Jeff Cooper, 1920-2006: "World-renowned firearms expert Jeff Cooper, founder of the Gunsite firearms training center in Paulden, died Monday afternoon at his home near the training center. ... In the 1960s, he organized a group called the Bear Valley Gunslingers and the Southwest Combat League. During the organizations' shooting competitions at Big Bear, he formulated the Modern Technique of combat handgun shooting which incorporates a large-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a two handed Weaver stance, breath control and a surprise trigger break. In 1976, he founded the American Pistol Institute, or Gunsite, at Paulden to teach those pistol techniques and later added a full curriculum on pistols, rifles and shotguns. Since then, more than 18,000 students, including celebrities like Tom Selleck, law enforcement officers, military members from many nations and many civilians have graduated from courses there. ... He was editor at large of Guns & Ammo Magazine and a prolific writer on firearms. ... He also produced 'Cooper's Commentaries,' a series of monthly essays on the Internet. In his writings, Cooper coined the term 'hoplophobia' to denote the irrational fear of weapons."


AZ: Meth and guns a bad combination: "Carlos Dash was not supposed to visit his ex-wife or the two young children inside her apartment. The gun Dash had with him could have been used to "inflict harm," detectives said Friday. His visit was in violation of a protective order. The 31-year-old was shot and killed by Scottsdale police outside his ex-wife's front door after he ignored commands to drop his pistol, which he is accused of trying to aim at officers, after taking it out of a case... Scottsdale Officer Thaddius Benton, a second-year officer, fired several shots at Dash after he ignored repeated commands to drop his weapon. It was unclear Friday how many shots struck Dash, though police said he was dead on the scene, around 8 p.m. Dash's ex-wife, Christine Webster, filed an order of protection against the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community resident in April. "Carlos has been using meth for quite some time," she wrote in the order of protection filed at Scottsdale Municipal Court. "I feel he is an endangerment if our son is in his custody, and I am scared of him," Webster said. "He has made verbal threats that my life is now in danger because of my actions." ... In her 911 call, Webster said her ex-husband was not known to carry weapons. "There was nothing in that phone call that indicated this would turn into a deadly incident," Clark said. "She didn't indicate that he had any weapons. When officers got there, they saw (Dash) at the door and they saw the gun." Dash ignored the commands to drop the pistol and made a "threatening gesture" with the gun, Clark said."

Danger on campus: "A few days after the Utah Supreme Court ruled that the University of Utah's ban on concealed weapons was unconstitutional, a gunman killed one and wounded 19 students at Montreal's Dawson College.Why are the 'progressive,' 'educated' elitists at the University of Utah so scared of law-abiding, responsible citizens carrying a concealed weapon on campus? How many more stories must we read of students being gunned down on their campuses because they have no means of self-defense? Columbine, Dawson College, Pearl High School, Moses Lake, Jonesboro -- how long before it's Hillcrest High School, Granite Elementary or Salt Lake Community College?"


Canada: Guards walk off job at BC border crossings: "Canadian border guards at four crossings in the Lower Mainland of B.C. have walked off the job in response to a security scare. ...The situation started in the afternoon when U.S. Homeland Security officials told the RCMP that a suspected killer from California, who should be considered armed and dangerous, might try to cross the Canadian border. ... The RCMP informed the border guards, who walked off first at Huntington at 2:15 p.m., then the other three crossings. About 60 guards are believed to be off the job. Canada's border guards are currently unarmed -- the Conservative government has promised a 10-year program to change that -- and have the right to walk off the job if conditions are dangerous. The guards exercised that right." [It takes TEN YEARS to issue guns to border guards????]

ID: Law would encourage gun ownership: "Violent crime is virtually unknown on the quiet streets of Greenleaf -- there hasn't been anything more serious than a fistfight reported for two years. But in this Canyon County town founded by pacifist Quakers, city leaders are asking citizens to take up arms to defend their property. ... [T]his town near the Oregon border seems an unlikely place for violent conflict. But with rapid growth in the Treasure Valley sprinting west and a new subdivision planned for Greenleaf, City Councilman Steven Jett thinks a draft ordinance recommending that every head of household maintain a firearm will keep Greenleaf safe as the community grows."


FL: Woman fires at would-be robber: "Vivian Deen had never fired a gun. But Friday morning she didn't hesitate to shoot at an armed robber threatening her husband, William. The Deens own Magee Field Grocery, a neighborhood grocery store, at North Davis Highway and East Yonge Street and were confronted by a man who wanted their money. William Deen, 60, was on the telephone about 10 a.m. when he said the man came in with a stocking over his face. 'He kind of eased in, and when I looked up, he said, 'This is a stickup,'' Deen said. 'I thought it was some kind of joke, but then he put a gun in my face.' Deen said the man again demanded money and tried to crawl behind the counter. The two then struggled for the gun. ... Deen said he didn't want his wife to get involved. However, Vivian Deen, 45, grabbed a handgun kept behind the counter and fired at the robber's shoulder. 'I've never even fired a gun before. But when I saw the gun pointing at my husband, I didn't waste any time,' she said." ... City police said the Deens will not be charged."

FL: Man shoots and kills intruder: "A man shot and killed an intruder who was breaking into his parents' townhouse in Oakland Park, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office. Richard McKinley, 27, was sleeping in his parents townhouse at 3259 NW 44th St. around 11:54 a.m. when he was awakened by a noise, according to BSO. McKinley noticed that an intruder was in the house, and shot him."


