Friday, November 30, 2012

TX:Deputies: Homeowner shoots burglar caught taking property


HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A northwest Harris County homeowner fought back against two burglars Tuesday night and ended up shooting one of them.

It all happened at a home on Morgensen Drive at Zada Park Lane sometime before 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office said a homeowner came home and noticed an upstairs light was on that wasn’t supposed to be. He went back to his car, got his gun, and headed back to the house.

Deputies said as he was heading inside, the thieves were on the way out with stolen property. That’s when the men tried to take off. One managed to get away, but the other ended up in a scuffle and then was shot by the homeowner.

more here

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Another Shooting May Test Florida Law


MIAMI — In what could become another test of Florida’s broad self-defense law, a software developer charged with killing a Jacksonville teenager said he reached for his gun and fired eight rounds only after he was threatened with a shotgun.

The suspect, Michael Dunn, 45, of Satellite Beach, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder and attempted murder.

Mr. Dunn told his lawyer that the victim, Jordan Davis, 17, who was parked at a convenience store in Jacksonville on Friday night with three other teenagers, pointed a shotgun at him through a partly rolled-down window, threatened to kill him and began to open the door. The shooting occurred after a dispute over loud music coming from the teenagers’ sport utility vehicle.

Mr. Davis, a junior at a Jacksonville high school who had moved from Georgia two years ago to live with his father, died after being shot twice. more here

FL:Lawyer: Murder suspect saw shotgun in teens' SUV


As police returned 45-year-old Michael Dunn from Brevard County to Jacksonville on Tuesday to face murder and other charges in Friday night's shooting of 17-year-old Jordan Davis, his lawyer said Dunn felt threatened and saw a shotgun coming from the SUV he fired into.

"Absolutely he was threatened. He was threatened," Dunn's attorney, Robin Lemonidis, said. "With a firearm. Mr. Dunn is very, very familiar with firearms. He is an avid firearms owner. Has a concealed weapons permit. Had his firearm properly secured and encased in his glove compartment, no rounds in the chamber, and when he started hearing epithets, and I don't think I should say them here, in polite company, epithets that were extraordinarily threatening to him."

She went on to say what her client told her he heard the teens say.

"Uh, 'Kill that mother (expletive),' 'That mother (expletive) is dead,' 'You dead (expletive),'" Lemonidis said of what Dunn heard from the teens. "And he sees that much of a shotgun coming up over the rim of the SUV, which is up higher than his Jetta, and all he sees are heavily tinted front windows that are up and the back windows that are down, and the car has at least four black men in it, and he doesn't know how old anyone is, and he doesn't know anything, but he knows a shotgun when he sees one because he got his first gun as a gift from his grandparents when he was in third grade."

Jacksonville police said Monday there was no gun found in the victim's vehicle.

"I humbly suggest that they may not have looked hard enough, and it certainly would not have been in the vehicle when they looked unless they had stopped it immediately, which I doubt they did," Lemonidis said.

more here

FL:Valrico store clerk grabs gun, fights off robber


A gas station clerk in Valrico thwarted a robbery by grabbing the barrel of an armed robber's gun and pushing him out of the store, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

About 7:10 a.m. Thursday, the gunman entered the Mobil Mart at 2510 Highway 60 E. in Valrico, east of Miller Road, and demanded money from the store clerk, according to the sheriff's office. That's when the clerk grabbed the barrel of the revolver and wrestled with him, eventually pushing him out of the store. The suspect ran south from the store without getting any money.

more here

VA:The Fake Beard Bandit is foiled by a gun-toting store clerk


The Fake Beard Bandit has struck again, although this time he was foiled by a quick-thinking, gun-totin' store clerk.

The man - who has used a fake beard as a disguise in more than 30 robberies in Newport News, Hampton and York County - hit AutoZone in York County recently, but he dropped the cash and ran out the door when the clerk pulled a gun on him.

more here

FBI Crime Stats: You are more likely to be killed by hands and feet than by a shotgun or rifle


The FBI has released their 2007-2011 “Murder Victims by Weapon” report. The results are contradictory to anti-gun industry claims that relaxing the ban on assault weapons will cause more crime.

The report indicates you are more likely to be killed by hands or feet than by a rifle or shotgun.

Since 2007 there has been a 16.2% decline in murders committed with personal weapons which are defined as “hands, fists, feet etc.” The number of murders of this type in 2011 totaled 728.

While gun ownership has dramatically increased since 2007, murders for both the shotgun and rifle categories have seen declines faster than the rate of personal weapons related crime.

The rates of decline for the shotgun and rifle categories are 22.1% and 28.7% respectively. In 2011 there were 356 shotgun murders and 323 rifle murders for a total of 679 murders.

Total murders by hands and feet in 2011 exceed the total number of murders by shotgun and rifle. Does that mean gloves and shoes need regulation because they are concealing deadly weapons? No, but it does mean that there is no need for any further regulation of long arms.Source

MI:Flint homeowner stabs home invasion suspect after being pistol whipped, police say


FLINT, MI -- Police say a home invasion suspect is in good condition after he was stabbed by the homeowner on Monday night.

The incident occurred around 10 p.m. Monday on Waldman Avenue near Grand Traverse. Police said suspects entered the home, fired shots and pistol whipped the homeowner.

The homeowner was able to stab one of the suspects in the stomach and the suspect fled. The suspect is in good condition at Hurley Medical Center, police said.

more here

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

WA:Neighbor pulls gun on angry armed man at 23rd and Alder Thanksgiving morning


A convicted felon was found with a stolen revolver and was arrested early Thursday after a heated dispute at 23rd and Alder.

A woman told police the suspect, who she had never seen before, started pounding on her door shortly before 2:30 a.m. Thanksgiving morning. She looked out the window and saw the suspect and the woman's neighbor arguing, according to police. She then saw the suspect pull a gun on her neighbor.

She then went and got her legal handgun and went outside to confront the suspect. The man tried to leave, but was stopped by another person, who pinned him to the ground. When officers arrived, they saw a woman with a gun and three others standing on the corner. Down the street, a man had the suspect on the ground, hitting him.

Officers drew their weapons and approached the scene. The woman with the gun got on her knees and put her hands on her head. Officers then ran down the street and saw the suspect on the ground. They noticed the revolver in his pocket.

He was arrested and booked under suspicion of possession of a stolen item and gun crimes related to his past felony conviction. He is being held on $25,000 bail.

23rd and Alder has been the scene of several recent crimes, including a drive-by shooting earlier this month and an October arson. Police did not indicate that any of the incidents are related.

Source

“Have Increased Gun Sales Driven Violent Crime Rates Down?”


Backtracking on a search, I came across a newspaper item asking “Have Increased Gun Sales Driven Down Violent Crime Rates.” Of course, that question should be trivial to any modern “reporter.”

Here are the facts about gun control and violent crime; with data traced to official sources. Please click on the graphics for a clearer view.

These days it is almost absurdly easy to look up gun production numbers; crime rates, and crime numbers. Crime numbers and rates started dropping as soon as the State’s started relaxing their gun laws to allow concealed carry, and to allow self defense.

Since the peak of gun control mania in 1991, Americans have purchased more than 150 million new guns – more than thirty million in the last three years alone – and the number of violent crimes reported to the police are down by essentially half. To make matters even more interesting, the annual National Crime Survey reveals the percentage of crimes reported to the police has gone from just over one in four in 1991 to eight in ten in 2011.

So the overall reduction in violent crime is not 48 to 51 percent, it is close to 70 percent. At no cost to the police, to the penal system, or to the State’s legislatures. All that reduction is completely attributable to Americans who were fed up with being victims and did something effective about it.

They purchased the most effective known tool for defending their community, their family, and themselves. Many have become actively engaged in the shooting sports, and have become extremely effective deterrents to those contemplating a criminal lifestyle. While I have no real estimate of the number of young people who have decided not to become career criminals, the drop in the violent crime rates clearly indicate the number is very large.

Stranger

Source

FL:Homeowner pulls gun on neighbor he caught stealing metal, Volusia deputies say


A Volusia County homeowner held his neighbor at gunpoint Monday after catching him stealing metal from his house, a 911 tape released shows.

"I don't plan on shooting him, but if he does something stupid, what else am I supposed to do?" Benton Ledbetter, 59, asked a Sheriff's Office dispatcher.

According to a sheriff's report, Ledbetter was in a camper in his front yard about 11:15 a.m. when he heard noise coming from the back of his home on James Street, near New Smyrna Beach.

He grabbed a gun, walked back and saw Charles Price, 39, with two 5-gallon buckets full of copper wire and two aluminum tennis rackets, the report states.

Ledbetter held Price at gunpoint in Ledbetter's living room until deputies arrived. He said Price caused $10,000 worth of damage to the house when he ripped the wires from the interior walls, the report shows.

more here

ID:If You Buy A Truck From This Idaho Dealership You Also Get A Free Gun


It's a simple equation, really: Truck + gun = awesome. The Mountain Home Auto Ranch in Mountain Home, Idaho capitalized upon this uniquely American math to sell trucks this month with its fourth annual "Buy a Truck, Get a Gun" sale. Who needs 0 percent APR financing?

Unsurprisingly, people have jumped at the opportunity to upgrade their old beater and get a slick new piece in time for hunting season. Mountain Home's sales department staff told us that although they've given away $60,000 worth of guns this year alone, the promotion has been a really great way to boost truck sales.

If you do end up buying a truck and getting a gun, don't worry about some communist tribunal telling you which gun you're going to get with your truck. No sir, this is America, and you can choose whichever weapon strikes your fancy from Cabelas or a similar big box firearms outlet. If you buy a new truck from Mountain Home Auto Ranch, they'll give you up to $400 toward the purchase of a gun. If you decide that a pre-owned vehicle is more your cup of tea, you get $250.

more here

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Move To Make Texas An Open Carry State?


