb Feral Hog, Semi-Autos Good Hunting Tools



Opponents of an armed population often make the unfounded claim that AR-15 rifles are unsuitable for hunting. Joe Clowers of Texas shows that America's favorite rifle, some variation of the AR-15, can work very well for hunting feral pigs. From theepochtimes.com:
A Texas man shot a 416-pound boar that he found ripping up his backyard and terrorizing the makeshift deer sanctuary he has on his land.

Joe Clowers, of Union Grove, Texas, said he shot the boar with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. He was fed up with the boar preying on his fawns for the last five years.

The semi-automatic rifle has become common on the hunting grounds all over America. It is the modern sporting rifle. It is extremely versatile, used for target shooting and self defense as well as for hunting.

Feral pigs have become a serious problem in Texas. An estimated four million of them do significant damage to crops and wildlife. They are smart, adaptable, and eat anything and everything. The become nocturnal to avoid hunters. Hunters have adapted by using night vision devices.

The pigs are a big problem in Australia as well. While Australia has banned the possession of semi-automatic rifles for the vast majority of its population, it makes an exception for farmers that have a problem with feral pigs. This Australian farmer waited two years to obtain a special permit for the semi-automatic SKS that accepted 30 round magazines. It worked very well on feral pigs.



In the video below, two Australian pig hunters use semi-automatic rifles to stop the charge of a large crocodile. It shows the versatility of the semi-auto in self defense. The video is well worth watching for only 69 seconds. Put yourself in one of the hunters' boots. Think about operating a manually reloaded gun in those circumstances.



Link to video


Semi-automatic rifles are very well suited to hunting. They are rarely used in crime. FBI statistics show that more people are murdered with blunt instruments than with all rifles, not just semi-automatics. In 2015, 252 people were murdered with all types of rifles, while 437 were murdered with blunt objects.




When people tell you that semi-automatic rifles are not suited for hunting, they do not know what they are talking about. Joe Clowers experience, and the experience of the Australian hunters in the video show just how wrong they are.

Consider how much more suitable semi-automatics are for disabled people, older people, people with arthritis or limited mobility.

Semi-automatics have been used for hunting in America for over a hundred years. The most common rifles purchased in America are semi-automatics, the most popular rifle is some version of the AR15. In spite of those who want a disarmed public, Americans will not be allowing their government to limit their rights to own semi-automatic rifles.

Even the gun-phobic Australian government acknowledges the advantages of semi-automatic rifles for hunting feral pigs.

 ©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch 






IN: Gunfight, Armed Victim and Truck Thief Trade Shots



Police say the victim noticed a thief get into his truck and start to drive away. The victim ran outside and fired several shots at his own truck.

Police believe the suspect returned fire. The shooting shattered the truck’s back windshield and side window, but the suspect still managed to speed away.
More Here

Hannity Knew of Russian Extortion, Bribery: Deep State Floundering



On Sean Hannity's radio program, today, 24 October, 2017, I heard Hannity say he knew of the details of the bribery and extortion associated with the Uranium One scandal a year and a half ago. He kept the secret because he had sworn to do so.

It was well before President Trump was elected. It was after  Donald Trump declared his candidacy. It suggests Donald Trump knew of this before his election.

Update to link to reference:

 From Sean Hannity Show, 24 October, 2017, on Youtube, 16:20 - 17:02:
I have known, for over a year, and have not told you, because I was sworn to secrecy, that there was an informant that had infiltrated this whole case.

I have known about the bribery, and the kickbacks, and the extortion, and the money laundering. and I have known that the FBI knew in 2009 and 2010 that this network was created, infiltration had taken place, and the infiltration was that Vladimir Putin wanted to get into the U.S. Uranium market because as a superpower, that is where he gets his power from.

This implies that President Trump has been three 3-D chess moves ahead of his opponents from the start.

Where would Hannity and Trump obtain such devastating information? Why was it important to keep it secret until now?

It is plausible this was the work of patriots in the intelligence agencies. People who could see the corruption on the inside, but could not see a way to stop it from the inside.

The Republican revolution in the states showed them the possibility of a President who took his oath of office seriously. A president with the fortitude and genius to root out the rot in the deep state.  That President is Donald Trump. A President who would appoint judges who believed the Constitution was the law of the land, not an impediment to a "progressive" future. A President who would push back against subversion of American sovereignty to globalism. It would mean everything for supporters of the Second Amendment.

It does not mean the Trump Presidency was a certainty, or that decisive victory against the deep state was a sure bet.

Poker is a better analogy than chess. Trump had a couple of aces in the hole. He had to keep his opponents in the dark about them, until the play would be decisive. A decisive play could win an enormous political pot to secure the future for the Republic and Constitutional government. 

Hillary Clinton's pushing of the "Russian Collusion" ploy after the election was a gift from heaven. The opposition kept doubling down on every round of bets, while President Trump had two aces in the hole and another pair of aces in his hand.

When was the optimum time to rake in the pot? It would have to be long enough before the mid-terms to give President Trump a decisive majority in 2018. It would include sweeping out establishment, deep state RINOs. That play is happening in slow motion.