CA: Clerk draws gun, foils robbery: "Police Sgt. Kevin Johnson said the man walked into a liquor store in the 2800 block of MacArthur Boulevard about 10:30 a.m. Aug. 18 and asked to purchase some liquor. He then pulled a gun and demanded money from the clerk, whose name was not released. Instead of money, the clerk produced his own gun and pointed it at the robber, who fled the store with no loot or liquor, Johnson said."

PA: Cop allegedly draws on 7-year-old girl: "What was supposed to be a typical drive through a peaceful Shadyside neighborhood, turned into a standoff with a police officer threatening the life of a 7-year old girl, according one local mother. ... a Pittsburgh Police cruiser signaled for her to pull over ... What Lawton said happened next was beyond anything her initial fears predicted. ... Lawton says Tatusko refused to take her identification, never told her why she was stopped and never left the passenger side of the vehicle. She said at one point the officer got so angry he cocked his gun and said if Joshalyn moved again he would 'blow her brains out.'"


Anti-gunners: World-wide conspiracy?: "Think about it. Great Britain, and to an extent our neighbor to the north Canada, have literally given up their guns. The same is true of Australia. The anti-gunners -- organized groups, certain U.S. politicians, select members of Congress, many foreign governments, plus the United Nations -- continue to hack away at the U.S. Constitution's 2nd Amendment every chance they can. These determined gun-haters have popped up in every free and civilized country in the world. Their aim: to rid the world (they say) of any and all deadly weapons by first forcing restrictions, then eventually banning every gun -- rifle and pistol alike -- belonging to hunters, sportsmen, and decent citizens -- those of us who only keep a gun for self defense."


There is a great article here called "Chicks Carrying Guns and Kicking Tail". It is full of good stories so there would be no point in me trying to put up excerpts from it. And it recommends this blog! Definitely a fine article.

WY: National groups watch gun lawsuit: "Wyoming's legal challenge against the federal government could serve as a national test case on whether people convicted of domestic violence can expunge their records and regain their right to own guns. In a lawsuit that has attracted support from national gun groups, Wyoming in May sued the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson is scheduled to hear arguments in the case on Oct. 6 in Cheyenne. The state is asking Johnson to rule that the ATF acted illegally when it threatened to disallow the use of the approximately 11,000 concealed weapons permits the state has issued to its citizens as a substitute for federal background checks for firearms purchases."


Switzerland: Magazine petitions for gun ban: "A women's magazine has collected 17,400 signatures in a bid to rid Swiss households of hundreds of thousands of weapons. The petition comes amid discussions in parliament over whether to scrap the country's militia army tradition requiring guns and ammunition to be kept at home. ... The petition, 'No weapons at home,' is calling for a ban on shotguns at home, for army rifles to be kept in military storage instead of at home and for people not to be able to hold on to army guns after their period of service expires. It is also campaigning for a national weapons register to be created as soon as possible.

"What can we do to stop lunatics with guns? "Those who continually cry for more 'gun control' refuse to learn the fundamental truth these heinous crimes teach those of us with the ears to hear: Society cannot legislate sanity. There is nothing government can do to stop someone from going crazy and going on a murderous rampage. All we can do is stop them once they've already gone mad and started killing. Who do we call when this happens?Someone with the means and ability to stop the killer ... someone with a gun."



One little, two little, three little gun laws ...: "One little, two little, three little gun laws. Four little, five little, six little guns laws. Seven little, eight little, nine little gun laws, we have 10,000 gun laws now! Catchy jingle, huh? Maybe, but a very sad testament to what was once an America that respected the absolute natural Right of the individual to protect themselves, their families, their communities, and yes, even their country."

Kimveer Gill's weapons were registered: "I have to admit, I've been wrong about the gun registry in the past. I always thought that it should be scrapped, for the simple reason that criminals don't obey the law. It turns out, however, that the registry is useless for another reason. Some criminals do obey the law, dutifully registering their guns before using them to slaughter people. ... The registry of long guns, and more talk of gun control in general, came about, in part, as a reaction to the 1989 Montreal massacre. But, if anything, one could argue that the 1989 tragedy and Wednesday's events, would more likely have been stopped earlier on, if not prevented, by supporting the right to bear arms. Had all, or many, students and faculty at L'Ecole Polytechnique, or Dawson College, been armed, Marc Lepine and Kimveer Gill would have been taken out quickly."


Gun control: Nay: "Now that people have had time to recover from the initial shock of the shootings at Montreal's Dawson College, we hear calls for more firearms restrictions (PM Won't Bow To Pressure On Guns -- Sept. 16). More gun-control measures are not the answer. We have to stop single-mindedly focusing on the tools that criminals and deranged persons use to harm or kill others and concentrate on the causes of their anti-social behaviour. The fact is, this tragedy happened despite the fact that the Firearms Act, one of the most restrictive gun laws in the world, has been in full effect for years. It is impossible to legislate against insanity. No laws could have prevented this."

UT: Gun ban "temporarily suspended": "The U lifted its longtime policy banning guns on campus Monday. University of Utah President Michael Young announced the decision in an e-mail addressed to students, faculty and staff, stating that the policy would be suspended 'temporarily' until a resolution is met with state lawmakers. The change in policy came after the Utah Supreme Court released a ruling earlier this month stating that the campus ban on guns violated a 2004 state law prohibiting government entities from outlawing concealed firearms. Young had previously said the U would continue enforcing the ban despite the high court ruling."