Thanks to a link at The Gun Wire I see there is a move afoot to reverse more than a century of bad policy and make Texas into an open carry state.

Briefly quoting the Dallas Morning News report linked above:

The Legislature passed a law in 1995 allowing Texans to carry handguns concealed under coats, in purses, or in glove compartments. But it’s still against the law to carry pistols where people can see them.

Rep. George Lavender, a Texarkana Republican, wants to change that. When the Legislature convenes in January, he says, he will push for an “open carry” law. His plan is to give the more than 500,000 Texans who hold concealed-weapon licenses the option of carrying holstered pistols out in the open.

Lavender said he finds it ironic that freedom-loving Texas is one of just six states not to allow some form of open carry. The others are Illinois, New York, Arkansas, South Carolina and Florida. An open-carry law went into effect in Oklahoma on Nov. 1.

Since Alta Tejas, Oklahoma, has gone Open Carry the Texas Legislature needs only look across the Red River to see the the streets of Tulsa and Oklahoma City have not been rivers of gore. In fact, except for a certain amount of nervousness and a couple of cases of stupidity in action, things have been relatively peaceful in Indian Territory.

Especially on the Concealed Carry Front, where 24,018 Concealed Carry Licenses were issued, bringing the total number of valid permits to 122,000; while only 40 Licenses were revoked and 145 suspended.

I am sure the “usual suspects,” funded by a few hundred thousands of Bloomberg and the Foundation’s bucks, will vociferously protest. But Texas’ 1995 CCW Permit system has cut violent crime rates by by 48.5 percent, homicide rates by 51.2 percent, and robbery rates by 39.5 percent.

Open Carry is the next logical step in getting violent crime rates back to civilized society numbers. Below 80 per 100,000 population for violent crimes, below 1 per 100,000 for murder rates, and below 30 per 100,000 for robbery rates. Texans should be out in force to support Rep. Lavender’s bill to grant law abiding Texans the right to open carry.

Stranger

Source

Monday, November 26, 2012

KY:Confiscated weapons = Guns for sale


Nearly 15 years after Kentucky passed a law requiring state police to collect guns seized around the state and auction them off to buy equipment for police departments, debate over its impact continues. Attitudes of some critics of the law have changed, though. Police chiefs, once the most vocal in opposition to the move, have warmed to it after it helped raise more than $7 million for bulletproof vests and other equipment for their departments.

Other officials and national gun watchdog groups, however, continue to voice concerns that the program makes available more cheap guns that find their way into the hands of criminals.

Weapons auctioned by Kentucky State Police to licensed gun dealers totaled 3,200 last year and will exceed 4,000 this year. They include a variety of pistols, rifles and shotguns, large-caliber weapons and even an occasional assault weapon like the AR-15 – the same type of weapon the Colorado theater shooter used to injure 58 people and kill 10 last July.

more here

Sunday, November 25, 2012

IL:Quinn clears woman who killed boyfriend in self-defense


CHICAGO -- Among the 81 pre-Thanksgiving clemency requests granted by Gov. Pat Quinn is a Chicago woman who stabbed her boyfriend to death 30 years ago in a killing that the prisoner review board found was in self-defense. Felecia Williams killed her boyfriend, Lonnie Brown, in 1982 during a fight in which he struck her in the throat, choked her and threw a heavy decanter at her, according to documents from the prisoner review board. During the struggle, she ran to the kitchen, grabbed a knife and stabbed Brown as he ran toward her.

more here

TX:Shopper who pulled gun at San Antonio mall within rights, cops say


A shopper who brandished a handgun during a Black Friday scuffle at South Park Mall was within his rights, according to San Antonio police.

Officers were dispatched to the mall's Sears store about 9 p.m. Thursday in response to a call about a shooting, according to an incident report. When they arrived, they detained Jose Alonzo Salame, 33, who was holding a black 9 mm semi-automatic handgun with a black holster.

"We don't see this very often," Officer Matthew Porter said, adding that Salame did not break the law by displaying the weapon. "He was within his rights."

more here

It’s beginning to look a lot like chaos


While there will be the typical reports of “Black Friday” shopping surges on Seattle, Spokane and Portland news broadcasts, it’s not likely anyone will trump the tale out of San Antonio Friday morning, where an armed shopper discouraged a line-jumping thug who pushed and punched his way into a store.

According to the NBC affiliate in Dallas, the unidentified shopper in San Antonio will not be charged after drawing his legally-carried handgun. He had just been punched in the face, and other shoppers at a Sears store were pushed and otherwise harassed by the line-jumper. When the gun came out, the thug ducked for cover behind a refrigerator and then fled.

According to the San Antonio Express News, after several minutes shopping got back to normal. When store security arrived, they told reporters to leave. If you can’t maintain peace and order, at least don’t let the press talk about anarchy.

Santa Claus is coming to town. He'll need a bodyguard.

A Wichita, Kan., convenience store robber made a fatal mistake in the victim selection process Thursday night, according to the Wichita Eagle. Two armed robbers walked in demanding money and only one walked out. The clerk drew a gun and fired, fatally wounding one of the gunmen. The clerk had much to be thankful for last night.

more here

Saturday, November 24, 2012

MO:Mother shoots at burglar


A Newton County man who allegedly tried to break into a home in Ottawa County is in custody after being shot at by the resident, a mother who said she was protecting herself and her three-year-old son.

Nathan Owen Lankford, 34, whose rural Joplin address is listed as being on NN Highway, is being held in the Newton County Jail on charges of a felon in possession of a firearm and driving on a suspended license. Ottawa County has also charged him with first degree burglary. He will be extradited to Oklahoma when the Newton County charges are disposed of.

According to the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department, shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday, Alex Jackson, 24, and her three-year-old son were at home on Cayuga Road, in rural Wyandotte. Jackson told deputies that she was sleeping in bed when she heard the doorbell ring and then a knock at the door. She said she looked out her front window and saw a strange man, later identified as Lankford, standing in the front yard, and a black Chevrolet S-10 pickup parked in front of her house. She said she saw another person, later identified as 23-year-old Jessie Buening, inside the pickup.

more here

AR:Transgendered Man/Woman apprehended during crime


A suspected residential burglary left one transgendered woman in the hospital Wednesday night.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrested Camille Acuff, 29, on suspicion of residential burglary and misdemeanor assault. She remained Thursday in the Washington County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

The Sheriff’s Office said Acuff followed a woman home without lights on. When the woman arrived at her home on Black Oak Addition in Fayetteville, she honked the horn several times to alert her family inside.

The woman’s father came outside and confronted Acuff, who then reached down inside the car, according to a preliminary report from the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office. The father ran inside to retrieve a gun, and the daughter drove off to the side of the house, the report states.

more here

KS:Clerk fataly shoots robber


A robbery of a convenience store along North Broadway ended Thursday evening when a store clerk shot and fatally wounded one of two robbery suspects, Wichita police said.

Shortly after 7 p.m., two armed men entered KC Gas & Groceries store at 1161 N. Broadway, said Sgt. Ron Hunt of the Wichita Police Department. Police got a call about a robbery shortly afterward.

A store clerk fired a gun and shot one of the suspects, Hunt said. The other man ran out.

A police officer arrived minutes later to find a man lying on the floor of the store. The wounded man was taken to Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis, where he was pronounced dead at 7:43 p.m., Hunt said.

more here

Friday, November 23, 2012

Florida Homeowner Forced to Shoot Attacker After Friend is 'Shocked' with Stun Gun, Beaten


A Holly Hill, Florida homeowner was forced to open fire when two men attacked his friend and proceeded to enter the house in an attempted robbery Saturday around 10 p.m. The incident left one of the two men dead and the other on the run.

According to the Daytona Beach News Journal, Kenneth Conley, 53, was eating supper on the front porch of his friend 62-year-old Jerry Stremovihtg's house when two men approached Conley, shocked him with a stun gun and then started beating him with brass knuckles.

Police said that they aren't sure what the motive was for the two men, 35-year-old Sanlee Alan Bennett and 31-year-old Christopher Barsalou, but they think they were aiming to score some painkillers and prescription drugs.

However, the caper seemed to be meticulously planned as the men were equipped with brass knuckles, a knife, a crowbar, a stun gun and were wearing rubber gloves.

They ordered Conley into the house and the three made their way to the bedroom, where Stremovihtg, who apparently heard the commotion, was waiting. Unlike Conley, Stremovihtg wasn’t about to be caught off guard – he had his .38-caliber revolver ready and opened fire on the intruders, striking Bennett in the chest.

WV:Drunk Home Intruder Raids Fridge, Gets Shot


When you hear a bump in the middle of the night, the first thing that comes to mind is a guy in a ski mask nabbing your flatscreen TV. The last thing you think of is some dude in his underwear raiding your fridge.

According to reports, 76-year-old Jack Boggess in Charleston, West Virgina awoke at around 3:30 a.m. to a sound in his house. He immediately phoned 911, and then went to investigate with his gun in tow.

That’s where the homeowner found Darin Lanning in nothing more than a T-shirt and his underwear eating food out of the homeowner’s refrigerator. We’ve heard of getting munchies in the middle of the night, but breaking into a stranger’s home for a snack is a little bit on the crazy side.

The homeowner pointed his gun at the Lanning and ordered him not to move. The homeowner later claimed in the criminal complaint that Lanning moved towards him, so he was forced to shoot the intruder in the shoulder. Boggess recalled the scene, “He came at me. I told him to sit still… Christ, I didn’t want to kill him. I didn’t want to shoot him in the chest, so I shot him in the shoulder.”

more here

OK:Retired Marine Shoots Home Intruder During Break-In


If you’re a thief, there are a couple of warning signs that you should watch out for. A dog bowl and a leash in the front yard would tip you off that you’re probably going to get bitten. A sign that reads, “Trespassers will be shot!” is pretty self-explanatory.

