Alabama: Mayor praises man for using gun: "Despite recent criticism, Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright says he still recommends that citizens fight back against crime with guns. And it appears that at least one man is following the mayor's advice. Police say the man was moving his belongings from one vehicle to another Thursday night when two other men approached him. That's when the man went for his gun. Several shots were fired. And in the end, the man got shot twice in the thigh. But the mayor says by getting his gun, the man did the right thing. 'I want to thank him and encourage him and others to continue their fight for their protection and the protection of others,' Mayor Bright said."


Utah: Gun classes offer options to abuse victims: "Until Christmas Eve 1996, she had never contemplated carrying a gun. Then her husband beat her. The woman, of Salt Lake City, promptly got a divorce and a protective order -- and a 9mm Glock pistol. 'I was always terrified of guns. But my fear of my ex-husband became far greater than my fear of guns. I saw what he was capable of,' said the woman. ... She said protective orders alone are not enough to protect her and others like her. A piece of paper won't save them from an abuser hurtling toward them with a fist or a weapon. So they're taking up arms. And Clark Aposhian, manager of Totally Awesome Guns and Range in Kearns, is helping them do it. The certified firearms instructor offers a five-hour course on most Saturdays."