Keillor makes sense for once: "The way to stop terrorists on planes is to encourage passengers to bring loaded firearms aboard: guys in orange vests sitting in exit rows with deer rifles on their laps, ladies with Mr. Colt in their purses, kids with peashooters. Somebody wake up the National Rifle Association. Does the 2nd Amendment say 'The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed except on commercial airliners?' Where is the right wing when you really need them?" [Full circle? Now we have a "progressive" movement icon, however whimsically, saying what libertarians have been saying all along]

NC: Self-defense shooting case handed to DA: "The case of a homeowner who shot and killed a suspected burglar in Waxhaw has been handed over to the Union County district attorney. One piece of information, that's just been released, about the fatal shot could weigh heavily the DA's decision to file charges against the homeowner. ... Deputies said the homeowner got up early Monday morning to see if someone was breaking into his car. Police said he went outside his home and confronted Mobley. By going outside, Kirkley left the safety of his home and that might get him in trouble because the law does not allow people to use deadly force to protect property."


CT: Outcry killed victim disarmament law: "Mayor Joseph Jaskiewicz said the controversial gun ordinance proposal was well written, but the outcry against it did it in. Town councilors voted unanimously Monday to remove the proposed gun ordinance from their agenda.Jaskiewicz recommended pulling the proposal last month when a furor arose regarding the perception it was infringing on the right to bear arms."

AR: Concealed weapons discussed after shooting: "A shooting Wednesday night is raising new interest and concerns over concealed weapons permits. Little Rock police say 56 year old Samuel Mitchell shot and killed a man who was pointing a gun at him and demanding his truck. It happened at a church parking lot. Mitchell had a concealed weapons permit. KARN talk show host Dave Elswick says received (sic) a permit 3 months ago, 'Police can only be a few places at one time. They normally solve crime. They don't follow me around daily. I think it's my responsibility to protect myself and family.' But Lt. Terry Hastings with the Little Rock police department warns not all incidents turn out like the one Wednesday night, 'This is not the old west where we have quick draws. Most of the time if a person is standing there pointing a gun at you the chances of getting your weapons out successfully are difficult.'" [Hmmm. ... so would I rather have a 'difficult' chance at fighting back, or no chance?]


UT: University defies court to disarm victims: "State lawmakers are claiming victory, but the political shootout over the U campus' ban on guns is far from over. The Utah Supreme Court struck down the U policy outlawing firearms on campus Friday. However, U administrators say they will continue to enforce the anti-gun policy while the issue is resolved in federal court. 'There will be no change in policy during the (pending) of this lawsuit,' University of Utah President Michael Young said Friday. While Young is set on maintaining a gun-free campus, state officials say students who bring guns on campus are legally protected. Mark Shurtleff, Utah Attorney General, said if the U tries to enforce the ban it could face serious legal repercussions."

UT: No charges filed in shooting case: "Iron County Attorney Scott Garrett decided Tuesday to not file charges in a July 25 shooting that occurred in a Wal-Mart parking lot leaving a 26-year-old Cedar City man dead. After reviewing the case, Garrett determined the force used in the incident was justifiable, and that Carl Coltellino acted in self-defense. ... The Coltellino family -- Carl, Tracy and their two young girls -- was traveling through Cedar City on vacation from Florida and decided to spend the night in the Wal-Mart parking lot. ... Stubbs allegedly knocked on the door of the motor home, and, after entering it, wouldn't leave. ... the Coltellinos tried to make Stubbs leave by shouting and shoving him, she said. And, after the 26-year-old Cedar City resident wouldn't leave, Carl pulled out a 12-gauge shotgun, which Stubbs allegedly tried to take from the Florida man. 'The fact that he tried to take the gun from him in his home is a pretty key factor,' Garrett said."


GA: Clerk's question foils one robber: "Columbus police are investigating an attempted armed robbery . which occurred Monday night . said Columbus Police Lt. Mark D. Starling. (It) took place at the Corner Cupboard Chevron, 3857 Milgen Road, Starling said. A man entered the convenience store around 8:40 p.m., pointed a handgun at the clerk and handed him a brown plastic bag in which to put the cash he was demanding. The clerk, Rick Lodhi, refused to comply with the gunman instead saying, 'Are you crazy? The police are on the way. You should go. I'm going to get my gun. I have you on video,' Starling said. The would-be robber turned and ran from the store without taking anything, Starling said."

IL: Man shot, killed during home invasion : "Police say a man in his early 20s was shot once in the chest and killed Tuesday night after he allegedly broke into a home in the 1800 block of North Church Street. The man was taken to a Rockford hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. Witnesses reported hearing three shots before squad cars descended on the neighborhood around 10 p.m. The shooting took place at 9:51 p.m., police said. Several people were taken into custody, apparent witnesses to the crime, officers at the scene said. Police had not yet decided whether charges will be filed in the case."