The home of 77-year-old Lloyd McCarty is similarly filled with warning signs. He flies an American flag on the front porch, he has a U.S. Marine Corps patch tacked to the wall, and he also keeps a framed picture of himself in his glory day as a Marine. If the home invader had noticed these clues then maybe he would have picked another house to rob.

According to reports, McCarty heard a knock on his door – a knock so light that it was suspicious -- on Nov. 10. The shrewd veteran retrieved his .32-caliber pistol just in time to encounter the home invader breaking down his front door. With the casual devil-may-care attitude that only a war veteran can have, McCarty said, “He hit (the door) that hard and when he hit it that hard that's when I shot the door. He went to a hollerin' and screamin'. I could hear him going clear down the street hollerin." He added, “Well, maybe I shoulda shot two or three times.”

So, what happened to the would-be thief? He learned the hard way that even 77-year-old Marine veterans still have some fight left. The bullet struck the home intruder in the abdomen, forcing him to flee the scene. Police caught up to the culprit and arrested him.

more here

(OH):Police: Armed intruder shot and killed at Portage Avenue home in Cleveland


CLEVELAND - Third District Police say a male was sleeping on his couch when he heard someone kick open a door.

The resident ran and grabbed a gun.

The suspect kicked open a second door to the home and that's when the resident fatally shot the male suspect.

Cleveland Police arrived at the scene and located the alleged intruder dead in the driveway.

Cleveland's Third District Police Department Captain Romoga said the suspect was armed with a knife.

more here

Thursday, November 22, 2012

FL:Man shoots and kills charging dog in Charlotte County


GULF COVE, Fla. - A man out on a walk Tuesday morning came face to face with two charging dogs in Gulf Coast. He shot and killed one of the dogs.

A witness told deputies he saw the entire incident in the area of Gillot Boulevard and Holton Terrace.

Deputies met with Frank Gross, 63, who lives several blocks away on Flemming Street. He advised he was out for his usual five-mile walk along the same route he takes every day. He said two large Boxer dogs were let out of the home at 5403 Holton Terrace and were not on leashes. Gross said he was across the street and the two dogs came charging towards him. He said he yelled for the dogs to get back, but they kept coming. Fearing for his safety, Gross told deputies he reached into his fanny pack and withdrew a .22 caliber pistol and fired one shot killing one of the dogs; the second dog fled.

more here

WA:Burglar says he was mistreated by his victims


ST. JOHN, Wash. -- An intruder is complaining about the way he was treated after the people whose home he was breaking into tied him up.

47-year-old Michael E McCarthy was booked into the Whitman County Jail early Wednesday on several charges including burglary, assault, mischief, vehicle prowl and theft.

Deputies said they were called to a home in St. John, Wash. around 6:00 a.m. and found McCarthy tied up with zip-ties and lying in the middle of garage floor of the victims’ home.

more here

Our Opponents’ Poor History(gun control)


Our opponents in the gun control movement, when they do try to argue down to the philosophical underpinnings of the gun culture in this country, do little more than display their stunning ignorance of history. I’ll ignore for a moment the utterly false notion that self-defense was never mentioned by any of the founders (Adams mentioned it, several founders carried pistols for self-defense, and it’s mentioned in many state analogues to the 2nd Amendment), and concentrate instead of the notion that militia in the colonial or early republic was anything like the top-down organized instrument of state power that our opponents advocate in their imaginary history of the United States.

A recent publication by Dave Kopel on this very matter was recently published in the American Bar Association’s Administrative and Regulatory Law News (see here if you want the cited version):

Without formal legal authorization, Americans began to form independent militia, outside the traditional chain of command of the royal governors. In Virginia, George Washington and George Mason organized the Fairfax Independent Militia Company. The Fairfax militiamen pledged that “we will, each of us, constantly keep by us” a firelock, six pounds of gunpowder, and twenty pounds of lead. Other independent militia embodied in Virginia along the same model. Independent militia also formed in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maryland, and South Carolina, choosing their own officers.

Private militias? Why that sounds to be a bit “insurrectionist,” don’t you think? But not only do our opponents tell us that the founders never conceived a right based on self-defense, they tell us they never conceived a right to arms based on the right of privately organized militias to toss off the yoke of oppressive government!

The events of April 19 convinced many more Americans to arm themselves and to embody independent militia. A report from New York City observed that “the inhabitants there are arming themselves . . . forming companies, and taking every method to defend our rights. The like spirit prevails in the province of New Jersey, where a large and well disciplined militia are now fit for action.”

In Virginia, Lord Dunmore observed: “Every County is now Arming a Company of men whom they call an independent Company for the avowed purpose of protecting their Committee, and to be employed against Government if occasion require.” North Carolina’s Royal Governor Josiah Martin issued a proclamation outlawing independent militia, but it had little effect.

This sounds a lot less like a top-down, government sanctioned movement, than a bottom up, grassroots rebellion. That is indeed what it was to anyone who is not a fool or self-deluded. I encourage you to read the whole thing. It’s basically a good summary of what you may find in a larger, more detailed book on the subject, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” by David Hackett Fischer. From the book:

As the Lexington militia gathered on the Common, Captain Parker exchanged a few words with each individual. He did so less as their commander than as their neighbor, kinsman, and friend. These sturdy yeomen did not expect to be told what to do by anyone. They were accustomed to judge for themselves. Many were hardworking dairy farmers in a community that was already known as a “milk town” for the Boston market. Their ages ranged from sixteen to sixty-six, but most were mature men in their thirties and forties. They were men of property and independence who served on juries, voted in town meetings, ran the Congregational church, managed their own affairs, and felt beholden to none but the Almighty.

This does not comport with the top-down organization, more similar to the modern National Guard, that our opponents imagine colonial militia were like. It is more akin to that of a modern day volunteer fire department, only in an age where that was everyone’s responsibility, and not just the few who chose to serve. It’s pretty clear there was very little or no official state sanction during the early days of the American Revolution, when most of the fighting was being done by independent militias, controlled more by civil society than by government.

If our opponents chose to argue that our modern society is devoid of the kind of “republican virtue” our founders thought was necessary for a free people, they’d likely find a lot of agreement from our side. We are not the same society, and that is one reason we’ve chosen to argue the self-defense aspects of the right more than the civic aspects of an armed population. It’s also part of the reason this country will probably, from here on out, always have some degree of gun control, the forms of which today were largely alien to the founding period.

So why do many in the gun control movement feel a need to imagine history? I think it is precisely because they are fundamentally uncomfortable with the republican virtues of this country’s founding. They are more at home with the virtue of a Bismarckian state rather than a Lockean republic. They are children of social democratic virtues; of state, central planning, and command economies, which would have been utterly foreign and lamentable to people schooled on Locke, Smith, and Montesquieu. But regardless of the values they cherish, or their pursue, it is simply wrong to project social democratic values on what was a very republican age. It is more honest to insist they are simply old, tired and worn ideas who’s time is up. There was a time when progressives indeed argued that. Perhaps it says something about their relative influence on the culture today that they feel they must couch their foreign ideas in the flag of American republicanism in order to find any appeal among the people.

Source

(CA)People line up to legally make untraceable guns


SAN DIEGO - A long line of people snaked out of a North County machine shop on a recent Sunday. The customers were there to build a gun.

Customers do not get to the machine shop until after they are checked out by Ares Armor in Oceanside. Team 10 promised not to reveal the location of the actual machine shop.

Dmitri Harris runs the Ares Armor store, along with his buddies, some Marine Corps infantry veterans. The shop is busy because more people are finding out about the chance to build your own gun without having to go through any registration or government signups of any kind.

It is possible because of the Gun Control Act of 1968. It reads, "an unlicensed individual may make a firearm," but also says it has to be for personal use and cannot be for sale or distribution. Harris warns that not everyone can build their own gun. Non U.S. citizens, felons or anyone disqualified from gun ownership cannot participate.

Read more about the 1968 law and information from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that clear up any ambiguities here, here and here. Additionally, you can read letters from the ATF here and here.

Team 10 purchased a piece of aluminum and watched as it was turned into a receiver for an AR-15. It can take four or five hours to do this, depending on how busy the shop is. Inside that machine shop is a computer-controlled milling machine that cuts out the aluminum.

More Here

(TX)Robbery victim fights back against suspects


HOUSTON (KTRK) -- One suspected robber is dead and another in the hospital after their intended robbery victim pulled a gun and shot them last night in southwest Houston.

It happened at an apartment complex on Medfield near Dairy Ashford. According to investigators, the suspects robbed the two men and took their car keys. They then reported tried to get the victims to drive them to the ATM to get more money, but their plan was cut short.

One of the victims apparently has a concealed handgun license. He pulled out his pistol and shot at all three suspects. Two were hit, one in the chest and the other in the stomach and legs. The third suspect got away.

more here

Government think tank reports on congressional investigations of DOJ


A copy of a Congressional Research Service report, prepared earlier this month but withheld from the general public, has been obtained by Gun Rights Examiner and posted this afternoon to the Scribd online document sharing library. Titled “Congressional Investigations of the Department of Justice, 1920-2012: History, Law, and Practice,” the report cites a “rich history of congressional investigations from the failed St. Clair expedition in 1792 through Teapot Dome, Watergate, Iran-Contra, Whitewater, and the current ongoing inquiries into Operation Fast and Furious,” which have “established, in law and practice, the nature and contours of congressional prerogatives necessary to maintain the integrity of the legislative role in that constitutional scheme.”

“Absent an executive privilege claim or a statute barring disclosure there appears to be no court precedent imposing a threshold burden on committees to demonstrate a ‘substantial reason to believe wrongdoing occurred’ in order to obtain information,” the report summary advises. “Instead, an inquiring committee need only show that the information sought is within the broad subject matter of its authorized jurisdiction, is in aid of a legitimate legislative function, and is pertinent to the area of concern.”