More than two weeks before the election of President Trump, I wrote "2056: Looking Backward from a Trump Future".  From the essay:
The balance was tipped by a patriotic and eclectic group of police and federal law enforcement officers, centered in the FBI and the NYPD.  In the following years, thousands of agents and officers claimed to have been involved.  We may never know the numbers for certain.  It appears that less than a hundred were the core group. They understood that the Clinton crime machine and its tentacles had already compromised many in the top levels of government. They had witnessed how the compromised DOJ had been politicized and used to cover-up high level corruption. 
What could they do?  The Fast and Furious scandal showed how little whistle blowers were protected, and how effectively the establishment media was able to spin, deflect, and spike any revelations of misconduct. There had been no punishment for the politicization of the IRS. The lack of punishment showed the essential impotency of the Republican House and Senate. 
Donald Trump became these law officers' last chance to save the Republic. The American Republic was set up to facilitate the bloodless transfer of power. The officers could not act while President Obama was in office.  Their careers would have been destroyed to no effect. If they waited until Hillary was elected, their situation would have been worse.  If any other Republican were elected, the unwritten rules of the American Aristocracy would prevent them from doing anything effective. The Republican would simply be another face of a corrupt establishment. 
Trump offered a revolutionary chance. There was a narrow window of opportunity to stop the Clinton campaign. Expose the Clinton corruption, allow truth to elect an outsider, and the corruption could be rooted out under a Trump administration that had promised to "Drain the Swamp" in Washington, D.C.
 The vision of the future from the essay is looking more likely than ever. Bob Corker is not running for re-election. Jeff Flake just announced that he will not run for re-election.  Senator McCain has severe health problems. He is unlikely to survive to the 2018 election.

The establishment media has spent the last 10 months obsessively discrediting itself in front of the nation. President Trump is repeatedly beating them.

What other aces has President Trump been dealt, now that he is in charge of the casino?

Donald Trump is presiding over a revolution as compelling and potent as the Franklin Roosevelt revolution that moved the United States far from limited government and adherence to the Constitution. It is just beginning. It is early.

The light appearing on the horizon is looking more and more like sunrise, and less and less like an oncoming train.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


















AZ: Senator Jeff Flake Will Not Seek Re-election


Senator Jeff Flake


Wow... Just heard it on Hannity. Flake decides not to run? Looks like Kelly Ward has an excellent chance to win the Senate seat. Kelly is a bona-fide Second Amendment supporter. Flake... well has turned out to be flakey...

From azcentral.com:
Condemning the nastiness of Republican politics in the era of President Donald Trump, Sen. Jeff Flake on Tuesday announced he will serve out the remainder of his term but will not seek re-election in 2018.

The bombshell, which Flake, R-Ariz., intended to detail Tuesday afternoon on the Senate floor, will further roil Republican hopes of keeping the party's 52-seat Senate majority in the midterm elections of Trump's first term, when the president's party historically loses seats in Congress.

It also likely will upend the race for Flake's seat.

So what made Flake decide to throw in the towel. His seat may not have been perfectly safe, but he had a decent chance. Of course, he would have had to spend millions.  He now can keep the money and use it for other campaign causes.

But that is a huge step down from being an actual Senator!

Flake is fairly young. He is only 54 years old. He can likely smell a lot of roses in his remaining years. Maybe he will become a lobbyist.

Did someone dig up some skeletons in Flake's closet?

We may never know.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


Tuesday, October 24, 2017

MI: Ambush Gunfight, Permit Holder Kills 1 of 2 Attackers



Police said two men walked out of a field and began shooting at the men in the cars. A man in the first car, who is a CPL holder, shot and killed one of the shooters, police said.

Police said that if the man had not returned fire, they believe all of the people in the two cars may have been killed.
More Here

TX: Gunfight, Homeowner Killed, Intruder Wounded


The woman looked out the window and saw an unknown vehicle in the driveway so she woke up Robinson who armed himself, police said.

According to Perales' arrest warrant affidavit, Robinson grabbed his 9mm Glock and immediately saw Perales upon opening his bedroom door.

Robinson yelled "Get out of my house," the warrants states. Shots were fired, and Robinson was hit once in the torso, police said.
More Here

FL: Unidentified Man with Bat, Shot, Killed by Homeowner



All initial indicators are leading investigators to believe this was an incident in which the homeowners’ use of force was for the protection of their life and property.

At this time, the deceased adult male has not been identified. This case remains an active, open investigation.
More Here

LA: Victim's Son Shoots Robbery Suspect


After robbing a woman of her purse at gunpoint, one of two armed-robbery suspects was shot to the right leg and left foot by the victim's son in the Dillard area last week, according to New Orleans Police.

Jeremy Davis, 20, was taken to a local hospital for treatment before he was booked into the Orleans Justice Center jail in the armed robbery, police said.
More Here

Monday, October 23, 2017

MS: Stepfather Defends Wife, Self, with .45



Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson said deputies were called to a Highway 6 residence south of Plantersville around 4:45 p.m. where a male came home and confronted his mother and stepfather.