MS: Woman shoots carjacker: "Kennya Johnson is still shaken up. Saturday night she was leaving the pool hall in Copiah County when a man approached her, asked for directions, then pulled out a gun. 'I reached over to shut my door from my left, and he had a gun in my face, a silver gun in my face,' said Johnson. 'He told me to get out. I threw my hands up, and asked him what he wanted and he said, 'I want to have this car.'' Johnson says she offered to give the man her car, but as friends passed by, her attacker told her not to speak out. The gun was still at her chest. Johnson feared for the worst. 'I'm begging him and telling him that I have got kids,' said Johnson. 'He said, 'b***h do I look like I have got a heart.' So I knew it was serious at this time.' Luckily, her attacker, Vincent Fleming, 19, of Jackson, got confused. He misheard Johnson and assumed she had a child in the back seat. He allowed her to remove the baby, but she took that opportunity to get her handgun. She reached inside grabbed the gun and shot once. Fleming fell to the ground."

Guns save lives: "'Somebody tried to mug me, and I shot him,' said New Yorker Margaret Johnson after a perpetrator ripped off her necklace, choked her and tried to grab her purse, reported the New York media over the weekend. This incident offers a graphic illustration of the need for gun ownership on the part of law-abiding American citizens. It shows up the stupidity of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and others like him who oppose a loosening of firearm laws and seek a strengthening of such regulations. Regardless of their intentions, the gun grabbers' campaign against gun ownership on the part of law-abiding citizens and against the firearm industry in effect is an attack on both personal and public safety. Guns save lives. Guns protect the innocent."


WI: Man shoots teen robber: "Police said a storeowner shot and killed one of two teenagers he said was trying to rob his Milwaukee store. Singh and his wife, Devinder Singh live above the store at 31st Street and Glendale Avenue. They said they heard noises around 1:30 a.m. Monday. Police said the 51-year-old took his gun, went downstairs and shot at the two teenagers, ages 17 and 18. The 18-year-old later died. Singh was taken into police custody, but was later released. Monday, his wife defended his actions. 'In this United States, we have the right to live our life, and we are not criminal. We are working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. My husband he drives a semi. He works more than me. So we have the right, and we have the right to kill if someone comes on my property like that,' Devinder Singh said."


NJ: Guns N Rollers airport terror t-shirt alert: "Keen security personnel at Birmingham International Airport ordered a man to turn his t-shirt inside out because it bore a drawing of two crossed guns. Staffordshire design engineer Dave Osbourne was wearing a Guns N Rollers t-shirt. Guns N Rollers are a team in 'an all-female roller derby league located in Portland Oregon,' according to their website. Their logo is a tribute to that of hard rocking, hard drinking, legendarily fractious LA band Guns N Roses. ... As he waited to board the flight to Newark, New Jersey, guards told Osbourne the graphic represented a security risk, and could upset other passengers. ... The 21-year-old said: 'I am all for extra security, but this was just plain stupid.' Bosses at the airport apologised, admitting guards over-reacted."

FL: Seizure law riles Cooper City residents: "Under the city law, once the city declares a state of emergency, officials would be able to regulate fuel and alcohol sales, close any place of public assemblage and prohibit public possession or display of firearms. In addition, they would be able 'to confiscate merchandise, equipment, vehicles or property needed to alleviate any emergency condition.'"



KY: Gun ban at parks challenged: "People may soon be able to carry guns, including concealed weapons, onto the grounds of Scott County's parks and other county-owned property. During Friday's Scott County Fiscal Court meeting, Judge-Executive George Lusby told the court he had received two letters from The Kentucky Coalition to Carry Concealed Inc. claiming signage at the Scott County park prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons is unlawful."


TX: Man with AK-47 helps thwart robbery: "When Arthur Winters saw two armed robbers terrorizing his neighborhood, he did the only thing he could think of: He asked his wife to bring him his AK-47. 'I had to get it to protect my family and the neighbors and all that,' Winters said. It was part of a series of events, including a fistfight, rock-throwing and haphazard gunshots, that hammered the plans of two robbery suspects Saturday afternoon, leaving one shot and the other stuck in the mud."

OH: Pols seek to make parks victim disarmament zones: "Now that a court has upheld Toledo's ban on guns in parks, Columbus should pass a similar law, Mayor Michael B. Coleman said yesterday. The statement came after a news conference in which Coleman showcased 1,000 guns that had been confiscated this year on Columbus' streets. Police picked up the sawed-off shotguns, AK-47s, Tec-9s and other guns at crime scenes and during traffic stops. Coleman wants officers to be able to arrest anyone carrying a gun in a city park and confiscate the weapon. A court ruling released last week by the 6 th District Court of Appeals in Toledo upheld that city's law banning guns in parks."


Murder in a victim disarmament zone: "Marta, its trains, buses, buildings, and even its parking lots have been declared by the Georgia General Assembly to be off limits to firearms under the penalty of a felony prosecution by the State, with the punishment being 1-20 years in prison and a $15,000.00 fine. See O.C.G.A. 16-12-127; 16-12-122(12); and 16-12-123(b). ... This morning, a man died at the hands of a criminal in a zone where the law of this State declares that he had no right to defend himself with a firearm. ... Is it not time to change these laws?"

All that Canadian gun control shows its usefulness: "A cold-faced gunman dressed in a black trenchcoat opened fire in a Montreal college, leaving a trail of blood and injury and sending students fleeing for their lives. Montreal police chief Yvan Delorme said police had shot and killed the single gunman, and 20 people had been injured. "Based on current information, the suspect was killed by the police," he told a news briefing. Montreal General Hospital said 11 people had been admitted with gunshot wounds, and six were in critical condition. Some of the injured were taken to other area hospitals".