Of special pertinence to those interested in the civil contempt of Congress case against Attorney General Eric Holder, to be ruled on by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, are the arguments revolving around the invocation of executive privilege. But those wishing to understand how current debate has been shaped will want to not just focus on Fast and Furious, but to see the historical and legal oversight and separation of powers precedents.

More Here

Wednesday, November 21, 2012


Gun Registration in Germany

(Cologne, Germany)
Germany's first national weapons register should be online at the start of next year to provide information about the six million legally-held guns in the country, authorities said on Tuesday.

Until now, keeping track of weapons has been the duty of 551 different local authorities and much of the information was held on paper.

But civil servants in Cologne have been collating and computerising the data since April, and the national database should be live from January 1.

The new database would offer a “considerable improvement to safety in Germany,” said Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich, who has been in charge of the project, which also fulfils EU guidelines that member states should adopt by 2014.
Gun registration accommodates gun confiscation to a greater degree than it improves safety, I contend. Also, thieves wanting to steal guns, or avoid establishments and residences protected by guns, would gleefully make use of an online gun registry displaying the names and addresses of gun owners.

WA:Homeowner shoots at burglary suspect


Shortly after midnight Monday, an Everett homeowner told police he shot at a suspected burglar. The homeowner told police he believed someone was in his detached garage and that when he went out to the garage, he confronted a man inside.

The 62-year-old homeowner said after he spoke to the suspect, he fired a shot at him and struck his neighbor’s van. The suspect fled — it is not known if he is injured.

more here

FL:Homeowner fatally shot attacker, another suspect flees, police say 0


HOLLY HILL, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -

A Palm Beach Gardens man was found dead in front of a Holly Hill home Friday night, and investigators say he is one two suspects that tried to rob the house.

Preliminary reports from Holly Hill Police say Kenneth Conley was eating a meal on the porch of the home when two people pulled up in a car and came toward the residence. Conley tells police the pair began to beat him then used a stun gun on him before ordering him to open the front door.

Once inside,the suspects tried to force their way into a bedroom occupied by the homeowner, Jerry Stremovihtg. According to reports, at least one of the suspects was armed with a knife. Stremovihtg armed himself with a .38 caliber revolver and fired several rounds at the suspects striking one of the suspect at least once. The suspect stumbled outside the home and died in the front yard. The second suspect ran from the residence, got in a car and drove away.

more here

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

MD:Residents scuffle with, stab suspected intruder in Jarrettsville


An intruder was attacked by two residents as he tried to break into their home Monday night in Jarrettsville.

The home invasion was reported around 8:40 p.m. in the 1700 block of Paddock Court on the southeast side of the Route 165 and Jarrettsville Road intersection, Capt. Keith Warner, spokesman for the Harford County Sheriff's Office said.

A black man entered the home through a sliding glass door at the back of the house and went to the basement. Two residents who lived there got into a "scuffle" in the basement with intruder.

more here

US:Range, Ammunition, and Access protection bill before Senate


After several preliminary votes on the Sportsmen’s Act (S.3525), the U.S. Senate has decided it will take a final vote on the measure after Thanksgiving break.

Thus far, the bipartisan bill, which contains all sorts of goodies for gun owners, hunters, shooters and sportsmen (see priority provisions below), has garnered a ton of support from lawmakers.

On Thursday, the Senate advanced the Sportsmen’s Act by an 84-12 preliminary vote, a sign of the bill’s overwhelming popularity.

"Sportsmen and -women across Montana and the nation are calling for responsible decisions that strengthen our outdoor economy and secure our outdoor heritage for future generations," Sen. John Tester, the bill’s lead sponsor, told KFBB News.

"This measure does just that,” Tester continued, “taking good ideas from Republicans and Democrats to protect our hunting and fishing traditions and safeguard our most treasured places. I will keep pushing to get it across the finish line."

Though, the road to ratification is always a tricky one, which is why the National Shooting Sports Foundation along with the National Rifle Association, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance among others, is still urging the public to contact their U.S. Senators and urge them to approve bill.

The number to the U.S. Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121 or you can find more detailed contact information here.

Of the issues that are left to be ironed out include a provision concerning the transportation and importation of polar bear carcasses being stored in Canada due to the ban on trophy imports (as its written now, the act will remove the ban) and when, if passed, the Sportsmen Act will go into effect.

However, it’s expected that these issues will be resolved rather quickly and the Sportsmen Act will take effect in the very near future.

“This is a bill I think that once we get it passed, once we get it to the senate, to the house, to the president's desk, sportsmen will start seeing the advantage of it almost immediately," said Sen. Tester.

The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act — Specifically excludes ammunition and fishing tackle from the Toxic Substances Control Act, preventing unnecessary regulations that could devastate hunting, shooting, conservation funding and the firearm and ammunition industries.

Making Public Lands Public — Requires that the 1.5 percent of annual Land and Water Conservation Fund funding is made available to secure public access to federal public land for hunting, fishing, and other recreational purposes.

Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act — Makes Pittman-Robertson funds available to states for a longer period of time for the creation and maintenance of shooting ranges. The bill encourages federal land agencies to cooperate with state and local authorities to maintain shooting ranges and limits liability for these agencies.

Video here

OK:Concealed Carrier Walks into Robbery Trap, Shoots His Way Out


The Tulsa Police Department got a call from Oklahoma State University Medical Center last Friday night, warning them that two men had shown up with bullet wounds. This was kind of a backwards crime. Usually, police start with a crime and have to figure out where the criminals are. This time, they started with two wounded criminals and had to figure out what crime had been committed.

Police investigated and puzzled out the source of this mysterious double shooting. According to their report, it all started when a woman invited a man back to her room at the Economy Inn, implying that it was his lucky night.

But everything wasn’t as it seemed. The woman, 18-year-old Brittany Sue Carter, was actually part of a scheme intended to rob the unsuspecting man, 28-year-old Jose Cruz. Carter had multiple armed men waiting for the pair in the motel room. As soon as the pair walked in at least one of the suspects drew a gun and demanded money from the unsuspecting mark.

Oh, but wait! Carter wasn’t the only person that night who was hiding something. Cruz was a licensed concealed carrier, and he drew his firearm and opened fire. Police revealed that two of the men had been shot in their “lower extremities.” That’s when the robbery ended. The gun owner fled the scene and later caught up with police.

The woman and the only man who hadn’t been shot, 21-year-old Eric Courtaway, were forced to drive their accomplices to the hospital. The wounds were not serious, though one of the men needed surgery. They’re both incredibly lucky that the wounds weren’t fatal. If he was surrounded by three armed men intent on robbery, the gun owner was fully justified in going for kill shots.

The police are still investigating the men who were shot and have not yet pressed any charges. Femme fatale Brittany Sue Carter, on the other hand, was booked into the Tulsa Jail on Saturday. She has been charged with attempted robbery with a weapon and conspiracy to commit a felony. By the look of things, there’s a good chance that her three accomplices will be joining her shortly.

This story proves how useful it can be to carry a gun with you at all times. This gun owner got caught with his pants down (figuratively speaking of course… he never got a chance to get undressed), but he was still able to make the best out of a bad situation. You know what they say: when life hands you life-threatening lemons, pull out your gun and shoot ‘em.

So, how many gun owners out there carry a weapon on dates? Is that a concealed weapon, or are you just happy to see me?

Pictures at link

OH:Concealed Carrier Accused of Affair Pulls Gun on Attacker


An altercation at a Walmart parking lot in Norwalk, Ohio ended when a man drew his concealed carry handgun on another man who punched him in the face and accused him of having an affair with his wife.

Police said 37-year-old Eric Meade and 29-year-old Zachary Crumrine were both shopping at the department store on Monday afternoon. Meade spotted Crumrine pushing his shopping cart out the exit of the building and then confronted him, accused him of sleeping with his wife and proceeded to punch him in the nose, according to the Norwalk Reflector. Meade continued to attack him and apparently did enough damage to cause Crumrine's nose to bleed.

During the attack, however, Crumrine drew his .40-caliber Kimber pistol (probably one of their many 1911s (as that's mostly the style of handgun the company makes)) and pointed it at Meade with the intention of preventing further attack, Norwalk Police Chief Dave Light told the newspaper.

According to another report, being at the business end of a handgun didn't stop Meade from further attacking Crumrine. It wasn't until a group of Walmart employees came out to witness the assault in progress for both Meade and Crumrine to calm down. Meade stopped hitting Crumrine, and Crumrine put away his gun.

Police arrived shortly after and arrested Meade, charging him with assault and a first-degree misdemeanor, which he later pleaded not guilty to. His trial is scheduled for Dec. 4 and if convicted faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 maximum fine.

You may be wondering, though, why didn't Crumrine shoot his attacker? Certainly this was an incredibly dramatic situation. You have a jealous husband, a supposedly cheating wife, and a possible homewrecker. Perhaps Crumrine was sleeping with Meade's wife, which was never actually said by authorities, and he couldn't shoot him because he felt guilty. Or maybe Crumrine saw Meade as off-his-meds and didn't see the situation as life-threatening.

The only answer we have, however, is, as Light told the Reflector, "[The pistol] was loaded, but no round was in the chamber itself."

Crumrine, who has a CCW permit, won't be charged with a crime, Light told the newspaper. "He did not break any law. By pulling the gun, he did exactly what the concealed carry law is for -- defending yourself," Light said. "We reviewed the [Walmart] video and that's consistent with what Crumrine said."

"I don't know if this guy [Meade] would have stopped hitting him if he hadn't pulled the gun on him," he added.