"He had a baseball bat in his hand and assaulted both of them," Johnson said. "At one point, the stepfather was able to get a .45-caliber handgun and shoot the suspect. He was carried to the North Mississippi Medical Center in bad condition."
More Here

NC: Armed Homeowner Fights off Armed Robber



Police responded at about 6:18 a.m. after an intruder broke into a home on Purifoy Street armed with a handgun and demanded money.

The homeowner gave the intruder the money he had on him and a fight began, during which the homeowner got ahold of the handgun and shot at the intruder, police said.
More Here

Followup MI: Domestic Defense, Man Justified in Shooting Girl's Ex



A 26-year-old Ypsilanti man acted in self-defense when he fired a shot that wounded another man's leg and grazed his scrotum during a domestic dispute inside a Canton mobile home, authorities have confirmed.

The shooter was at a Canton woman's home when her ex-boyfriend walked in and began to attack him, prompting him to fire a shot from a handgun, according to police reports.
More Here

IN: Grandfather Opens Fire on Masked Intruders



Surveillance video shows one of them using an ax to break down the door of a barn. A second suspect later appears.

Elliot says when he saw the robbers getting close to another home where his grandson was staying, he grabbed his gun and opened fire.

More Here

New Jersey Caves on Stun Guns: No More Ban



New Jersey is close to dismantling its total ban on stun guns for people who are not government agents. The ban was put in place in 1985.  Stun guns or Tasers, are commonly available to New Jersey Police officers. 138 law enforcement agencies in New Jersey have the devices. From nj1015.com
A total of 138 law enforcement agencies in New Jersey currently have stun guns, or Tasers, on hand, an office spokesman said Wednesday.
The ban was challenged with the Supreme Court unanimous decision in the Caetano case in Massachusetts. On 21 March of 2016, the Supreme Court issued a remarkable and, apparently to the Court, non-controversial decision.  In the Caetano PER CURIAM decision (pdf), the Court held that:

The Court has held that “the Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding,” District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U. S. 570, 582 (2008), and that this “Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States,” McDonald v.Chicago, 561 U. S. 742, 750 (2010).
The decision, which was unanimous, has far reaching implications beyond mere stun guns.  Stun gun bans have already started falling like dominoes. From northjersey.com:
The New Jersey Second Amendment Society, which alongside a state resident sued Attorney General Christopher Porrino on grounds that New Jersey’s ban was unconstitutional, wanted it that way, said Alexander Roubian, the group’s president.

“We were adamant about fighting to make sure there was no permits or permission from the government attached to this,” Roubian said, citing the 2015 murder of a South Jersey woman who was waiting for a firearms permit as reasoning. “We feel this is very important in regard to allowing people to protect themselves.”

The dismantling of New Jersey’s stun gun ban comes six months after Porrino’s office signed a consent order acknowledging that the law violated the Second Amendment. But while gun groups cheer, New Jersey’s law enforcement community is ambivalent about the dismantling of the state’s 32-year law.

We do not know when stun guns will be allowed to be sold in New Jersey. It should be soon. The public comment for the new rules ends today, 22 October, 2017.

At least one online site is claiming that its products are now legal to be sold in New Jersey. From defenseproducts101.com:
TASER guns are now legal for citizen use in the state of New Jersey. New Jersey's attorney general has formally agreed to lift the state's ban on stun guns as part of a legal settlement with a group of gun rights advocates. Click here to read more.
It appears the online retailer may be a bit premature. The rules for sale havn't been released to the public, yet.

But New Jersey, with a strong push from the Second Amendment, the Supreme Court, and the New Jersey Second Amendment Society, is about to get a little more freedom.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


SC: Armed Neighbor Shoots, Kills 1 of 2 Armed Robbery Suspects



GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. —

A neighbor who witnessed a man being robbed at gunpoint grabbed a gun and fired a shot, killing one of the suspects, according to Greenville County Sheriff's Office investigators.

The shooting happened Oct. 12 on Gethsemane Drive.

Investigators said Shane William Standard, 25, Tracie Lewis Mayfield, 32, and Jeffrey Eugene Bradley, 31, went to a home, held a man at gunpoint inside the home and demanded money.

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MN: Permit Holder Arrested on Assault Charges

18-year-old shot in leg, said to be fleeing at the time.

A man who told police he has a permit to carry, later identified as 43-year-old Kevin Martin, was walking with another woman in the area when a group of two men and a 17-year-old possibly surrounded the pair, according to police.

"It just kind of happened all of a sudden," said Courtney Bivens, who saw the entire incident unfold. "There was a little scuffle, so that caught my attention, and when I looked up I saw a guy pull out a weapon."
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MN: Gun Beats Knife; 56-Year-Old Clerk Stops Robbery



A 56-year-old clerk told police that the suspect, armed with a knife, had approached him and demanded money.

The suspect swiped two packs of cigarettes before backing the clerk into a corner and demanding he open the register.

The clerk then drew his own handgun and the suspect fled on foot. Police said the clerk had a concealed carry permit for the weapon.


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