British cops seize guns because they MIGHT be illegal: "Hundreds of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition were seized from the home of a gun dealer yesterday by police investigating the supply of weapons to London’s black drugs gangs. Detectives from the unit Operation Trident, which investigates “black-on-black” gun crime, said that the guns haul was one of the biggest in the history of Scotland Yard. It will take days to discover whether any of the weapons kept by Michael Shepherd, a 55-year-old collector and licensed dealer, were illegal or were offered for sale to criminals".


MO: Man in critical condition after double shooting: "One man is fighting for his life after being shot in the chest early Wednesday morning in Kansas City, Mo. The other shooter, Mike Jones, was shot in the arm during the shootout that sent him to the hospital as well. He spoke to NBC Action News as he was returning home from the hospital and said he fired his gun in self-defense. 'I guess somebody tried to carjack me and shot through the window and I shot him, that's it,' Jones said. Reports indicate that one man came up from behind a van and went right up to his red Chevy Caprice. Shortly after, multiple shots rang out."

Killings make public fight back: "The stakes have changed this crazy and violent year. After the New Year's Day massacre of the Harvey family, the slaughter of the Tucker/Baskervilles a few days later, the recent abduction of Emily 'Kate' Robertson and Wednesday's shooting death of 60-year-old Holt Smith in the East End, allegedly by two teen robbers, no longer can residents assume that robbers, burglars and rapists are going to let them live. ...That's why our legislators must adjust the state's self- and home-protection laws so criminals violating our dwellings and lives will be the ones at risk. As it is now, if Anne had a gun Friday night and used it, she would have faced prosecution because it could be argued the burglar/robber was trying to get away."


The New York Times on guns: "I have a cartoon posted on my wall. ... I shall attempt to describe it: Two men are seen standing next to and setting up a large video camera. The camera is pointed at a rifle sitting on a stand on a table. One man is saying, 'It's an assault rifle. When it slinks off to kill someone we'll catch it on film.' I see this cartoon daily and I laugh at it all the time .... Clearly there's still some people who honestly believe that these inanimate metal objects are capable of independent thought and action. You can read about some of these people at the New York Times. The editorial is titled, 'The Toll of Small Arms.' Are there people who read these things and actually believe them?"

News from the pro-crime lobby: "But the last straw for American defenders of the God-given right to self-defense may have been the case of Melvin Spaulding, 71, arrested for attempted murder and held without bail in 2003 after he ran to the defense of a 63-year-old friend and neighbor being beaten by thugs in front of his home in St. Petersburg, Fla. -- shooting one of the assailants. In the end, charges were dropped and Mr. Spaulding's firearm was returned to him. But Floridians had had enough. In April 2005, with a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association at his side, Gov. Jeb Bush signed a bill making it clear that victims have a right to defend themselves on the street, meeting 'force with force' without fear of being prosecuted."


A woman's right to choose: "A woman has the right to choose. Isn't that what everyone (especially the media) has been screaming for years? Well, I believe that, to an extent. A woman has the right to choose many things. A woman can choose what she wants to wear, what she wants to eat, where she wants to shop, what she wants to carry, and various other things. Yes, you read that correctly, the right to keep and bear arms does not just apply to men. Unfortunately, many women don't see it that way. Many women look at guns as scary weapons, instead of a great means of self-defense. Instead of choosing the right to arm themselves, women take useless self-defense classes. I am a strong believer that self-defense classes often cause more harm than good."


Reduced police numbers drives gun crime up: "Americans were robbed and victimized by gun violence at greater rates last year than the year before, even though overall violent and property crime reached a 32-year low, the Justice Department said Sunday. Experts said these increases buttress reports from the FBI and many mayors and police chiefs that violent crime is beginning to rise after a long decline. Bush administration officials expressed concern but stressed that it was too soon to tell if a new upward trend in violence had begun. Last year, there were two violent gun crimes for every 1,000 individuals, compared with 1.4 in 2004, according to the department's Bureau of Justice Statistics. There were 2.6 robberies for every 1,000 persons, compared with 2.1 the year before... Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty listened to complaints about dwindling federal anti-crime aid from several dozen mayors and police chiefs at a public meeting in Washington... Esserman said all but few cities have fewer police officers now than in 2001, with big reductions in New York, Boston and Detroit "because of the loss of federal money."

IN: Homeowner shoots teen during robbery: "Police say a Kokomo man who answered his door after midnight found two would-be armed robbers on his porch. But he was armed, too. Police say one teenager is dead and another teen faces surgery after 61-year-old Michael Slonaker shot both suspects. The shooting occurred about 12:30am Wednesday. Police found 16-year-old Nathan Smith shot in the chest at the scene, where he was pronounced dead. His alleged accomplice, 17-year-old Justin Smith, went to the hospital with a wounded knee. He was being taken to Indianapolis for surgery. Slonaker told police he found two white males with a shotgun and a baseball bat waiting when he answered his door. Police say he fired two shots. Police say Slonaker is licensed to carry a firearm, but he doesn't need a permit to have one in his home."