Pictures at link

FL:Defensive Gun Use of the Day: Knife…Gunfight…You Know the Rest Edition


Come on, how many times does it have to be said? Austin Lee Harvey (no really) and a pal, Justin Slivinski, tried to stick up a guy using an ATM from his car Friday night in Fern Park just north of Orlando. But while the two yoots brought knives, the motorist had…well, you guessed it. From cfnews13.com: “The man, armed with a gun, shot at them and hit the other suspect, 24-year-old Justin Slivinski. Slivinski was taken to Florida Hospital Altamonte where he was pronounced dead.” So that’s one inmate the people of Florida won’t have to pay to support. Harvey, though, managed to dodge the incoming fire, but now resides in the John E. Polk Correctional Facility. While the victim won’t be charged, Harvey has a few court dates ahead of him. He’s facing attempted armed robbery and murder charges (since his buddy was killed during the crime). Good luck with all of that, Austin.

Picture at link

Monday, November 19, 2012

PA:Autopsy Identifies Man Shot And Killed After Trying To Rob Beer Store


A man attempted to rob a Beer For Less store in Millcreek is identified

Coroner Lyell Cook tells us Patrick Atkins, 21 years old, was pronounced dead at Hamot yesterday just before 9 pm. Cook says he died of a single gun shot wound to the chest, and Cook ruled it a homicide.

The shooting happened just after 8 tonight at the Presque Isle Beer For Less store at 2756 West 12th Street.

Atkins reportedly walked into the store with a small handgun in an apparent attempt to rob the store.

The clerk in the store was armed with a handgun and shot the suspect three times.

more here

OH:Homeowner, Suspect Exchange Gunfire During Home Invasion, CPD Says


COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Columbus police officers are searching for the suspect in a north Columbus home invasion Friday night.

Officers were called to a home in the 2000 block of Rankin Avenue at about 9:40 p.m. Friday on a report of a home invasion and shots fired.

According to Columbus police, the suspect made entry into the home through a side door. The victim heard the noise and grabbed his handgun confronted the intruder in the kitchen. The suspect was also armed with a gun. The homeowner and intruder exchanged gunfire.

Several shots were fired and then the suspect fled from the home in an unknown direction, according to police.

more here

WA:Neighbor with Shotgun Defends Couple from Home Intruder


If good fences make good neighbors, then good shotguns make for excellent neighbors. A concerned citizen with a shotgun defended his elderly neighbors from a home intruder early Wednesday night in Spokane, Washington.

According to the Spokane Police Department news release, police received a call that a man was attempting to kick down the door of a home around 10 p.m. The intruder, 23-year-old Kenneth D. Hammon, managed to break down the door and that's when things went from bad to worse. Hammon began assaulting the elderly couple that lived there until one of the elderly male was able to force him out of the house. The fight continued on the front lawn, with the man and Hammon duking it out.

Fortunately, the commotion drew the attention of a neighbor, who quickly grabbed his shotgun and rushed to the elderly man’s aid. Hammon wisely backed down once he had a shotgun pointed at him and the neighbor kept him at gunpoint until the police showed up. Police promptly arrested and charged him with First Burglary Degree Burglary and two counts of Second Degree Assault.

more here

TN:Homeowner Kills Teen In Defense During Home Invasion


(Memphis) Memphis Police say a 16-year-old teenager is dead, one is in custody and one on the loose after a home invasion in Memphis.

Police were called to the 4900 block of Copper Valley around 11am Friday.

Police say the homeowner was standing in the door with a shotgun and explained what happened to police.

A 16-year-old who was involved in the home invasion was taken to The MED and later died.

Two other people, Cory Burford, 20, and a 14-year-old were charged with Aggravated Burglary.

more here

Sunday, November 18, 2012

CA:Van Nuys man walking his dog shoots at would-be robbers, say police


VAN NUYS - A man confronted by two would-be masked robbers while he walked his dog in Van NuysThursday night fired shots at the suspects, who ran off, police said.

The victim said he was walking his dog near his home in the 6700 block of Noble Avenue, near Vanowen Street, around 9:15 p.m. when he was confronted outside his house by two men wearing ski masks, said Lt. Abel Parga of the Van Nuys Station.

more here

KY:Homeowner protects himself during attempted robbery


One Magoffin County man could face burglary charges after police say he stole from someone's home and then allegedly fired a gun at the homeowner.

The Magoffin County Sheriff says Douglas Caldwell broke into Harlan Rowe's home in Salyersville on Thursday night and tried to steal several different things.

Shelia Balesdrieri, who also lives in Rowe’s home, says things turned violent when the suspect started running away.

Balesdrieri says the suspect got halfway down the gravel travel when he started firing a gun in their direction.

But Harlan Rowe was also armed.

“Harlan ran in the house and got his gun and I think its right to protect your family and house and everything you've got,” said Balesdrieri.

One of Rowe's bullets ended up hitting Caldwell in the leg and he still got away---but not for long.

Officials with the Magoffin County Sheriff’s Office quickly located Caldwell and took him to the hospital for his injured.

more here

WA:What should a woman do when a man exposes himself?


You’re a mom on an evening walk with your 6-year-old son and you are suddenly approached “aggressively” by a man who exposes himself and then suggests that you stand there and watch what’s next, so what do you do?

In Longview, a Clark County community near Vancouver along the I-5 corridor, you reach into your pocket, pull out your Ruger .380 ACP semiautomatic, and tell the fellow rather bluntly, “You need to leave or I’ll shoot you. I’m going to blow your brains out.”

The fellow left, with the woman’s Norwegian Behund Hound hot on his heels. According to the Longview Daily News, the unidentified woman hadn’t carried her gun in the past to the park, but this time around she brought it along because it was foggy and dark, and she “just had a feeling.”

KVI’s John Carlson had quite a chat about this incident Friday morning with Portland’s Lars Larson, the syndicated conservative talk host who has latched onto this story due to its proximity. The incident happened at Lake Sacajawea near the Martin Dock, and the sleazebag who apparently did this may just be a known sex offender.

The Ruger LCP is a marvelous little pistol, introduced a few years ago to a very receptive public. It was unveiled at the annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas and before the show was finished, a Ruger official tipped me off that retail orders had been placed for literally every one of the little pistols the company could manufacture that year.

Ken Jorgensen, the company’s veteran public relations go-to guy, confirmed to Examiner that the LCP “has been one of the most popular models ever introduced by Ruger.” It is flat, compact, lightweight and small enough to comfortably fit the hands of most women, who just happen to be the fastest-growing segment of the gun-owning public.

More here

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Texas A&M student senate approves concealed handgun bill


Texas A&M student senators want handguns in classrooms, and with a little help from the Legislature, they might soon get their wish.

The student senate voted 38-19 Wednesday to ask A&M university officials and state lawmakers to permit concealed carry license holders to bring handguns inside university buildings, said Rusty Thompson, interim director of Student Activities.

Student Body President John Claybrook said he has not decided whether to sign or veto the senate's recommendation but wants to have a decision by Monday.

The student senate's "Texas A&M Personal Protection Bill," reads, in part: "Seeing a need for self-preservation against criminals, rapists and mentally unstable persons, we seek change in state law and Texas A&M University policy."

The students' concerns could make their way to Austin, where lawmakers have tried for years to pass the pro-gun measure through the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Texas Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, plans to introduce legislation next session to decriminalize concealed weapons on campus, according to his chief of staff, Ben Stratmann. Similar legislation has failed in the past two sessions, but proponents are hopeful that 2013 is the year concealed carry is allowed on campus.

Texas is one of 21 states that ban concealed weapons on campus. It's a felony under state law. Five states have provisions that allow concealed carry on campus: Colorado, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin, and legislation is pending in two states.

In Texas, concealed weapons are only banned in university buildings or arenas, and can be carried in open areas, walkways and parking lots. The Texas Penal Code allows individual universities to permit concealed weapons, but no public university in the state has done so.

Additionally, the A&M student conduct code prohibits possession of all firearms on university premises or at any university-sponsored activity.

The Aggies' hopes for expanded gun rights already has the support of many legislators and lobbyists in Austin. Alice Tripp, legislative director for the Texas State Rifle Association, said permitting concealed carry on campus is the group's No. 1 goal for the upcoming session.

"It could have been realized every session," Tripp said. "There was no logical reason for it to be lost in 2009 or 2011. It's not like anti-gun won over pro-gun. It was not anything you could put your finger on."

Tripp said concealed carry holders exercising their rights on campus will make universities safer.

"College campuses are predator magnets, and we're talking about an individual who has a license," Tripp said.

Larry Arnold, a board member of the Texas Concealed Handgun Association, agrees.

"When we look at all of these mass killings, every one of them seems to happen in a place we're not allowed to carry," Arnold said.

Concealed handguns are commonplace at restaurants, shops and public places, he said.

"Are you comfortable off campus?" Arnold asked. "That's the way it would be on campus."

But while gun advocates and A&M students propose relaxing state gun regulations, there's one group notably gun shy -- university professors.

Walter Daugherity, speaker-elect of the A&M faculty senate, said the group hasn't addressed the topic recently but previously rejected the idea of guns in classrooms.

"The primary [concern] is the safety of everyone on campus, which is the responsibility of the university police department and the administration," Daugherity said.

Daugherity noted the faculty were not unanimously opposed to the idea but that the "great majority" were.

A fear of many professors, he said, is that guns introduced to an environment with stressed and pressured young adults could turn volatile.

"If there is such a situation, then the presence of a weapon might make it worse," Daugherity said. "It could be anything; it could be bad grade on a test, a breakup with a girlfriend or family problems that could trigger an emotional outburst or breakdown."

A&M President R. Bowen Loftin said if the state law changed, the university would comply.

"The safety of our students, faculty and staff is always our top priority," Loftin wrote in an emailed statement. "We have highly trained campus police to help ensure our campus is safe, and I have complete confidence in their ability to do so."

