Good old gun-free Britain again: "British police said two people were killed on Tuesday night in a shooting at the exclusive Harvey Nichols department store in west London. Scotland Yard said they received reports of a gun being fired at the store's Knightsbridge shop at 7.45pm (4.45am on Wednesday AEST). London's Metropolitan Police said a man and a woman, both aged about 30, were pronounced dead at the scene. A spokesman said officers were not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident. Police said they were trying to identify the two people killed. Police cordoned off streets around the shop, which has a reputation as the store of choice for Britain's rich and famous. "We are trying to ascertain the circumstances," a police spokesman said".


Katrina educates world on need for owning guns: "'All our operators are busy right now. Please remain on the line and an operator will be with you shortly. Your call is important to us.' Can you imagine any words more horrifying after dialing 9-1-1? Your life's in danger, but there's no one available to help you. For several days, life was absolutely terrifying for many New Orleans residents who got stranded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. There were no operators ... there were no phone calls being handled. Heck, there was no 9-1-1. Even if the phone lines had been working, there were no police officers waiting to be dispatched."


Connecticut: Neighbor shoots attacker who beat woman to death : "A Bristol man was arrested Saturday in the fatal attack on a city woman. Michael Foster, 37, faces several charges including assault, burglary, assault of a person over 60 and possession of a pistol without a permit. Selina Brewster, 36, died in the attack. Police said Brewster ran screaming into a neighbor's home early Friday morning and was followed by a crow-bar wielding man, later identified as Foster. He allegedly beat Brewster until Victor Ventrello shot him in the head with a .22-caliber rifle he keeps in a closet, police said. ... 'We couldn't hold the door closed. He got into the foyer and started beating her with a crowbar,' Victor Ventrello, 66, told the Courant in a phone interview from a relative's house Friday afternoon. He said the attacker hit his wife in the arm with the crowbar. 'I told him to stop beating her, or I'm going to get my gun,' Ventrello said. 'He said 'I got a gun too,' so I went and got the gun. I said 'stop or I'll shoot.' He didn't stop, so I shot him.'"