Ailing NYC woman in scooter shoots would-be robber: "The man picked the wrong person to rob -- an ailing Harlem woman on a motorized scooter who pulled out a .357-cal. handgun and shot him in front of stunned passersby in broad daylight Friday, police said. Margaret Johnson, a 57-year-old licensed gun owner, was looking to fire her weapon, but it was supposed to be at a firing range, police said. She left her home with plans to go to the range. Instead, she was confronted from behind by Deron Johnson, no relation, police said. The 45-year-old ex-convict grabbed at the chain around the victim's neck, and snatched it from her, police said. But Margaret Johnson put up quite a struggle, police said, and was able to fire once from her handgun, striking the suspect in the left elbow. The suspect ran off, but was grabbed nearby by police and arrested. He was taken to Harlem Hospital Center in stable condition. Charges were pending. Margaret Johnson was questioned by detectives but will not be charged. "She was defending herself," a police source said. The suspect has nine previous arrests, police said. State records show he served eight years in prison for a drug conviction and was released in February 2003."


Another success for British gun bans: "A [black] teenager who was shot dead as he returned home from a youth club may have been mistaken for somebody else. Jessie James, a softly spoken 15-year-old who regularly helped his local pastor, was described by police as an innocent victim of gun crime who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was the youngest victim of lawlessness in Moss Side, the notorious inner-city suburb of Manchester, since Benji Stanley, 14, was caught in crossfire in 1993 as he queued for a takeaway meal. Jessie was hit by bullets from a semi-automatic pistol as he stopped to speak to a passer-by in Moss Side Community Park early on Saturday morning. He fell from his mountain bike close to a basketball court and died after being hit by three bullets. Two hit his torso and one lodged in his appendix."

GA: Would-be victim scares off carjacker: "Cobb County SWAT officers shot and killed a robbery and carjacking suspect early Tuesday evening, after a four-hour-long standoff with the suspect as he sat in someone's back yard in Smyrna. After the suspect allegedly tried to rob the person at the Publix shopping center, at South Cobb Drive and East-West Connector, police say he tried to carjack a man in a car with two children inside. Police say the man in the car fired at the suspect, forcing him to run off, with police in hot pursuit."


Meaning of Lieberman's defeat to gun owners: "Both Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and Ned Lamont who defeated him in the Connecticut Democrat primary are anti-gun. Nevertheless, gun owners should pay attention to the outcome of this race. Indeed, anyone interested in survival should pay attention. From all that anyone can determine, the only issue that separated Lieberman and Lamont is the war against terrorists. Lieberman, although an enemy of personal self defense, was an unabashed supporter of defending America from Muslim crusaders intent on killing every man, woman and child on earth who does not proclaim themselves to be Muslim... The Democrat Left's support of terrorists derives from self-hatred. They are convinced that Americans, and Westerners in general (but also including African Christians who were slaughtered without a peep from the Left), are the source of violence and resentment in the world. Because we have caused the problem, they believe, we deserve to be attacked. This belief is so deep set that the Left believes self defense and retaliation are morally unacceptable.... If Lieberman's defeat is a harbinger of future elections, any Democrat who believes in self defense, be it personal or national, can expect to get the same treatment. And of course, Republicans can expect to get more of the same as long as they support self defense. The issue of our age is self defense. The Democrat Left has drawn a line in the sand in Connecticut. They are against survival.

AZ: Court rules self-defense law retroactive: "Ruling on a legal issue at play in cases across the state, an appellate court ruled Tuesday that a new law on self defense applied retroactively to pending cases in which alleged crimes had already been committed.Overturning a ruling by a Pima County Superior Court judge, a three-judge Tucson panel of the Arizona Court of Appeals said a murder defendant awaiting trial in a 2004 homicide can cite the new law in his trial.The issue is already pending before the state Supreme Court because of an appeal filed in a Maricopa County case. The same issue is also being appealed in a Coconino County case.The new law, which took effect immediately upon Gov. Janet Napolitano's signature on April 24, is more favorable to defendants than a now-replaced statute."


Stop the McCarthy gun grab: "Because of the recent Labor Day holiday, you might have missed an important alert that GOA sent out on August 29. The House Judiciary Committee is getting ready to vote on H.R. 1415 -- a gun grab bill that was introduced by New York anti-gun liberal [sic] Carolyn McCarthy (D). The anti-gun forces are asking their members to call their Representatives in favor of McCarthy's bill, so it's important that your Congressman hears from you. Moreover, GOA is the only gun lobby on Capitol Hill opposing McCarthy's bill -- which is all the more reason that your action is crucial!"

PA: Elderly man fights off armed robber: "An attempted armed robbery recently occurred at the residence of Harry Lewis, 81, of Covington, Pa. At 12:50 a.m. Saturday, an unknown male knocked on Lewis' door and said he needed help, state police said.When Lewis opened the front door, the unknown male pulled a white, knitted scarf over his face and forced his way into the residence, according to state police from Mansfield. The intruder had a claw hammer and threatened to hit Lewis if Lewis did not give him his wallet and money, police said. Lewis tried to hit the robber with a flashlight, and a struggle between the two ensued, police said. Lewis wrestled the robber to the floor and then went to retrieve a gun, police said. While Lewis was retrieving the gun, the robber fled the scene in an unknown direction, police said."