Source

WV:Homeowner Fires Gun at Burglar, Suspect Arrested after Police Chase


PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A man is facing charges after he tried to break in a home and then led police on a chase.

A detective with the Putnam County Sheriff's Department tells WSAZ.com James Galloway, 34, of Lima, Ohio, broke into a house on Teays Farms in Teays Valley.

Once Galloway was in the house he was confronted by the homeowner who fired some rounds at him, according to Detective Shawn Johnson. Galloway took off and jumped into a vehicle and dumped it at the 7-eleven along Scary Creek.

more here

LA:Eastern New Orleans family is badly shaken after home invasion, shootout


A shootout with military-style guns just feet from her sleeping 8-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son was the last thing a New Orleans dentist expected when she woke from a restless sleep Wednesday about 3:30 a.m. in her eastern New Orleans home. As the 34-year-old woman checked on her husband, who was up late working on his computer, the couple was startled to hear their home alarm system suddenly beep: A window in their garage gym had been opened.

Her husband, also a dentist, pulled up his computer surveillance footage from the family's security cameras surrounding their property in the 5600 block of St. Helena Place. The couple watched in horror as three masked men dressed in black worked to pry open their window. One of the men held a 3-foot-long assault rifle. A fourth man stood guard behind the house, outside the back door.

The husband ran for his guns. "Go call the cops," he told his wife, trembling. She dialed 9-1-1. But it would be a long 15 minutes before police arrived, she said later.

"We were so scared, we were shaking," said the wife. Fearing another attack, she and her husband, 38, spoke with The Times-Picayune on condition of anonymity.

The robbers popped off the window within about five minutes. Once inside the garage, one of them opened the door leading to the kitchen.

more here

MO:Neighbors hold burglars at gunpoint until police arrive


Hawk Point, MO (KSDK) - A couple of would-be burglars are behind bars because of neighbors who went to great lengths to protect their turf in Hawk Point, Missouri.

The two suspects from Illinois picked the wrong neighborhood to try to rip off. Neighbors are still on edge, but they helped capture the suspects, with one woman briefly holding a burglar at gunpoint.

video here

Friday, November 16, 2012

Retired SC Highway Patrol trooper shoots, kills home intruder in Bluffton


A retired S.C. Highway Patrol trooper shot and killed an intruder after a struggle in his Bluffton home early Wednesday, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.

Former trooper Lt. William "Chuck" Wise was attacked by a man attempting to break into his Palmetto Bluff Road home at 2:15 a.m. when Wise fired several shots, striking and killing him, investigators say.

The body of 39-year-old Paul Edward Rowell was found in the main entryway, the Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators also believe Rowell attacked the owner of a nearby home just 30 minutes before he assaulted Wise at his home.

It is unclear why Rowell was prowling the neighborhood in the early-morning hours, and he was a stranger to both men he attacked, the Sheriff's Office said. No motive has been established, spokeswoman Sgt. Robin McIntosh said.

Rowell has no previous arrests in Beaufort County, according to the Beaufort County Detention Center.

more here

TX:Owner fatally shoots armed robber at cell phone store on south side


HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A suspect is dead after a cell phone store owner shot him during an attempted robbery.

Houston police say shortly after 6pm Wednesday, the suspect entered the Criket store on South Loop West near Almeda and displayed a gun. The owner came from the back with his own gun and shot the suspect at least twice. The suspect then fled to a getaway vehicle.

The suspected getaway driver took the injured suspect to a hospital, where he died.

more here

(SC)Store Clerk Shoots Armed Suspect in Gas Station


Columbia, SC (WLTX)- Richland County Sheriff Deputies are still searching for two suspects involved in an early morning robbery.

Deputies responded to the armed robbery call just after 1 a.m. Wednesday at the Corner Pantry Shell station on Forest Drive near Percival Road.

According to deputies, three men wearing black clothing and ski masks entered the store with handguns and began demanding money and lottery rickets from the store clerk.

Deputy Curtis Wilson says the men fired shots inside the store and the female clerk, in fear for her life, fired back and struck one of the suspects. He was transported to the hospital, where his condition is unknown.

more here

(OH)Lorain man shoots himself and robbery victim during struggle


LORAIN — Marlo Sanford, 24, one of two men shot Tuesday afternoon in Central Lorain, was the shooter in both cases, according to Lorain police.

Sanford, has been arrested and charged with aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, and felonious assault, Lt. Mark Carpentiere said.

Sanford accidentally shot himself in the thigh and Kevin Adams in the leg, while attempting to rob Adams, 28, of Lorain, at Adam’s friend’s 637 West 14th St. apartment, police said.

“It appears the burglary was random and the shootings stemmed from a struggle over the weapon,” Detective Jacob Morris said.

more here

Thursday, November 15, 2012

NJ:Armed East Brunswick business owner halts attempted armed robbery


EAST BRUNSWICK — Police are searching for two armed suspects who attempted to hold up the Harry’s Gold on Route 18, but were stopped in their tracks by the gun-welding owner, Detective Sgt. Kevin Zebro said. At 3:44 p.m., Tuesday the police responded to the store where two males had entered the shop after it was empty of all customers.

According to Zebro, one of the suspects brandished a black handgun while the second male attempted to enter a locked office. The owner of the store produced his handgun, which he has a legal permit to carry, Zebro said.

The owner was the only one working at the time of the incident, Zebro said.

Upon seeing the owner’s handgun, both suspects fled the store without any proceeds and ran north on Route 18.

more here

AR:Robber Shoots Man Then Comes Under Fire from Bystander


(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.) -- Police have charged one person in connection with a robbery and shooting at a Little Rock bank on Monday afternoon.

The shooting occurred at the Arvest Bank branch on Chenal Parkway. Police said a man was shot by a suspect in the parking lot of the bank, after the suspect robbed the victim of an undisclosed sum of money. Then as the robber was fleeing in a getaway vehicle, a man at a nearby gas station who had a licensed gun, reportedly then fired at the suspect. While another vehicle was hit, investigators said the suspect car was not hit.

more here

NE:Mountain Lion Shot After Coming Near Hunter


A male mountain lion was shot by a deer hunter Saturday, November 10th, the opening day of the November firearm deer season. The incident occurred about 10 miles northeast of Ainsworth in Brown County.

The hunter reported the shooting to a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission conservation officer. According to the hunter, the cat walked parallel to him at about 35 yards as he left his hunting blind, made eye contact with him, then circled in front of the hunter’s path. A subsequent investigation concluded the hunter was justified in killing the 150-pound animal.

By law, a person may kill a mountain lion without a permit only if it “stalks, attacks, or shows unprovoked aggression toward such person or another person,” or if it is in the act of preying on livestock. Unlawful killing of a mountain lion is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and up to three months in jail.

Source

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

OH:Man draws gun on attacker at Norwalk Walmart


A concealed carry permit-holder drew his gun on a man who allegedly attacked him Monday afternoon in the parking lot at the Norwalk Walmart, police said.

The alleged attacker — Eric Meade, 37, of Welton Avenue in Norwalk — was arrested and charged with assault, Norwalk police Capt. Eric Hipp said.

Meade punched a 29-year-old Norwalk man, who responded by drawing his gun and aiming it at Meade, Hipp said.

more here

MI:Home intruder shot in chest by homeowner in Detroit


DETROIT (WXYZ) - Detroit Police say a man broke into a house around 6:00 am Monday and was shot in the chest by the homeowner.

The intruder escaped, got into his car, and drove a couple of miles to a Marathon gas station off of Van Dyke near 8 Mile.

more here

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

OK:A.M. UPDATE: Elderly Muskogee man shoots intruder


— An elderly Muskogee man told police he shot an intruder late Saturday when the intruder illegally entered the man's home in the 600 block of Kankakee Street.

more here

MI:Woman in Flint shoots at two suspects breaking into her home


FLINT, MI -- Police arrested two men who broke into a Kentucky Avenue home Friday and were shot at by the female homeowner.

Officers were called around 9 a.m. to the 1000 block of Kentucky and told by the woman that two men forced their way into her home, according to a police report.

The woman then fired shots at the suspects and believed she may have wounded one of the two men.

Two male suspects were later arrested in connection with the incident. One man was lodged in the City of Flint jail, while a second man was released for medical treatment.

The police report did not state if the treatment was for a gunshot wound or another issue.

Source

Monday, November 12, 2012

New Mexico woman shot intruder who followed her home, deputies say


ALCALDE, N.M. – A 35-year-old woman says she shot and killed a man after he allegedly barged into her Alcalde home and tried to undress her at knife point.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that search warrant affidavits say the shooting Saturday occurred when 33-year-old Taos resident Lawrence Sandoval forced his way into the woman's home. She told deputies that she believed he followed her home from a gas station.

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OK:Handgun carrier shoots multiple suspects


Tulsa, Okla. —

A man licensed to carry a gun shoots two men attempting to rob him at a motel Friday evening.

Tulsa police tells KRMG it happened just before 7:30 p.m. at the Economy Inn at the 5600 block of West Skelly Drive in Sapulpa.

TPD were called out to the Oklahoma State University Medical Center after two men showed up shot. Police said they were dropped off by two people believed to have been involved in the attempted robbery.

The investigation shows the victim was invited into a motel room by a female, where multiple men were waiting to rob him. Tulsa police said at least one suspect drew a gun and demanded money. The victim pulled his own gun and shot two of the suspects.

No word on the condition of the two suspects. Police said the victim wasn't harmed.

Source

Sunday, November 11, 2012

(CT)Experience with a Restrictive State Pistol Permit Process, by U.C.


First, I live in South Eastern Connecticut not by choice but due to my military obligations. Second, the day I get out of the military will be the last day I live here. I am heading back out West which is where I lived before I joined the military. Third, I survived Sandy just fine. I ensured I had 4G coverage before the storm: Generator, Gas, Grub and Gallons of water. I guess you could add Guns and make it 5G coverage.