TX: Homeowner shoots, kills burglar: "As most families were sleeping soundly early Labor Day morning, a local homeowner shot and killed a man who smashed through the back door of his home. 'The homeowners, who were asleep, awoke to a living nightmare,' said Seguin Police Department public information officer Aaron Seidenberger. 'A person had broken into their home, and now they were violently struggling to get the suspect to leave.' After breaking into the home at 798 Renee St. at 5:20 a.m., the man made his way down the hallway to the homeowners' bedroom, where the husband and wife awoke. The male homeowner physically struggled with the burglar, who had armed himself with a wooden club-like object he found inside the home, police said. The homeowner retrieved a gun from his bedroom and yelled for the man to leave. When the burglar charged, the homeowner shot the man at least once in the upper torso with a .40 caliber handgun, said Police Chief Luis Collazo. ... He was pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Darrell Hunter."

OH: Robed ninnies repeal 2nd Amendment: "The city can ban firearms in city parks despite a state law that allows Ohioans to carry hidden guns, a state appeals court ruled on Friday. The 2-1 ruling from the 6th District Court of Appeals could affect other cities that ban concealed handguns in its parks. The court upheld the city's ban because it said the state law gives private property owners the right to ban handguns thus making the state law not a 'general' law."


UT: man shot in self-defense, prosecutors say : "He called it self-defense and prosecutors agreed with him. Two weeks ago, Ryan McManigal fired at alleged intruders at his home. He went outside in pursuit and fired more shots. Three stray bullets went into the homes of neighbors. 'I did what I had to do man, got to protect your house,' McManigal told ABC4 News. 'They were going to try and kill me.' This week the Salt Lake District Attorney determined that McManigal was justified in protecting himself."

"Pro-gun" groups disagree on background check bill: "A Second Amendment group is warning gun owners that a 'massive gun control bill' is now working its way through Congress -- and is surprisingly close to becoming law. Gun Owners of America also admits that it is the only national pro-gun group to oppose the 'NICS Improvement Act of 2005' (H.R. 1415). Introduced by gun control advocate Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, H.R. 1415 is intended to improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which screens would-be gun buyers for mental problems or criminal convictions that would bar them from buying guns. ... GOA argues that the bill will allow for an enormous data dump from the states to the federal government -- 'laying the infrastructure for even more gun control in the future.' ... The National Rifle Association takes a less ominous view of the bill. 'This bill ... would improve availability of criminal history and other records for conducting background checks on firearm buyers,' says an analysis on the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action website."


FL: Eatery workers, suspects trade shots: "Employees and two suspects traded shots about 11:30 p.m. outside the back door of Froggers Grill and Bar Southwest on Conroy-Windermere Road, reports state. Having been robbed a week earlier while taking out the trash, both kitchen workers told police they armed with themselves with .40-caliber and 9 mm pistols before doing the chore Sunday night, reports show. The kitchen workers told police they stepped outside and were confronted by two men armed with a rifle and a pistol who ordered them to drop to their knees. Then one of the suspects fired a shot without striking either man, reports show. The employees opened fire, and the suspects fled by jumping a fence."

TX: Tale of 2 robberies: "A would-be robber was critically wounded and an apartment resident died during two separate home robberies. The first happened at an apartment complex in the 4500 block of Cedar Springs. According to reports, three suspects forced their way inside a unit at the Tecali Apartments. Officials said the resident jumped out of the window of his upstairs apartment and died at the scene. ... About two hours later and 20 minutes away in the 9400 block of Royal Lane, another man forced his way into an apartment. This would-be robber was met with an armed tenant. The alleged suspect was shot multiple times and transported to Baylor Hospital in extremely critical condition."


Don't be a victim: "My second motto for living is 'Don't be a victim.' I adopted it in the early nineties when a mob of anti-gunners was pushing to disarm peaceful, law-abiding U.S. citizens. I'd heard about the experiences of people who had been disarmed in other countries. After their guns were turned in, they became instant cash machines for hoodlums. Burgling, robbing, and mugging went from being very risky stints (as in risking one's life for each attempt) to highly profitable enterprises (as in raking in cash with no resistance). So I figured if anti-gunners had their way, predators would automatically assign me the rank of 'victim.'"

Customizing guns for home defense: "While it's easy these days to buy a gun that's designed specifically for home defense, it can be just as simple to turn a long gun or handgun that you inherited or bought for another purpose into a terrific home-defense tool. Customizing the gun doesn't have to be expensive or difficult, and in some cases the modifications don't even have to be permanent, allowing you to return the gun quickly to its original condition for its original purpose."



VA: Gun dealer facing suit stands firm: "Dennis Alverson said he has received offers from New York City to settle a lawsuit the city brought against his Old Dominion Gun & Tackle shop in Danville. No deal. ... In Danville, Alverson bristles at the suggestion that he is a rogue dealer and notes he is in compliance with all state and federal regulations. 'If we were doing anything wrong, we would not be in business because [the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] would shut us down,' he said. Alverson said his clients know he has done nothing wrong and the suit has not affected his business."

Limit gun violence by empowering responsible citizens

As Seattleites emerge from their state of shock over the July 28 shooting spree at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, there no doubt will be discussions on how to prevent a repeat of this kind of monstrous evil, whether perpetrated as a form of decentralized terrorism inspired by anti-Semitism, or as an act of a deranged individual. Predictably, there will be cries to restrict the instruments of Naveed Afzal Haq's actions — firearms — as a means to control violence of this sort in the future. Coming on the heels of another shooting spree in March of this year on Capitol Hill, there will be much political temptation to be seen to be "doing something."