On to what I am writing about, the pistol permit process in a liberal / restrictive state. Here in Connecticut you must go through several hoops and roadblocks on the way to buying / carrying any handgun. After much internet research and discussions with the owner of the lone gun store in South Eastern Connecticut, my wife and I started down the road to legal handgun ownership. Notice I said handgun. Here in Connecticut I can walk into Cabela's, pick any rifle or shotgun they are selling and walk out the same day with as much ammunition as I can buy (with a copy of my military orders stationing me here). Without those orders I would have to wait 14 days.

The first step to the process was to attend a NRA basic pistol shooting course. This despite the fact that I have had training in the military on the M1911, the Browning 9mm, 12 gauge, M16, M14 and M249. At $150 each for my wife and I (expensive but it had to be a weekend class that fit into our schedule) we were well on our way to spending big money in order to exercise our Second Amendment rights. This was on Sunday May 6th of this year. Once we had completed the course and had the certificate in hand we then had to schedule an appointment with our local Connecticut Police Department (Groton) for the interview, application paperwork and finger printing process in order to receive a temporary local permit. The city of Groton only has appointment slots twice a month (2nd and 4th Wednesdays) with limited availability (Chokepoint!). We were “lucky” enough to squeeze in an appointment on the 13th of June (someone cancelled).

On to the appointment: In order to do the appointment my wife and I both had to take half a day off. We showed up early with our filled out DPS-799-Cs and the application (or as my wife calls it, bribe) money required by the city. After a lengthy interview by a local police officer to ensure we were who we said we were and not mentally incapacitated or revolutionaries, he collected our money. That was $70 for each of us to the town of Groton as a local authority fee. Also there was the $19.25 for each of us to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for the federal fingerprint / background fee. And finally the $50 each for the state of CT fingerprint / background check fee. $278.50 in fees + $300 in classes. We are up to $578.50. This doesn’t include lost wages for my wife to take a half day off for the interview process.

Fairly straight-forward and a little expensive so far. Nothing overly difficult. Now the waiting process begins. The local Groton Police Department is required to get back to us within 60 days in accordance with Connecticut law. My wife and I settled in for what we were sure would be the full 60 days. It is the government of Connecticut after all and we counted on them using every day of the 60. We passed the time working on other preparations to include dehydrating fruit and experimenting with canning. During this waiting period we also purchased several rifles (Mosin-Nagants and others) and learned how to shoot them, break them down, clean and upgrade. Time spent wisely.

August 13th rolled around (61 day point) with no word from the Groton Police Department. Having been in the military for several years I am used to the waiting game and the gross inefficiency of government. I proceeded to wait on calling and gave them another two weeks. August 27th and still no phone call. So now I start calling. After playing phone tag for a week and a half I finally reach a human on September 6th. She says there is a large backlog due to the large amount of applications and it may be a bit before they can get to us. A bit? To me, “a bit” means maybe the next day at the latest. To the local government a bit seems to be measured in glacial time. And how can they be backlogged? They only accept a limited number of applications twice a month. You would think this would prevent them from being backlogged.

September 10th, my supervisor and my wife’s supervisor receive phone calls from the Groton Police Department to verify information on the background check. Progress! I guess I am perturbed/happy. Happy that there is movement, perturbed that it is taking so long. Knowing the process for background checks should not take no more than two or three weeks after they start I marked down the 26th of September as the day to call and inquire if I have not received word.

September 26th. No word from the local Groton Police Department. Let the phone calls commence. Another week of phone tag ensues before I get to talk to what I am now sure is a poorly programmed robot. I receive the same spiel about “backlogged” and “working on it”. I would have had a better conversation with my neighbors Roomba robot floor cleaner.

So my wife and I patiently wait, yet continue to call on a weekly basis. We are both fairly angry at this point. What was a straightforward simple process has tuned into a denial of our rights by government inefficiency and outright incompetence. Yet we continue to call. Not so much that anyone could say we were harassing. Not angrily so we could be denied for threats or whatever. Polite calls and friendly conversations. I learned long ago that angry conversations with government drones results in paperwork mysteriously lost in a black hole somewhere.

October 10th rolls around and we call the Connecticut Department of Public Safety. After several calls and hours on the phone we receive a “we will look into the issue”. Now it has become a weekly routine. Every Wednesday morning the local Police Department receives a call. Every Wednesday afternoon the Department of Public Safety receives a call.

It is now November 6th and we are still waiting. What is most galling is I am not waiting approval to purchase a handgun. I am not waiting on approval to carry a handgun. I am waiting on the local Police Department to give my wife and I a temporary permit which gives us permission to pay $70 a piece to the State of Connecticut to apply for permanent permits (which expire after 5 years). After we receive these mythical permits we can then legally purchase/own/carry a handgun in Connecticut.

Why not just give up? After all I only have seven months left here before moving to a friendlier state. There are a few reasons for that. One, I am stubborn and will see this through to the end. Two, I want to take the Utah pistol permit class at Cabela's in East Hartford so I can be legal in more states. I cannot do that without a Connecticut pistol permit. Maybe there are past problems they have uncovered and that is why they are taking so long. No. I have very high security clearance for my work in the Navy. I go through a complete background investigation every five years. I am about as squeaky clean as they come (and so is my wife). No tickets, no skeletons in the closet, no vices such as drugs, alcohol or gambling and an excellent military record. If anything, the only “vice” I have is preparing. Other than the occasional post on SurvivalBlog I keep OPSEC high and avoid anything that would draw undue attention to me by any of the alphabet agencies. Even with all my ducks in a row, all the proper forms filled out, all money paid and maintenance of pleasant persona on the phone and in person my wife and I are victims of government inefficiency and stall tactics. I would hazard a guess that Connecticut doesn’t want too many upstanding solid citizens running around with hand guns. We will keep on preparing. We will keep on planning. We will keep helping our neighbors and anyone around us who wants to prepare. We will continue to learn new skills (cheese making this weekend). We will continue to take our rifles to the gun range and hone our shooting skills. I have the patience of Job. I can wait this state out. Some of the lessons I have learned or have had cemented in from this whole process: 1. Ensure you have all your paperwork in order. I double checked everything. It made the application process go much smoother.

2. Don’t trust the government to expedite a process they don’t want to complete but are mandated to by law.

3. Don’t move to Connecticut. If the bureaucracy doesn’t kill you, the taxes will.

4. Ensure you understand the exact cost of the process. When all is said and done Connecticut will run my wife and I $718.50 before we make our first handgun purchase in this state.

This is how a bureaucracy infringes Constitutional rights.

Stolen gun report a sign of things to come from Obama’s second term


A report released yesterday by the Bureau of Justice Statistics in Washington claims “About 1.4 million firearms were stolen during household burglaries and other property crimes over the six-year period from 2005 through 2010.

“Of the guns stolen each year during burglaries and other property crimes, at least 80 percent, or an annual average of 186,800 firearms, had not been recovered up to six months after being stolen,” the BJS press release states.

That certainly sounds ominous. And it’s what the media and those interested in ratcheting down on the nation’s gun laws will be focused on, as cherry-picking from the report also supports at least two specific goals for that agenda: Using it to support additional laws and to make the case that gun ownership is on the decline.

Perhaps a third observation worth noting is how the report, put out under the auspices of Eric Holder’s Department of Justice, makes a special point of highlighting “About three out of four household property crimes involving stolen firearms occurred in households headed by white non-Hispanic persons,” and that these are “disproportionately” in the rural South.

Those would be the “red states.”

The devil is always in the details, so in this case it’s useful to springboard from the presser directly into the report itself.

If one wanted to write an article based solely on the press release, its readers would never know the very first sentence in the report states “Victimizations involving the theft of firearms declined from 283,600 in 1994 to 145,300 in 2010.”

That’s in spite of the fact that industry reports show firearms sales have been steadily growing in that time period.

“[T]he General Social Survey [headquartered at the University of Chicago] and Gallup poll both show declines in the percentage of households owning firearms during the same period,” some might counter, quoting the report, glossing over a later admission about “lack of precision due to the large standard errors associated with generating estimates from surveys with different sampling methodologies.”

Indeed, “[a]ccording to the GSS, the percentage of households that reported having a gun in the home declined from 46% in 1993 to 32% in 2010,” the report states, then revealing “From December 1993 to October 2010, Gallup polls showed a decline in the percentage of households with guns on the property, from 54% to 41%.”

That’s quite a different spread—they weren’t kidding about “lack of precision.” And it doesn’t account for a related admission found by delving deeper into the report that “between 1994 and 2010, no statistically significant change was observed in the percentage of completed burglaries or other property crimes that involved the theft of at least one firearm…This may suggest that the overall decline in the number of victimizations involving gun theft was not due to a decline in the number of privately owned guns that could be stolen.”

Still, the surveys are both useful to feed the exploitable meme that gun ownership is falling in contrast to widely corroborated evidence saying otherwise, so anti-gun activists and their media sympathizers can be counted on to use it to gin up public support and cajole legislators into thinking the political costs for crossing gun owners is going down.

more here

Saturday, November 10, 2012

(OH)Sharon Homeowner Shoots Burglary Suspect


The man who was shot attempting to break into a Sharon home on Monday waived his right to an extradition hearing Thursday afternoon in Youngstown.

The homeowner, Pete Delli Bovi, has lived on Malleable Street for 33 years. He said he can't believe someone tried breaking in during the day.

On Monday afternoon, Delli Bovi was resting when he heard a noise he said he'll never forget.

"I was watching TV. I closed my eyes a little bit and I heard this big boom. Like, it was so loud. That's when this guy kicked my door in the back."

Just last year, someone else broke into his garage. Delli Bovi said he got his gun permit and on Monday afternoon, he used a revolver that he said saved his life.

"So I crawled by the kitchen where the hole was, when he said said oh. He stand up and I shot a couple of times," Delli Bovi said.

Friday, November 09, 2012

(MI)Customer fatally shoots man attempting to rob Detroit coney island


Detroit — A customer at a restaurant on the southwest side fatally shot one of two men attempting to rob the place Wednesday night after one of the suspects shot the owner, police said.

Two men attempted to rob Adi's Coney Island at 10:10 p.m. on the 6100 block of Michigan Avenue. The would-be muggers shot the restaurant's owner and grazed another man.

A 51-year-old customer, who had a concealed pistol license, pulled out a gun and returned fire, killing one of the assailants, who was 29 years old.

The other alleged robber fled the scene, police said.

The owner and other victim were listed in stable condition.

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(AL)Burglar runs from home after victim confronts him with gun


HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Police arrested 21-year-old Dylan Ransom Stanfield after he ran from an attempted burglary around 6:50 p.m. Thursday, according to a report from the Huntsville Police Department.

Police said the victim was inside her apartment in the 4000 block of Bonnell Drive when she heard someone try to come through her front door. After going to get her gun, she went inside her living room when the offender kicked the door open and entered the apartment.

Police said she confronted the offender and he ran from the apartment. Officers were able to locate Stanfield shortly after running from the apartment and arrest him.

Source


MI: Coney island patron kills would-be robber during a gunfight:  "A patron shot and killed a would-be robber who fired shots inside a restaurant on the city's southwest side.  The patron, 51, was injured in the incident Wednesday along with the owner of Adi's Coney Island after two robbers burst into the 24-hour restaurant around 10 p.m, said Mark Creeger, who’s been a cook there for five years. At least one of the men fired a weapon.The patron, who has a license to carry a gun, fired at the robbers and killed one of them, Detroit Police said. The other man fled. The patron was wounded, but was in stable condition, according to police. The restaurant owner was expected to be released from the hospital this morning, according to Creeger."

Thursday, November 08, 2012

(SD) Custer man shoots Mountain Lion on Front Porch


CUSTER (AP) — A rural Custer man who discovered a mountain lion lounging on his porch shot and killed the animal.

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks wildlife manager John Kanta tells the media that the man shot the lion with a .22-caliber rifle Monday night and the animal died about 50 feet from his front door. He says the female lion weighed about 80 pounds.

more here

Gun Owners May Be In For An ‘Interesting’ Four Years


Covington VA --(Ammoland.com)- With the elections over now, gun owners are heading into what could be troubled waters.

I don’t have a crystal ball, so were we are headed I can’t say for certain.

However, based on the Obama Administration’s past performance and President Obama’s statements made during the debates, I will point out some of my concerns.

FUTURE FOR FEDERAL GUN-CONTROL **LAWS**

First, with the Republicans maintaining control of the House and enough of the Senate to prevent things being ramrodded through, I don’t see gun control, including an “assault weapon” ban, making it into law during the next two years.

(There will be another election in two years that could change things, so that is as far as one can look for now).

That is good news for gun owners because during the debates with Romney, President Obama hinted at wanting to do something with “assault weapons.” Obama also brought up “inexpensive handguns,” while speaking about the very high murder rate in America’s Gun-Control Heaven, Chicago.

I will not be surprised if Obama now starts to talk about gun control with every shooting that gets national attention. He also has Chicago’s crime rate as an excuse to bring the subject up regularly.

While I think Congress will not vote for new gun control laws, we will need to keep a very, very close eye on Congress nonetheless.

FUTURE FOR MORE FEDERAL GUN CONTROL THROUGH OTHER MEANS

One of the biggest threats for more gun control would be items that “fall under the radar,” which is what Obama told the Brady Campaign he was working on last year. Here is a list of things that the President could do without needing approval from Congress:

* Use BATFE and the Justice Department to run more staged projects like “Fast and Furious,” that make it look like lax gun control laws in the U.S. are causing mayhem and then taking “actions” to “fix” the problem. Most of the media would be a willing accomplice in such an endeavor as they were with Fast and Furious.

* Use BATFE to ban a variety of guns from import by making sure they don’t fit a changing “sporting requirement” standard, with AKs being the first to go

* Use BATFE to require reporting of sales of certain firearms by gun stores, a de facto registration

* Use BATFE to make certain firearms into Class III weapons that require a tax stamp and registration – for example shotguns that only have a pistol-grip for a stock

* Use BATFE to block import of military surplus ammunition

* Sign various U.N. treaties that affect our right to keep and bear arms. We will need the Senate (and maybe the courts) to block them

GUN CONTROL THROUGH THE SUPREME COURT AND LOWER COURTS

Another danger is that there will be more Supreme Court appointments. Two anti-rights judges were appointed during Obama’s last term – Judge Kagan and the self-described “wise latina” Judge Sotomayor. There is only a one-vote pro-rights margin currently, and that could be wiped out easily. Don’t count on the Senate to save the day – they didn’t with the last two appointments.

As more and more appointments are made to lower courts, I don’t expect them to be pro-rights, either. The antis will be using courts more and more often to get what they can’t get through the Legislative branch.

About: Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right. Visit: www.vcdl.org

Source

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Louisiana OKs gun rights amendment


NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana voters have approved a constitutional amendment to strengthen already strong gun possession rights in the state.

Proposed Amendment 2 on Tuesday's ballot was drawn up to eliminate language in the Louisiana Constitution that would allow passage of laws prohibiting concealed weapons. It also includes a requirement that any gun restriction laws be held to a tough judicial standard.

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(CA)Gas station owner confronts Pomona robbers with gun


POMONA -- A Pomona gas station owner suffered bullet wounds when he got into a shootout with armed robbers.

Police said two men walked into the Arco gas station at 1650 Gillette Ave. at 4:23 p.m. Monday. One of the men, who was armed with agun, jumped over the counter and forced the clerk to give him money from the register, police said.

The store owner, who was upstairs, grabbed a firearm and confronted the robbers. The robber armed with a gun and the store owner exchanged gunfire.

more here

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Effort under way to allow guns on Montana college campuses


MISSOULA — On a hot summer evening in 2011, University of Montana police and the Missoula Police Department responded to calls of a shooting in the parking lot of the campus dining hall.

The 19-year-old victim had suffered a shotgun wound to the hand. The 20-year-old suspect, later identified as Michael Ream, was taken into custody without incident. As it turned out, the two were buddies and the .20-gauge shotgun had accidentally discharged, marking the first time a weapon had been fired on campus in nearly 30 years.

The Montana Board of Regents has strict policies regarding firearms on public campuses across the state. The law has been unchanged for years, and allows only trained and certified security officers to carry weapons on school grounds.

Students who want access to their firearms must store them in a campus gun locker. They can check them out as they please to hunt and sport shoot. They cannot, however, carry them to class or handle them in their dorm rooms.

“Things have run smoothly with our current policy and procedures,” said Kevin McRae, associate commissioner of higher education for the Montana University System. “There’s already a state law saying you can’t carry a concealed weapon in a state building. Additionally, we have a Board of Regents policy saying that only an authorized campus security officer can carry a weapon.”

While some argue that the state’s policies work just fine, as evidenced by the lack of problems reported by campus police, Gary Marbut, president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association, stands among gun rights advocates who believe that the Board of Regents has no authority to ban firearms on campus.

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(OR)Attempted robbery suspect in Hermiston scared off when owner fires gun


Hermiston — A suspect allegedly trying to hold up a Hermiston convenience store ran away before getting any cash when the owner fired a handgun at him, police said.

Hermiston police are now offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

The attempted robbery occurred at 10:15 a.m. Saturday at Tienda la Comadre.

“Nothing was taken from inside the store, but we are treating this as an active investigation for the attempted robbery,” said Chief Jason Edmiston.

The suspect, who was wearing dark clothes, including a hooded sweatshirt, gloves and something covering his face, was in the store for only about 5 seconds before running out, Edmiston said.

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Monday, November 05, 2012

(NY)Self Defense advice and Video of Mugging During Sandy


The disgusting, lynch mob mentality that has arisen from the Trayvon Martin shooting case places us several notches towards race riots this summer. To the balanced observer, Zimmerman really does appear to have likely shot Martin in self defense. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and Barack Hussein Obama started babbling before all the facts were in. These collectivist droids seldom retreat from any lie ... they simply magnify it further.

If George Zimmerman is acquitted the fuse will light. Remember Rodney King? If you live in an urban environment, don't be stupid. Pay attention!

EXTRA - 10/31/12 watch the video clip below which shows, during the Sandy Storm of 10/29/12 in Crown Heights, a group of gangsters attacking and robbing an innocent man in the street - reputedly he was Jewish. It just might have been different had he had a means of adequate self defense.

Video and more here

If the man had been armed, did he have opportunities to defend himself? It appears to me that he was aware that he was in danger, so he might well have been able to use a firearm if he was able to have one.

(NC)Sheriff: Man shot in self defense


Three gunshots were fired around 5 a.m. on the 900 block of South Lafayette Street.

All indications are that the shots were made in self defense, said Sheriff Alan Norman.

Michael Sizemore, who Norman said was in his late teens or early 20s, arrived at the residence of Roy and Bertha Lowman Friday night, Norman said.

Sizemore, who Norman said knew the couple, was invited into the residence but, after a short time, became argumentative and the couple asked him to leave, Norman said.

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(OH)Home invasion ends with gunfire


FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, OH (FOX19)- A pair of home invasion suspects went running Saturday morning after shots that may have hit one of the suspects.

The homeowner on Franklin-Madison Road in Franklin Township tells FOX19 he was sleeping on the couch at 6:45 Saturday morning when he woke up to find a man holding a hand over his mouth and saying "don't talk; we just want your money."

A second man had gone upstairs where the man's wife and daughter were sleeping.

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