And legislating more restrictions on the right to keep and bear firearms is often viewed as an emotionally satisfying and politically convenient way to meet that psychological need to do something — anything — in the aftermath of a tragedy like this. But that inclination is misguided on two points, one based on principle and the other on practicality. First, as a matter of principle, a free, open society like ours does not, and ought not, preemptively restrict freedom of the general population out of fear that a small criminal minority would misuse that freedom.

Just as the fact that a few pedophiles use the Internet to trade child porn should not move the society to restrict access to the Internet for the public at large, neither should the right of the vast majority of responsible, law-abiding citizens to own and carry guns be sacrificed in the false hope that criminals would then be constrained.

Second, as a matter of practicality, such a restriction on guns does nothing to curb violence. Even if legal firearm ownership were completely banned today, no serious person would argue that we could eradicate the availability of firearms on the black market. Those who intend to harm others will still be able to get guns — illegally. Those who are unable to do so, but still harbor criminal intents, will use other means to inflict harm. In England, for example, a man went on a slashing spree with a sword at a church in 1999; and early this year, a recent University of North Carolina graduate, a native of Iran, plowed into a crowd with a sport utility vehicle "to avenge Muslim deaths."

Guns, knives and any other conceivable arms are obviously banned in our prison system, but despite the most strenuous control measures, people are still assaulted and murdered at prisons, often with improvised weapons. It is a fact of life that there will always be those few, for whatever reasons, who seek to inflict physical harm upon others even in the most benign of utopias.

Then what are we to do as a society? What we ought to do is precisely the opposite — to encourage a responsible, armed citizenry. Of course, I want to make it absolutely clear that I do not encourage vigilantism. I am not suggesting that people arm themselves and go looking for trouble. You leave that to the professionals who get paid to take the risk.

Nor am I suggesting that an armed citizen could have entirely prevented the Jewish Federation attack. But an armed citizen defending his school, church, synagogue or home could mitigate the extent of the casualty level should such a calamity strike again (as happened in Pearl, Miss., in 1997, when an assistant principal interrupted a school shooting by retrieving his gun from his car — ironically it was illegal for him to bring a gun to school — and holding the suspect at bay until the police arrived).

Despite what some politicians and groups say, there is no magic solution for curbing murderous violence. We cannot ban mechanical objects and expect twisted human beings to cleanse evil from their souls suddenly. Furthermore, in a free, open society like ours, where we all live with some degree of mutual trust and a social contract to not do harm to each other, there is no reliable way of preemptively stopping someone intent on harming others. The only thing we can do is to try to limit the damage by continuing to empower the majority of law-biding, decent individuals with the freedom to defend themselves.

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KS: Man found not guilty in shooting "A Butler County jury has returned a not guilty verdict in a case involving a shooting last year in El Dorado. Bart M. Thomison, 21, had been charged with murder in the second degree or, in the alternative, involuntary manslaughter. That was in connection with the shooting death of Joshua Freed, 19, at about 11 p.m. on the night of Aug. 18 of last year. The shooting occurred as the result of a confrontration between Thomison and Freed in a driveway at a residence in the 1200 block of Douglas Road."

NY: Bloomberg stalls on releasing evidence: "More than three months after Mayor Bloomberg's announcement that he had sent private investigators into five states to catch gun dealers making illegal sales, he is refusing to turn over the evidence they've gathered to the federal agency that investigates illegal guns. Analysts said the impasse may have slowed the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms in its investigation of and possible action against gun dealers that broke the law."


MS: Police probe shooting; "Two men with gunshot wounds were discovered in a pickup in a south Jackson neighborhood Monday afternoon shortly after two neighboring business owners reported shooting at armed, masked men who had attempted to enter one of the businesses. ... Shortly after 3 p.m., workers at the Fairhill Drive address saw the men in front of the house, and police were called. About 15 minutes earlier, an attempted robbery was reported at J Town Auto Sales, 1500 U.S. 80 West. The owner reported firing at least two to three shots, Vance said. The men then ran west down U.S. 80 and passed Standard Shift Transmission next door. One of the men ran toward the owner, who also fired shots at them, Vance said. An employee at the transmission shop who didn't want to be identified said the business owner fired at one of the men after he pointed a gun at him."

What gun grabbers do when they can't grab guns: "They sue the gun owners. Here's a summary of what's going on. The City of New York hires a bunch of private investigators to go into gun stores in pairs to buy guns. While in the store one investigator does all the talking -- asking questions about the gun, etc. -- while the other one fills out the paperwork for the required background check. The gun shop owner then runs the background check and sells a weapon to the man who filled out the paperwork, not the man who was asking all the questions."


Canadians finally face reality: "Canada announced it will arm its border guards following a number of border incidents in which guards abandoned their posts when they felt threatened by reports of armed fugitives headed their way. Canada has unarmed guards along its 6,435km border with the US, but Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that the guards will now be armed, as their US counterparts are. "There have been numerous examples of officers leaving their posts because they simply weren't equipped to deal with the kind of threat that was anticipated to come over the border," Harper said at a border crossing in Surrey, British Columbia. The union that represents the guards said between 400 and 600 officers have refused work over the past 18 months because of the dangers encountered with criminals approaching the border. The government plans to arm and train its 4,500 border agents over the next 10 years. Harper said some will be armed from September next year and about 150 will receive weapons by the end of March 2008."